by Seema Anand
Over this were placed ‘makarika’ patterns (specific types of fernlike leaves and flowers) which were painted on with black agaru paste (a highly fragrant sort of aloe) using the forefinger.
In private the girlfriend pretended to draw upon her breasts
The usual design
But drew instead
The quivering hand of her lover...
—Bhanu Datta
It was inauspicious for a woman to be without breast paintings. In Kadambri we see King Tarapeed telling Queen Vilasavati off for not being adorned with agaru paintings on her breasts—he tells her it is an ill omen.
Teeth
Two of Kamadeva’s arrows had made a beeline for the beauty’s teeth—one arrow was of pure white jasmine flowers and the other of deep crimson Ashoka flowers. The jasmine flowers became small white teeth like little pearls in row.
But why the arrow of red flowers for the teeth?
In the time of the Kama Sutra coloured teeth were considered ornamental. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the fashion of colouring the teeth went out of mode by the sixth century. Instead, it became de rigueur to colour the gums black, in order to better show the delicate white of the teeth, a trend that persisted well into the eighteenth century.
The real beauty of the teeth was seen through the kind of love bite you left—that would show not only whether the shape and size etc. were good but also what you could do with them.
Hair
Kamadeva had been standing poised, ready to shoot his flower arrow at Shiva, the string of his sugarcane and lotus shoot bow pulled back tight all the way to the corner of his right eye when Shiva had opened his third eye. Kama was incinerated where he stood. The bees that make up the string of Kamadeva’s bow had been closest to his face as he went up in smoke—they had barely managed to escape the force of that universe-destroying fire. They had scattered everywhere in panic but very quickly gathered again in a swarm and settled into the hair of women.
Hair was supposed to be curly, black, vigorously healthy, perfumed at all times; it was the crowning glory, the chief ornament of a woman’s seductive powers—the shringhar of shringhar!
The skill was in knowing how to dress it for what occasion.
Neatly tied with flowers and jewels—you were at a respectable occasion.
One strand escaping onto the forehead in public—you were letting your lover see how much you missed him.
Dishevelled hair across the pillow—you had just finished making love.
The flowers from your hair lying on the ground—you had been on top during the lovemaking.
Styling and dressing hair was one of the sixty-four skills of the Kama Sutra. Different hairstyles held different messages.
The shifting phases of the moon impact the erogenous zones of the body—with each phase a different point becomes more sensitive. On the night of the full moon it is the head and the hair which is the most excitable and shampooing and combing the beloved’s hair was used as foreplay on that night.
Perfume
With all her freshly blooming flowers nestled into the hidden and unhidden parts of the body as many different scents, Vasant (Spring) is a favourite companion of Kamadeva.
Each part of the body had to be perfumed with different fragrances because each perfume had its own impact on the senses. Different perfumes were worn according to day or night, season, occasion, age etc. Some were cooling, some produced heat, some calmed you while other inflamed your senses, there were more variations than you can begin to imagine.
Perfume was the single most important ornamentation for the body and in the third century it seems to have been such big business that even the Arthashastra devotes an entire chapter to the subject. Kautilya, as I’ve mentioned earlier, tells us that perfumed resins were hoarded in royal treasuries like precious gems.
Feet
The thousand-petalled lotus blossomed into the foot.
Feet have a very special place in the seduction of the senses. Watching a woman’s foot in dance, its strength and mobility, its ability to raise or drop your heart rate just by changing the tempo was erotically charged. Feet were magic. A well-trained foot could delight and seduce in ways that no other part of the body could.
The underside of the foot was painted with red lac. It highlighted the arches and the deep crimson contrasted with the skin to make the foot appear a more delicate colour. The alta paste left footprints in the wake of the beauty as she walked—a conceit that has been the delight of poets over the centuries.
The delicate foot, perfectly reddened at the arches, glittering with toe rings, jewelled at the ankle, supporting the shapely calf was like the living staff of Kamadeva—casting spells of enchantment.
But the foot itself was also an ornament of love—it was the shringhar of the man’s head. As we have seen, the beloved’s foot on her lover’s head denoted that they had just made love. One of the most popular sexual positions would have placed her foot on his head leaving behind the streaks of the alta as a telltale red mark of their actions.
An entire genre of literature was created to sing of the erotic possibilities of delicate feet placed on the man’s head. The foot of the nayika was adored for what it could do—that’s what made it worthy of worship.
Ankle
The ankle was where the root of the thousand-petalled lotus had hidden itself. Rati declared that the erotic appeal of the foot would stem from the ankle. It was the ankle that rested on the lover’s shoulders during sex, it was the ankle that carried the jingling anklets that measured the tempo of the lovemaking, it was the ankle that gave the foot the flexibility to turn this way and that in order to seduce.
The tapering ankle was the sartaj (the crowning glory) of the leg and the ornament of the ankle was the well-trained foot.
Neck
The victory conch of Kamadeva, exquisitely wrought, was fashioned by the waves of the ocean as they tenderly moulded it, turning it first this way, then that, till they were finally satisfied with the result. It had taken centuries to create. Kamadeva had put it to his lips every day. That conch had found a home in the neck of the beauty—so that it could always be at the lips of the lover!
