Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 135

CONSUMPTION
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ones. The pudaga or khallaka 119 shoes were used in winter to cover the foot-sore (vivacci). They were of two kinds: addhakhalla and khalla. The former covered half the feet, while the latter covered the whole. The vāgură covered the toes and also the feet. The kosagas covered the toes to save the nails against stone, etc, Khapusā 20 covered the ankles and was used as a precaution against cold, snake, snow and thorns. There are mentioned the ardhajanghika and jaighıkā shoes which covered half and full thighs respectively. 127
HOUSE As food is necessary to sustain life, and clothing to protect body from the inclemency of weather, so shelter is necessary to protect oneself from the rain, the sun and the wind. The art of house-building (vatthuvijā) was considered as one of the seventy two arts in Jain literature. Ordinarily, houses were built of bricks and wood. There were doors, pillars, threshholds and bolts,122 about which we shall see later on. There were lofty mansions for rich and well-to-do people.
LUXURIES The people were fond of luxuries as we have seen. We find them wellattired, fond of ornaments, wreaths, flowers, perfumes, unguents, etc. Among the requisites of a gentleman mention is made of toilet, ornaments, clothes, garlands, food, perfumes, instrumental music, dancing, drama and singing. 123
Great care and attention was bestowed on hair dressing and hair cutting by ancient Indians.124 The colopana or the ceremony of tonsure was an important ceremony held at the birth of a child. Great care was taken in hair cutting on the occasion of renunciation ceremony.126
We hear of toilet saloons (alankäriyasabha ) 126 where a number of attendants performed the toilct of a number of samaņas, māhaņas, orphans, sickly and poor people.127
The luxury of the people is evident from the use of the large number of gold, silver, ornaments and jewellery. The kings, princes and the wealthy people went out surrounded by servants and attendants with an
110 The khallakabandha and other shoes are mentioned in the Mahāvagga v. 23.
120 Perhaps it is the same as the Iranian 'kafis' and kāpis kiprs of central Asia (sce Dr. Motichand's article in the 3 of the Indian Society of the Or. Art Vol. XII, 1944).
121 l. 2883, 3.3847, 132 Raya. Su 98.
193 Brh. Bha 1 2557, cf. sunahata suvilitta kappilakesamassu ümuttamäläbharana (Paramatthadipani, the com on the Udāna, p 7).
131 The Ramayana and the Mahabharata contain frequent notices of the braid, and the neglect of the coiffure as a mark of grief or violent excitement; R. L. Mitra, op. at, vol. I. p. 210 ff.
125 Maya 1. 29 f|
126 Paramatthadīpan, the com. on the Udāna, p. 333 refers to alankarasattha which dealt With the rules of hair cutting.
131 Naya. 13, p. 143