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Some household ceremonies too were celebrated with great rejoicings. Avaha was celebrated before wedding when betel leaves etc. were served; vivaha was the wedding ceremony;1 āhena was held at the time of the bride entering the bridegroom's house; pahena was celebrated when she returned to her father's house. Then hingola was celebrated in honour of the deceased person or a yaksha; in pindanigara, food was offered to fathers. Then sammela or goṭṭhi was a social gathering in which the relatives and friends assembled.2 According to the Jaina tradition it was king Bimbisara who first promulgated this feast.
Lord Mahavira and His Times
Besides participating in festivals, people amused themselves in different ways. They took keen interest in singing and dancing. King Udayana of Kauśāmbi was a great musician who by his music could control elephants run amuck. He was asked by king Pradyota of Avanti to teach music to the princess Vasavadattā. A court-musician named Pañchasikha of Sakka is known to have pleased the Buddha by his music. It seems that singing and dancing played an important part in Ajivika religious practices. The Ajivika scriptures namely two Maggas (paths) are said by Abhayadeva to have been those of song and dance.5 Possibly the Ajivikas in their Ājīviya-sabhā gathered together for ecstatic religious singing and dancing. "Wandering dancers and musicians" gave additional pleasure to the people by showing their skill. There were drummers and conch-blowers" to entertain them.
The gatherings of religious preachers and learned philosophers certainly soothed their hearts and quenched their mental thirst. Besides, dramatic performances were also quite popular, and they might have been an important source of recreation. Painting9 and embroidery," apart from proving
1. Jiva, 3, p 280a; Kusa Jataka, No. 531.
2. Nisi. Chu 8, p. 502; Acha II. 1. 3. 245.; Ava. chu, II, p 172.
3
Ava. Chu, 11. p. 161,
4. Digha, II, 263.
5. Bhag, Fol. 659.
6. FSONB, p. 286. 7. Ibid, p. 297.
8. Economic Life and progress in Ancient India, p. 241.
9. Angu, PTS, III, p. 76.
10. PBI, pp. 31, 41.
