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SOCIAL LIFE
The early reliefs are the only peep-hole affording an inkling into the
life that existed when they were carved. Contemporary dress and ornaments
are faithfully portrayed.
A
Beautiful Portrayal Of Lifestyle
The chief drapery, as in the reliefs of Bharhut, consisted of a dhoti or
sadi, often diaphanous in the case of women, tied by a waistband, with
folds of the ends hanging in front. Both men and women usually were
without any garment to cover the part of the body above the waist, but
scarves were used on ceremonial occasions.
Men used to wear a turban, the rich often with crest jewels. Women
sometimes wore veils, covering the head but not the face. The combing of
women was varied and often decorated with ornaments. In contrast to the
scantiness of dress, ornaments were profuse.
Both women and men of rank were decorated with ornaments- ear-ornaments,
necklaces and bangles- women having girdles, anklets and head-ornaments in
addition. The ear-ornaments were of two kinds: rings and studs, the latter
very heavy and necessitating large perforations of the earlobes.
Furniture, like the bedstead, stool, table, and seat, utensils like the
bowl, plate, pitcher and ghata, umbrellas, fans, toilet-trays and caskets
are depicted. Only one relief gives an idea about a double- storeyed
house, though there are some representations of pillared halls and ridged
roofs with pinnacles. The houses were fenced with railings, of which we
get a good many representations.
Amusement Activities
The reliefs also delineate the lighter side of life, like music,
dance, sporting in the lotus-lakes and even
amour. Dancing seems to have been the monopoly of women and the orchestra
was also often formed of women. Four different kinds of musical
instruments, the flute, harp, 'mridanga' and 'dhakka' (varieties of the
drum), are portrayed.
Among outdoor games, only the hunting of deer with the bow and arrow and
of lion with the spear and shield and fighting the elephant with cudgels
are depicted. Fighting and duel also occur, the chief weapons of war being
the bow and arrow, shield and long sword, the last portrayed both naked
and sheathed. The sentries are armed with a staff or a spear besides a
sword.
The king himself led the army, which consisted of the infantry, cavalry
and elephant-force. A four-horse chariot is shown once, but not in a
war-scene. In his campaigns two attendants invariably accompanied the
king, one holding an umbrella and the other a banner, both insignia of
royalty. After the victorious end of a campaign the king used to have been
received at his capital with great ceremony, women bathing him with water
poured out of pitchers.
The position of women seems to have been exalted. They appeared in public
and accompanied their husbands to religious performances and
festivals. Some of them were fully
accomplished, knowing even elephant- driving. When need arose, they even
fought animals and men.