Dukula
Ancient Indian cloth
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Dukula was an ancient Indian cloth made from the bark of trees.[1] Some contemporary varieties kshauma, netra, and tiritpatta including Dukul were among the fabrics that were comparable to silk.[2] Some sources suggest that Dukula was silk,[3] but actually it was made of bark fiber. As a result, it was a fine linen. According to Amarasimha, the word "dukula" was a synonym for "ksauma" (linen)[4][5]: 11
Mentions
Dukula (especially with the swan pattern) is recognized as arguably the finest cloth in the Gupta period literature.[2]: 15 Bāṇabhaṭṭa, a seventh-century scholar (who was the Asthana Kavi in the court of King Harsha Vardhana), also makes reference to "hansa dukula", a material patterned with hansa (swan or goose). The gods and kings wore it. The Harshacharita (King Harsha Vardhana of Kanauj's biography) lists a variety of textiles, Banabhatta describes a range of textiles displayed during an exhibition at Harsha's sister's (Rajyashri's) wedding. "Dukula," "amshuka," "kshauma," "badara," and "netra" are among the names he mentions.[2]: 15 [5]: 15 [6]: 276
Kumārasambhava poem of Kalidasa also refers to "dukula" while comparing the attire of Lord Shiva and the Hindu goddess Parvati.[2]: 15 Kalidasa also mentioned Dukula in Vikramōrvaśīyam and Ṛtusaṃhāra. He referred to Dukula as silk.[2]: 15
Production
Bengal was a well-known production centre for these types of cloths.[6] Kautilya in Arthashastra acknowledges Bengal as a producer of Dukula.[7]