Re: [INDOLOGY] Kāṭhā

Richard G. Salomon rsalomon at uw.edu
Tue Feb 5 19:59:24 UTC 2019


The word kāṭhā (with first syllable nasalized, I think) is used in Bengal
(Bangla Desh; also West Bengal?) to refer to cloths with embroidered
narrative scenes. The work is presumably derived from Skt. kanthaa "rag,
patched garment" (MW; cf. CDIAL #2721, not citing the Bangla; also KEWA
I.151-2, comparing Lat. centoo "Flickwerk").

Rich Salomon

On Tue, Feb 5, 2019 at 3:40 AM Jacob Schmidt-Madsen via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am encountering the expression "mārvāṛ kāṭhā" (sometimes rendered as
> "mārvāṛ (kāṭhā)") in the colophons of a group of Rajasthani cloth
> paintings (dated 17-19th century, but probably modern forgeries). I
> suppose that the meaning is something along the lines of "the region of
> Marwar," but the only definitions of kāṭhā I have been able to find are
> "a measure of length" and "a measure of land of 320 square cubits."
>
> The situation is slightly complicated by a colophon which reads "maṭh
> hāraṇ mulk mārvāṛ kāṭhā," indicating Saran Math in the region (mulk) of
> Marwar. Should kāṭhā be understood as synonymous with mulk, or do they
> express separate definitions of territory?
>
> Any help would be much appreciated.
>
> Best regards,
> Jacob
>
> Jacob Schmidt-Madsen
> PhD Fellow
> University of Copenhagen
> Denmark
>
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