1 History of Indian costumes

Natya shastra

Natya shastra
Natyashastra has been a classic on dramatics which has
been commonly attributed to Bharata, the sage for its
authorship. It has been founded on human psychology
prevailing under conditions of India's cultural system
with a focus on stage performance. Rasa theory is at the
centre of the Natyashastra.
In full Bharata Natyashastra, also called Natyasastra,
detailed treatise and handbook on dramatic art that deals
with all aspects of classical Sanskrit theatre. ... Its
primary importance lies in its justification of Indian
drama as a vehicle of religious enlightenment.
The Scope and Importance of NatyaShastra
Main topics of discussion in Natya Shastra are:
1. Origin of mythical theater
2. Construction of stage, auditorium and ceremonies
attached to their construction
3. Choreographic element
4. Costume and make-up
5. Classification and analysis of plays.
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Natya shastra

6. Poetic aspects of plays and meters and figure of

speech used in them.
7. Theory of music and Talas.
8. Classification and description of the characters in a
play.
9. Criticism of the plays
Natya Shastra is considered as encyclopedia because:
1. It provided the play writer with the structural
designs of various types of play and its elaborations
2. It helped the play writers to get acquainted with the
rules of production to make the drama as a spectacle
3. Many literary dramas are not taken for
performance as they are not suitable to be staged, Bharat
Muni was aware of this and gave importance to both the
literary and technical aspect of theater.
The English translation of the Natyashastra, a Sanskrit
work on drama, performing arts, theater, dance, music
and various other topics. The word natyashastra also
refers to a global category of literature encompassing this
ancient Indian tradition of dramatic performance. The
authorship of this work dates back to as far as at least the
1st millenn...
3 History of Indian costumes
Natya shastra

Necessity of the Costumes and Make-up

I shall speak in due order, O Brahmins, about the
Costumes and Make-up; for the entire production [of a
play] depends on these.
The Extraneous Representation (āhāryābhinaya) deals
with the rules of the Costumes and Make-up (nepathya).
Anyone who wishes for the success of a dramatic
production should pay attention to these.
Different types[1] of the dramatis personae indicated first
by their Costumes and Make-up, accomplish the
representation without much effort, by means of Gestures
and the like.
Four kinds of Costumes and Make-up
Costumes and Make-up are of four kinds: model work
(pusta), decoration (alaṃkāra), painting the limbs
(aṅgaracanā) and [the use of] living creatures (sañjīva).
Four kinds of model work
The model work is of three kinds and of various forms.
They are: the Joined Object (sandhima), the Indicating
Object (vyājima) and Moving Object (ceṣṭima).
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The model work which is made up or mat, cloth, skin and

the like, is called the Joined Object (sandhima)[2].
That which is made by means of a mechanical device
(yantra) is called an Indicating Object (vyājima)[3] and
that which can be made to move, is called a Moving
Object (ceṣṭima).[4]
Hills, carriages, lofty palaces, shields, armours, banner-
staffs and elephants[5] which are constructed for use in a
dramatic performance are called model works.
Decorations
Decorations (alaṃkāra) are known as attaching
differently flower-garlands, ornaments and drapery after
observing the rules relating to different parts of the
[human] body.
Garlands
Garlands are of five kinds: encircling (veṣṭita), spread-up
(vitata), grouped (saṃghātya), knotted (granthima), and
hung-down (pralambita).
Four kinds of ornament
Ornaments of the body are known by the wise to be of the
four kinds: that to be fixed by piercing the limbs
(āvedhya), that to be tied up (bandhanīya), that to be
worn (prakṣepya), and that to be put round (āropya).
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Natya shastra

Piercing ornaments
[Of these, the ornaments] to be fixed by piercing the
limbs are ear-ornaments such as ear-rings (kuṇḍala).
Tied-up ornaments
And those to be tied-up (bandhanīya) are to be
represented by the girdles (śroṇī-sūtra) and the Aṅgada
(arm-band).
Worn ornaments
The ornaments to be worn (prakṣepya) are the anklets
(nūpura) as well as the wearing apparels.
Put-round ornaments
And those [ornaments] to be put round (āropya) are the
golden neck-chain (hema-sūtra) and necklaces (hāra) of
different kinds.
Ornament according to one’s habitation and tribal origin
There was varieties of ornaments of men and women
according to their habitation and tribal origin.
Ornament for males:
Head ornaments
The crest-jewel (cūḍāmaṇi) and the crown (mukuṭa) are
called ornaments of the head.
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Natya shastra