The long, slender neck is the most seductive part of the woman’s body and a very potent erogenous zone. Kisses placed on the neck are the most effective. As we have seen, the best recommended shringhar for the neck is the necklace of love bites known as the ‘Dot’ or ‘Bindu’.
The seduction of the neck lay in the way it moved—throw it back a bit and the chin is raised in defiance, bend it forward and the nayika is the image of modesty, incline it to one side—she is the epitome of sarcasm, turn it to one side and there is a tantrum.
The neck was dusted with sandalwood powder to give it a whiter appearance and was generally perfumed with jasmine. Jasmine was the scent of innocence and was supposed to put the lover at ease.
Hands
Home of the trembling moonbeams, the hands are as fragile as moonlight, the fingers are tremulous as they impatiently twist and tug at the strands of hair coming loose from her braid, the palms hold the nectar of love and desire for the lover to drink from.
The feather-light touch of the fingers as they played across the lover’s body, the firm command of the pad of the thumb as it rubbed his lower lip, casting the invisible yet irresistible snare made up of moonbeams—that was the legacy of Kamadeva’s companion to the hands. Rati added that the ornamentation of a woman’s hands should be her deftness and skill as she performs any task.
As opposed to the full hand of henna which is now in fashion, at that time just the inside tips of the fingers were coloured in order to highlight the pale flesh of the palm. On the thumb the nayika wore an ‘arsi’ which was a large ring with a mirror in the middle. The back of the hand was rubbed with sandalwood or other pigments and fragrances and makarika designs using black aloe paste would be painted on it.
As with the others, the real shringhar of the hands was in what they could
do. So, in the time of the Kama Sutra, daily ornamentation was kept to a minimum.
Navel
The half-opened lotus bud which was the ear ornament of the god of love hid in the navel of the nayika. The lotus bud was the timekeeper of the lovers—the lotus bud bloomed when the sun came up letting you know that day had begun and lovemaking was at an end. Like the navel, it was the dividing line between the attainable and the intimate. The lower garment was tied just below the navel and only the lover was permitted to touch it.
The navel of the beloved, both hidden and revealed at the same time, carries an unparalleled fascination, like a mysterious eddy with unknown depths. You know you could drown but you cannot help yourself either. It held the promise of excitement, of intimacy.
The navel was covered with jewelled belts and sashes—rubies and gold were considered the most beneficial material to wear on this part of the body. These belts too were made in such a fashion that they held the potential of movement—they covered the navel but always looked like they would move at any moment from their spot and reveal that vortex of ecstasy.
The navel was scented with very heady musk—it’s a small area so the perfume had to be strong enough to draw you in. One of the major erotic arteries runs through the navel, which makes it a very sensitive and exciting point of stimulation.
Ear
The pink ocean lotuses took refuge in the ears.
Legend has it that pink ocean lotuses never wilt. The Sea God created them to adorn the corridors of his underwater palace, but when the lotuses realized how dark and deserted his palace was, they abandoned him to look for places more worthy of their beauty. They had become part of Kamadeva’s train and after his death they took up residence in the ears of women.
The ear was always visible in public (hair was worn tied back) and was regularly ornamented with earrings of different shapes and sizes. The lobes were pinched to make them red and slightly swollen—it was a mark of beauty.
The true beauty of the ear was to be able to understand the subtleties of musical compositions.
Buttocks
At the burning up of Kamadeva, the wheels of his chariot fled to hide in the women’s buttocks.
‘She of the beautiful bottom’ is a title constantly used in the Kama Sutra. Beautifully rounded buttocks were the mark of ultimate beauty, the firm fullness accentuated further by the curve of the beloved’s narrow waist. Women cultivated a swaying walk, ‘gajgamini’, heavy and sultry like the undulating of an elephant. It was the ultimate in seduction.
One of the large erotic nerves runs through the buttocks and, according to the Kama Sutra, this artery needs a lot work—one must dig in hard with the nails in order to stimulate it. The nail marks left as a result are the shringhar of the buttocks.
Looping necklaces of scratches are made on the buttocks, the hips and the upper thighs and each time the beloved sees the scratches her love is revived. If another man chances to see these marks—even if he is of firm and pure character—he will find himself attracted to ‘her of the beautiful bottom’.
Garlands and girdles
Kamadeva’s army of flowers made up the girdles and garlands worn by the nayika.
They were so important to the everyday life of the women that Rati includes this in her list of shringhar.
Girdles and garlands were made up of different flowers depending on circumstances, seasons, physiology etc.
Garlands were worn around the neck, primarily to fight off any unwanted sweaty odours but for other reasons too. For instance, a woman going out to meet her lover on a rainy night would wear garlands of kadamba flowers, which bloom in the monsoon. Or, as we have seen, a garland of amaranth flowers was worn for lovemaking because the petals are tough and would not easily shed during embraces.
Girdles were worn around the hips and were important pieces of jewellery. The hips were massaged with oils and perfume mixed with turmeric before the girdle was placed on the hip bone, just below the navel. Girdles were supposed to measure the sway of the hips as the woman walked. If the hips didn’t sway far enough the girdle would slip off.
