Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India
by Remadevi. O. | 2009 | 54,177 words
This page relates ‘Hand Ornaments (c): Valaya’ of the study on cosmetics, costumes and ornaments of ancient India based on Sanskrit sources. Chapter one deals with cosmetics and methods of enhancing beauty; Chapter two deals with costumes, garments and dresses; Chapter three deals with ornaments for humans and animals. Each chapter deals with their respective materials, types, preparation and trade, as prevalent in ancient Indian society.
2.5. Hand Ornaments (c): Valaya
Valaya is a wrist ornament, either in the form of a bangle or of a bracelet. Gents and ladies were fond of wearing Valaya. It was plain or of several designs, sometimes producing tinkling sound. Gold, pearl, glass, diamond, conch and other precious stones like emerald and Māṇikya were used for making Valaya. They were also made by interspersing plaques and also by stalks of lotus.
Indications are made by Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa regarding the Ratnavalaya worn by men gents and ladies[1].
Matsyapurāṇa gives an example of Valaya producing tinkling sound. There in one context, an Apsaras namely Vapu is described as wearing Valaya[2]. Śivapurāṇa, Skandapurāṇa, Vāmanapurāṇa and Agnipurāṇa also use the term Valaya in several places[3]. Bharata recommends it for male and female characters[4].
In Abhijñānaśākuntala and Meghadūta, Kālidāsa refers to a Kanakavalaya and Bhujaṅgavalaya[5], where the former is made of gold and the latter is modelled after a snake.
Hāla in his Gādhāsaptaśatī, describes a bangle with the name Avidhavālakṣṇavalaya, which is the identity of a lady whose husband is alive. A Jālavalaya, bangle with network of pearls or other stones is also referred to by Hāla[6].
Kādambarī and Harṣacarita contain plenty of references to Ratnavalaya, Maṇivalaya, Vajravalaya, Śaṅkhavalaya, Marakatavalaya and Māṇikyavalaya. These are gold bangles studded with jewels, diamonds, conch shell, emerald and carbuncle respectively. A Mṛṇālavalaya is also attested by Bāṇa[7]. Māgha gives the name Suvarṇavalaya for a gold bangle and Valayārpitamuktāphala for one with settings of pearls[8]. From the term Valayāvali used in Kuṭṭanīmata[9] , it comes to know that wearing bangles in large numbers was also in practice. Bangle made of glass is found in Yaśastilakacampū[10]. Valaya was also made by joining semicircular pieces with the help of a Kīlaka (Screw). There are references to Valaya in Mahābhāṣya, Vāmanapurāṇa, Bṛhatsaṃhitā, Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa, Karpūramañjarī, Viddhasālabhañjikā, Daśakumāracarita, Mṛcchakaṭika, Kumārapālacarita and Rāmacarita.[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
V.141
[2]:
1.54
[3]:
Skandapurāṇa, VII.1.34.99; Agnipurāṇa, 111-112
[4]:
Nāṭyaśāstra, XXI.16-20, 140-143, 22-42
[6]:
DAOAI
[7]:
Harṣacarita, p.132; Kādambarī, p.160
[8]:
Śiśupālavadha, III.7,VII.45, IV.30,VIII.34
[9]:
vv.127, 443, 343
[10]:
V.122
[11]:
Bṛhatsaṃhitā, XII.10; Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa, I.8; Mahābhāṣya, I.11.7; Vāmanapurāṇa, I.7; Mṛcchakaṭika, II.9; Kumārapālacarita, 2.64; Rāmacarita, XI.92.9,19.166.62