Ear ornaments
And the ear-ring (kuṇḍala) Mocaka (ear-pendant) and
ear-top (kīla) are ornaments of the ears.
Neck ornaments
The strings of pearl (muktāvalī) the Harṣaka and the
[gold] thread (sūtra) are ornaments of the neck.
Finger ornaments
And the Kaṭaka and the finger-ring (aṅgulīya-mudra) are
ornaments of the finger.
Ornament of the forearm
The Hastavi and the Valaya are the ornaments of the fore-
arm (bāhu-nālī).
Wrist ornaments
And the bracelet (rucika) and the Cūlikā are ornaments
of the wrist.
Ornaments above the elbow
The Keyūra (armlet) and the the Aṅgada (arm-band) are
ornaments to be worn above the elbow.
Breast ornaments
And the three-stringed necklace (trisara)[ is the ornament
of the breast.
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The suspended pearl necklace, the flower-garland and the

like, are ornaments for the [entire] body.
Waist ornaments
And the Talaka and the golden thread (sūtra) are
ornaments of the waist.
Uses of the ornaments for males should be made thus in
case of gods and kings.
Ornaments for females:
Head ornaments
The Śikhāpāśa the Śikhāvyālathe Piṇḍīpatra, the Crest
Jewel (cūḍāmaṇi) the Makarikāthe pearl-net (muktā-
jāla) with large large meshes (lit. as big as cow’s eyes)
and the [ordinary] hair-net (śīrṣajāla) are ornaments of
the head.
The Tilaka on the forehead should be produced by many
artistic touches, and by group of designs above the
eyebrows should imitate flowers.
Ear ornaments
The ornaments of the ear are the Kuṇḍala, the
Śikhipatra the lotus of the braid [of hairs] hung with a
string, the Karṇikā, the Karṇavalaya, the Patrakarṇikā],
Āvestika the Karṇamudrā the Karṇotkīlakā (ear-top),
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hung with a string, the various kinds of the Danta-

patras set with jewels, and the Karnapūra
The Tilaka and the Patralekhā are ornaments of the
cheeks.
And the Triveṇī is to be known as the ornament of the
breast. The two eyes are to be touched with collyrium and
the lips are also to be painted. The teeth will have
varieties colours and the four of them may have
whiteness. When dyed with turmeric their beauty is
enhanced. Pearl-like teeth of beautiful young women
embellish their smile, and the teeth dyed with the colour
of lotus-petals will be lovely, and when dyed with colour
of stone the lips will attain the beauty of a blossoms. And
an amorous look will constitute their charm.
Neck ornaments
The pearl-necklace, the snake-group (vyāla-paṅkti), the
Mañjarī, the jewel-string the jewel-necklace and the
neck-chain (sūtra) are ornaments of the neck.
The necklace with two, three or four strings as well as a
[gold] chain, is the ornament of the neck.
Breast ornaments
The necklaces with the most artistic work are to be
ornaments of the breasts.
The jewelled net is the ornament of the back.
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Natya shastra

Arm ornaments and finger ornaments

The Aṅgada (arm-band) and the bangles (valaya) are
ornaments of upper (lit. the root of the) arms.
The Kharjūra and the Ucchitika are ornaments of the
fore-arm. And so also are Kalāpi, and the Kaṭaka
34-35. The Hastapatra the Puraka and the ring
(mudrāṅgulīyaka) are ornaments of fingers.
Hip ornaments
The Kāñcīwith a net of pearls, the Talaka, the Mekhalā,
the Raśanā and the Kalāpa are ornaments of the hip
(śroṇī).
The Kāñcī is [a girdle] of one string, the Mekhalā of
eight, the Raśanā of sixteen and the Kalāpa of twenty-five
strings
In case of goddesses and queens, these should be a
combination of thirty-two, sixty-four or one hundred and
eight strings.
Ornaments of ankles
The Nūpura, the Kiṅkiṇī, the string of bells
(ghaṇṭikājāla) and the ringing Kaṭaka are the ornaments
of ankles.
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The Pāda-patra is the ornament of the shanks (jaṃghā),

