102 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [ May, 
indigenous. Among the Ajanta frescoes there are also traces of 
flowing dresses with sleeves, and they all tend to show that 
the Hindus knew, and did use, made dresses long before the advent 
of the Muhammadans in India. 
In reply to the remark of Capt. Meadows Taylor, in which he 
says that the Hindus had no tailors among them, and that there is 
no word in their language for tailors, it is shown that in the 
Vocabulary of Amara Sinha, which dates from before the Christian 
era, there are two words for tailors, one, tunnavaya, applying to 
darning, and the other, sauchika, to general tailoring : the derivation 
of the last word is given in Panini’s rules. The profession of the 
latter was of sufficient importance to necessitate the establishment 
of a separate tribe, and a mixed class, the lawful issue of Vaisyas 
by Sudra women, was, according to the ancient law-book of Usanas, 
destined to live by it, and bear the distinctive title of needle-men, 
suchika. 
Sanskrit words are next quoted to show the names which vari- 
ous kinds of made dresses bore in ancient times ; the most remark- 
able of these being kanchuka, kanchulika, kurpasa, angika, cholaka, 
chola, nivi, §c. The first indicated the modern jdmd, and warders, 
guards, and the personal attendants of kings generally dressed 
themselves in it. Kings, princes, chiefs and warriors, when they 
did not put on chain mail, wore a tunic, something closely like a 
chapkan. While ordinary people contented themselves with the 
simple dhuti and chadar, not unoften supplemented by a turban, 
Among women, the boddice was in general use, the body clothes 
consisting of either a sdri or a ghagra; the former predominating, 
When respectable women went out of their houses, they generally 
wrapped themselves in a chudder thrown over their ordinary dress. 
Sculptures, however, do not, in all cases, support the above deduc- 
tions, and nudity is the prevailing character of the bas-reliefs of 
Sanchi, Amaravati, and Orissa, The question is, therefore, raised as to 
how far those sculptures may be taken as evidences on the subject. 
On the one hand, it is difficult to reject the testimony of authentic 
graven stones ; on the other, the ancient records of the Hindus and the 
Buddhists, equally authentic, are in direct conflict withthem, The 
former represent queens, princesses and ladies of rank in perfect 
