The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), New Delhi, has brought together different hairstyles from over the ages from paintings, stone sculptures, wood-carvings, etc., and compiled them under the tit
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), New Delhi, has brought together different hairstyles from over the ages from paintings, stone sculptures, wood-carvings, etc., and compiled them under the title Kesa-Vinyas — Hairstyles in Indian Art.
Besides hairstyles, it has also collected data on combs, kalibangan (Rajasthan), copper mirrors and rakhigarhi (Haryana) dating back to the Harappan period and on other tools used in hairstyling. Ancient texts have enumerated intricate and creative hairstyles and coiffure. The different styles are also mentioned in the Vedas, like opasa, kaparda, kurira, kumba, siman, pulasti, stuka, kesa, sikhanda, sikha, etc.
“Probably no other country has had so much imagination, thought and artistic genius applied to the art of hairdressing. Not only the common man, but gods and goddesses, semi-divine figures and nayi-kas have also been identified with their peculiar hairstyle,” an ASI official said. Siva and Parvathi wore matted hair, or jata, while Karttikeya has a tri-sikha kind of coiffure. Buddha himself is shown with curly hair in the early arts while wavy hair is a speciality of the Gandhara School of Art.
Satpatha Brahmana and Asvalyana Grihyasutra mention that the loose topknot was a sign of mourning. Buddhist literature Chullavagga Jataka and Milindapanho have fine descriptions of toilet procedure. Natyasastra, meanwhile, mentions that women adopted hairstyles according to diverse geographical regions.
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) sculptures reveal a variety of hairstyles of the Satavahana period. Both men and women appear in the reliefs with different hairdos.
The stupa at Kanganahalli (Karnataka) depicts many scenes of worship wherein diverse types of hairdos are delineated.
The Ajanta murals too portray a large variety of hairdos. Royals, peasants, warriors and foreigners have different kinds of hairstyles.
In Deccan, women were very fond of styling their hair. The hairstyle of women of the lower classes (even those belonging to the menial orders) or peasant women could be as elaborate as those of upper-class women.
During the Vijayanagara period, there was a decline in art, though it was full of exuberance. Aesthetics of the long-braided traditional South Indian lady’s sculpture amaze everyone till today.