Here, the older woman with her fuller hips for once had the advantage over her younger rival.
My Advice
The Solah Shringhar has changed many times over the centuries. Fashions have changed, staining the teeth red and black died out as far back as the fourth century and a woman no longer goes out of her way to develop large buttocks that resemble the wheels of a chariot nor does she pinch her earlobes to make them swell up as a mark of beauty.
The recurring motif in Rati’s shringhar is mobility. Seduction lies in movement—in lightness and freedom—what you do and how you do it.
Today’s idea of shringhar, however, is often such a heavily made-up and bejewelled look that it constricts movement and can feel rather oppressive.
If I had to translate Rati’s advice to our times I have one word for it—exercise!
The beauty of a strong, mobile body surpasses everything—fit and glowing with good health. Because that is the body that can find the energy to make love and to enjoy it to the fullest. Rati’s shringhar speaks to our individual selves, it gives the essence rather than the instruction.
Shringhar is auspicious and whichever ornament you choose to adorn yourself with should feel good.
The Courtesan Fantasy—Jewellery and the Arts of Seduction
There’s something about jewellery that can change an ordinary act of sex into something far more romantic and elegant and gorgeous. It adds a sense of anticipation. You can almost see yourself seated on silk sheets, a glossy mass of hair tumbling down your shoulders, the picture of sensuality, while your partner sits at your feet looking at you with awe and desire because you are the mistress of seduction, you are the goddess of the sixty-four skills of the Kama Sutra, you are the brightness that is going to light up his night.
And all this is possible just by putting on some jewellery? According to the Kama Sutra—yes!
If you look at the erotic paintings and sculptures of ancient India you will notice that the people are often naked but always wearing a lot of jewellery.
The Kama Sutra says each piece of jewellery carries its own meaning, its own significance and each one denotes a different position.
Jewellery was divided into jingling ornaments, quiet ornaments and ‘other’ ornaments.
‘Loud’ (jingling or flashy) jewellery was worn for specific purposes—for instance, by a woman who wanted to attract the attention of a particular man, or to denote her position as a mistress. Wives and women of the upper classes wore more subtle jewellery—they were not to attract attention to themselves. Superior courtesans who were attached to just one patron also generally wore quiet jewellery unless they wished to indicate that they would be performing certain positions in which case they could wear certain ornaments specific to their needs. Regular courtesans and normal prostitutes wore jingly jewellery. A wife could wear loud jewellery to please her husband in private.
‘Other’ ornaments were worn if the woman was sneaking out to meet a clandestine lover. Then she would not wear loud jewellery—she would not want to draw attention to herself and she would not wear her marital jewellery because she wouldn’t want to be recognized.
The girdle of bells around the waist
As I’ve mentioned, at the time of the Kama Sutra, it was believed that women weren’t supposed to be on top during lovemaking. Being on top was indicative of power and choice, according to the ancient Indian texts it was ‘very hard work’—either way, it was not the natural position for women. But, the Kama Sutra says, a woman could be on top if she was very good at lovemaking. And to be very good meant she had to be able to bring herself and her lover to orgasm by the movement of her hips—not her torso, just the hips. To prove their prowess, the really accomplished courtesans would wear a girdle of jingling ghungroos around the waist during sex and make sure none of them made a sound. Thus, the girdle became a metaphor in ancient San
skrit literature to suggest this position. If the author mentioned that ‘the beautiful woman had put on her girdle’ you knew she had taken her position on top. Or if the man sent the girdle to his mistress as a gift, she knew what he was expecting that day. Eventually, it became the mark of a supremely gifted lover. If at a social occasion the women invited to entertain dignitaries wore these girdles then you knew that the guests were extremely important and of high status.
Jingling anklets
There is a position called ‘splitting the bamboo’ where the woman lies on her back and alternately places her feet, one at a time, on the man’s shoulders. First, the left foot is placed on the corresponding shoulder, then taken down. After that, the right foot is placed on the corresponding shoulder before being taken down. And she continues to do this all the way through the entire lovemaking, in rhythm with his thrusts. And she wears her jingliest anklets for this—to show that she can keep pace with his rhythm no matter how fast he goes.
The nine-stringed pearl necklace
This necklace is worn for lovemaking in the sitting position. As I’ve mentioned, furniture was very different when the Kama Sutra was written so lovers would be sitting on a mattress on the floor, propped up against cushions. In this position, the woman sits on the man’s lap, feet around his hips, upper body bent back, leaning on her hands. The necklace with nine strings would have been like a moving screen, every now and then allowing glimpses of well-oiled breasts rubbed with sandalwood paste, covered with beads of sweat.
Earrings
Long earrings or ‘kundal’ were worn while on top or in sitting positions—the swinging and grazing of earrings against a cheek glowing with perspiration during the exertions of sex were the ultimate in poetic beauty. Short earrings or ‘darshan’ were worn when lying down. In the epic Amarushataka, the thoroughly embarrassed young bride is seen stuffing her ruby ‘kundal’ into the parrot’s mouth when, in the presence of the elders, the bird is repeating what the young couple had done at night. And from that lovely little gesture even we know what she had done.
