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Śramaņa/April-June/1999
other, by means of syringes, water or fine powder coloured with saffron oe with yellow or red substance (sindūra) and scented with perfumes. Thus every thing was an element of joy for them. Rājasekhara gives a brilliant description of this in his Karpūramañjari.29
The Dvipadikhanda was a special song usually sung during this festival. The dance in this occasion, is particularly termed as "Vasantābhinaya". Even particular dress is also prescribed for this festival. Ladies were permitted to drink wine freely in this festivity.30 Hāla calls this festival Phaggucchana (Phalgunotsava) or Maanossava. In a gātha this sport of colours is described with a figure of speech - technically known as 'vicitra'. A friend of the heroine remarks humourously thus - "why do you wash off the decorative mud (colours) flung by some one on your person innocently during the Vernal festivity, even when it (the colour) has been wiped away by the sweat rolling down from the tip of your plumply breasts?" During the days of Hāla, it is clear that, during this festival young girls were wearing thin garments on their body, and as such they, with their attractive limbs lightly covered with colourful attire were captivating the minds of shrewd men.31
This colourful and highly rejoiceable situation of festivities becomes to a beloved, merely a village conflagration or a marketday commotion if the lover is out of station. Further Häla observes that during this, people beaming with joy run after one another with various colours; the hum of the crowd swells and the drums are beaten every where. The noise of syringes, shouting, singing songs and others leave no moment bereft of joy.52 Love
It is true with lovers that this Vasanta doubles the joy and agitation in union and separation respectively. Prakrit poets lavish their poetic genius in beautifying the ideas and feelings of lovers
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