and the toe-rings that of the toes, and the Tilakas on the
big toe are ornaments of the feet.
Similarly [an additional decoration of the feet] will be the
lac-dye applied to them in various patterns to impart to
them the natural colour of Aśoka blossoms.
These are the decorations of women from the hair to nails
[of the feet]. Considering the Psychological States and
the Sentiments these are to be applied [in different parts
of the body].
These [ornaments] are to applied also after a
consideration of the popular tradition
(āgama), measurements and the colour of the body and
practices mentioned in Viśvakarmā’s work.
[In dramatic production] one is not entitled to decorate
limbs freely and at one’s will, with gold, pearls and
jewels.
Applied with a sense of proportion and put on in proper
places the jewelled ornaments will lend beauty to the
limbs.
But in the production of plays there should not be a use of
too many ornaments; for these will cause fatigue [to
actors and actresses] while making prolonged
movements.
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Moreover weighed down with heavy ornaments one

cannot move much, and one so weighed down, is likely to
be exhausted and to have faint.
Hence [in a dramatic production] there should be not
used ornaments made of pure gold, but those made of lac
and inlaid slightly with jewels, will not bring exhaustion
[to the wearers in a play]. The rules of decoration are
optional in case of celestial beings (gods and goddesses);
but the decoration of human females are to be made
carefully.
Siddha women
The Siddha women should have ornaments abounding in
pearls and emeralds, and their dresses should be of
yellow colour.
Gandharva women
Ornaments of the Gandharva women should be made to
abound in rubies. And they are to carry a Vīṇā in the
hands and to have clothes of saffron colour.
Rākṣasa Women
The Rākṣasa women are to have saffires as their
ornaments, and their teeth are to be made white and the
dresses of black colour.
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Goddesses
The celestial women are to have lapis lazuli and pearls as
their ornaments, and their dresses are to be made green
like [the colour of] a parrot’s tail.
Monkey females
The women of the godly monkeys are to have topaz and
[sometimes] lapis lazuli as their ornaments, and their
dresses are to be made of blue colour.
This should be the dress of celestial women in their love-
making. But in special conditions their dresses are to be
made white.
Human females according to their countries
But human females are to have dresses and ornaments
according to their places of origin
Making of ornaments
Jewels should be made with thin sheets of mica coloured
with indigo or other plants or seeds, and these should be
mounted on very thin sheets of copper or tin.
The different kinds of crowns of which I spoke before,
should be made dazzling with loosely attached pieces of
mica, so that they may shine like jewels.
In cases of [all] these objects, instructions [for their
making] have not been mentioned in the Śāstras. One
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must act according to the directions of the Ācārya and be

guided by relevant reasoning.
This is the rule of action regarding the future mortals,
[that should be adopted in dramatic production]. Why?
Because want of sufficient strength will occur in men [of
the future generation].
Mortals of poor strength should not make any [undue]
physical exertion, and hence it is not desirable that their
crowns or ornaments should be made with gold and
jewels.
For in battle, personal combat, dance and in representing
acts of challenge, persons burdened with heavy weight
will feel fatigue and may even faint.
When the actor is overcome with pain or fatigue or is
fainting, his performance is spoilt. One may even
endanger his life by making movements with difficulty
under such conditions.
Hence ornaments are to be made with thin sheets of
copper, coloured sheets of mica, Bhāṇḍa and bees wax
covered with thin sheets of mica or mica dyed red, blue
and green.
Thus by following the popular practice or exercising
one’s own discretion one is to make properly theatrical
accessories.
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Colours of different tribes

Kirātas, Barbaras Andhras, Dramilas, Kāśis Kosalas, Pu
lindas and the inhabitants of the South are mostly known
to be brown (asita, lit. not white).
Śakas, Yavanas, Pahlavas (Pahravas) and Vāhlikas
(Bāhlikas) who dwell in the North, should be made almost
reddish yellow.
Pāñcālas, Śūrasenas, Oḍras,
Māgadhas, Aṅgas, Vaṅgasand Kaliṅgas should be made
dark or deep blue (śyāma) in complexion.
Colours of different castes
Brahmins and Kṣatriyas should be always made reddish
yellow and Vaiśyas and Śūdras dark or deep blue
(śyāma) in complexion
Colours for human beings in different regions
Human beings who dwell on the Six Continents (ṣaṭ-
dvipa) are to be painted in the colour of burnished gold.
But among the inhabitants of Jambudvīpa where men of
various colours live, everyone except those who dwell in
the North Kuru region should be given the colour of gold.
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In Bhadrāśva people should have the white colour, and in

Ketumāla, they are blue. But in the rest of the
subcontinents people should be made reddish yellow
(gaura).