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174
A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
egavali was the necklace having a single chain of multi-coloured pearls1; muktāvalī, kaṇagāvalī and rayaṇāvali were evidently the necklaces of pearls, gold and jewels; tisariya was the necklace having three strings of pearls"; palamba, also called ulamba, was a long chain reaching upto the navel*; galolaiya was a neck-chain usually worn by the married ladies. 5
The armlets (bahurakkhiya) were styled as tuḍiya, while the bracelets were known as kaḍaga" or valaya. Bracelets appear to have been the most popular of all the ornaments, as these have been frequently mentioned in the text. The fingerrings ( mudda ) were known; signet rings ( năma-muddiya ) were also worn and exchanged." The girdles or waistbands (kaḍisutta-guna) and anklets (nu pura-neura)11 were worn by the ladies alone. Women were capable of attracting people by the sweet sound of their bracelets (valaya) and anklets ( nupura).1a
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Flowers and Garlands
Besides the gold ornaments, the flowers were also fairly used as ornaments (pupphadi-alaṁkāra).18 The profession of the garland-makers was a flourishing one. They used to sell
1. विनित्तेहिं एगसरा एगावली - NC. 2, p. 398.
Compare-Amarakosa, 2. 6. 106. Egavali is to be usually seen in Gupta sculptures and paintings.-Agrawala, Hariacarita-Eka Sāmskṛtika Adhyayana, p. 198.
2. मुत्तिएहिं मुत्तावली, सुवण्णमणिएहि कणगावली, रयणहिं रयणावली - NC. 2, p. 398. 3. तिणि सरातो तिसरियं - NC. 2, p. 398.
4. नाभि जा गच्छइ सा पलंबा सा य उलंवा भण्णति Ibid.
5. अगारीण वा गलोलइया Ibid.
6. gezi agua—Ibid.; also NG. 4, p. 167.
7. आभरणा कडगादी - NC. 4, p. 2.
8. NC. 2, p. 12.
9. NC. 1, p. 17; also Harṣacarita, p. 8.
10. गुणं कडीसुत्तयं - NC. 2, p. 398.
11. NC. 2, p. 12; also Harṣacarita, pp. 116-17.
12. NC. 2, p. 12.
13. NC. 2, p. 467.
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