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Color symbolism in Indian dresses

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Dear List,

 

A friend of mine would like to get his M.A. degree in S. Asian History

with a thesis on "Color symbolism in Indian dresses".

 

Would anyone here be so kind to suggest some bibliographic info to

start with?

 

Thanks much in advance, and best regards.

 

Francesco Brighenti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I am at present unable to quote any reference of any scripture, but I have learnt the following -

  

  White dress for Brahmins.

  Red dress for Kshatriyas

  Yellow dress for Vaishyas

  Black dress for Sudras.

  

  PKRamakrishnan

  May 2nd 2006

 

Francesco Brighenti <frabrig (AT) (DOT) it> wrote:

 

Dear List,

 

A friend of mine would like to get his M.A. degree in S. Asian History

with a thesis on "Color symbolism in Indian dresses".

 

Would anyone here be so kind to suggest some bibliographic info to

start with?

 

Thanks much in advance, and best regards.

 

Francesco Brighenti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        School education   Pre school education

   

 

 

 

   

    Visit your group "INDOLOGY" on the web.

   

   

INDOLOGY

   

   

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

New Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Visit your group " Terms of Service.

 

 

 

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Dear Fransesco,

 

This is my second attempt of posting the message, the first did not

seem to have gone through.

 

The dharmasutra of (of gautama, Apastambha and vashiSTHa) and smRti

texts (like Manu smriti etc.) could be good start.

 

The Apastambha dharma sutra says that:

kASAyam caike vastramupdashanti

Some declare that the (upper) garment (of a Brâhmana) should be dyed

with red Lodh, 1.1.2.41

 

ma~njiSTham rAajanyasya

1.1.3.1 And that of a Kshatriya dyed with madder,

 

hAridram vaishyasya

1.1.3.2 And that of a Vaisya dyed with turmeric

 

The gautama dharmasutra stats:

 

(No colour code is preferred - but...)

 

vAsAnsi shANkSomacirakutapA sarveSAm

1.1.17. Hempen or linen cloth, the (inner) bark (of trees), and

woollen blankets (may be worn as low garments by students) of all

(castes),

 

kArpASam ca vikRtam

1.1.18. And undyed cotton cloth.

 

kASAyampyeke

1.1.19. Some (declare that it) even (may be dyed) red. 19

 

vArkSam brAhmaNasya

1.1.20. (In that case the garment) of a Brâhmana (shall be dyed with

a red dye) produced from a tree,

 

ma~njiSThahAridre itarayoH

1.1.21. (And those of students) of the other two (castes shall be)

dyed with madder or turmeric.

 

and vashiSTha dharamasutra states that:

 

shuklamahatam vAso brAhmaNasya

 

11.64. The (lower) garment of a Brâhmana (shall be) white (and)

unblemished,

 

mA~njiSTham kSatriyasya

11.65. (That) of a Kshatriya dyed with madder,

 

hAridram kausheyam vA vaishyasya

11.66. (That) of a Vaisya dyed with turmeric, or made of (raw) silk;

 

sarveSam vA tAntavamaraktam

11.67. Or (a dress made of) undyed (cotton) cloth may be worn by

(students of) all (castes).

 

best regards,

Arvind.

 

 

 

 

INDOLOGY, "P.K.Ramakrishnan" <peekayar.>

wrote:

>

> I am at present unable to quote any reference of any scripture,

but I have learnt the following -

>   

>   White dress for Brahmins.

>   Red dress for Kshatriyas

>   Yellow dress for Vaishyas

>   Black dress for Sudras.

>   

>   PKRamakrishnan

>   May 2nd 2006

>

> Francesco Brighenti <frabrig> wrote:

>  

> Dear List,

>

> A friend of mine would like to get his M.A. degree in S. Asian

History

> with a thesis on "Color symbolism in Indian dresses".

>

> Would anyone here be so kind to suggest some bibliographic info to

> start with?

>

> Thanks much in advance, and best regards.

>

> Francesco Brighenti

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>  

>         School education   Pre school education

>    

>

>  

>

>    

>     Visit your group "INDOLOGY" on the web.

>    

>    

INDOLOGY

>    

>     Terms of

Service.

>

>    

>

>  

>

>

>

>            

>

> New Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC

and save big.

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Visit your group " Terms of Service.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest guest

Francesco

 

please go to this link for info + slideshow -- Viji

 

The meaning of colour

http://specials.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/13sld1.htm

 

 

 

INDOLOGY, "Arvind Vyas" <arvind_vyas wrote:

>

> Dear Fransesco,

>

> This is my second attempt of posting the message, the first did not

> seem to have gone through.

>

> The dharmasutra of (of gautama, Apastambha and

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  • 1 month later...
Guest guest

On 5/3/06, P.K.Ramakrishnan <peekayar > wrote:

>

> I am at present unable to quote any reference of any scripture, but I have

> learnt the following -

>

> White dress for Brahmins.

>

 

Well, the dhotis are white, but what about tops (whenever they are worn)?

 

What about saffron robes for purohits and their wives and daughters?

 

Tamil brahmin women wear colorful saris.

 

I've only seen 'all white' among Bengali brahmins, but I think that has

more to do with Bengal than Brahminism (most Bengalis prefer to wear

loosely-fitting white or checkered clothes, probably because they're more

comfortable in high humidity).

 

My understanding was that wearing white all over was customary only in

'sraddhas' and such. Am I missing something?

 

Red dress for Kshatriyas

>

>

>

 

 

Shivaji wore white. He was born Khatriya. In fact, none of the portraits of

the Maratha Chhatrapatis show red clothes, as far as I can recall.

 

 

Yellow dress for Vaishyas

> Black dress for Sudras.

>

 

 

I've seen street-sweepers with white dhotis or lungis on.

 

The above dress code might be too much of a generalization. I've seen

different castes (when the caste is apparent) in rural areas of Maharashtra,

West Bengal, Uttar pradesh & Tamil Nadu wearing different colors at

different times.

 

PKRamakrishnan

> May 2nd 2006

>

>

> Francesco Brighenti <frabrig (AT) (DOT) it> wrote:

>

> Dear List,

>

> A friend of mine would like to get his M.A. degree in S. Asian History

> with a thesis on "Color symbolism in Indian dresses".

>

> Would anyone here be so kind to suggest some bibliographic info to

> start with?

>

> Thanks much in advance, and best regards.

>

> Francesco Brighenti

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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