Fashion statement from the past

S Balakrishnan *

Every year during the first week of March, the world goes gaga over International Women’s Week, especially on 8th March, the International Women’s Day. Then it is routine, back to normal. While everyone blah blahs about women achievers, pioneers, etc., I am going to highlight the fashion statement of a lady from the long, long past.

In the sculpture panel a lady can be seen with a handbag that slings around her waist. It very much looks like a modern day ladies handbag made of leather. The sculptor had even sculpted rings to the strap and etched a beautiful flower on the flip cover with piping running all around the edges.

I came across this sculpture panel at the Odisha State Museum in Bhubaneswar. I make it a point to visit the museum of any new place I visit. This panel drew my attention for its unique fashion statement.

The bejeweled queen is seated majestically in lalithasana posture surrounded by lady attendants; some are playing musical instruments, three others are fanning her, and this lady with the handbag seems to offer something to the queen. Though damaged here & there, this chlorite stone panel reverberates with life. All the ladies are wearing big earrings and they have done their hair in huge buns.

This was during my recent re-visit to Odisha in 2018. Back in 1983, while working and living in Cuttack, I decided to visit the Museum in Bhubaneswar on a Sunday (9th Jan. 1983); so I took a bus from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar (paying a fare of Rs. 2 for the 35 km distance between the twin cities) and was at the Orissa State Museum by 1030 hrs. Entry fee was 25 Paise.

I very much enjoyed the sections of archaeology, arts & crafts, and anthropology. The guide book that I had bought at the Museum for Rs.8.70 during an earlier visit to Bhubaneswar a fortnight back was useful.

That was after my exhilarating trip to the nearby Dhauli Hill. Some sections had not been maintained properly. Saw lower storey till 1.30 PM, then went out to Kalpana Square for lunch (Rs. 3.10). Back to the Museum, it was upper storey galleries from 2 to 4.30 PM.

Without knowing the museum is closed on 2nd Saturdays, I had gone there the previous day. With the museum closed, I hoped to enjoy the movie “36 Chowringhee Lane” at Keshari Talkies for the second time; the balcony ticket was Rs.4.70 only but, unfortunately, the film had been changed.

So I returned to Cuttack dejected because of the double dhamaka disappointment. But I don’t remember noticing this panel then; or maybe it was not displayed, else I would not have missed it.

I wonder if the handbag was the master artisan’s wild imagination or he depicted what was actually in vogue! If this panel is from the world-famous Sun Temple in Konark, then the date of this panel is 1250 AD, that is, 772 years ago!

I sought information from the museum authorities but I should be a fool expecting information from bureaucrats about the ‘Sling Bag’ in stone.