Kautilya, also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta, wrote the Arthashastra in the second century AD though the date has not been conclusively established. A master stategist who was well-versed in the Vedas and adept at creating intrigues and devising political stratagems, Kautilya was the man who shattered the Nanda dynasty and installed Chandragupta Maurya as the king of Magadha.
What was the textile industry like, in the Kautilyan State? It involved different qualities of textiles being produced, using different materials. It is interesting to note that the explanation includes stuff like bed sheets and protective wear being produced by the textile industry. This is testament to the vastness and the importance of an industry, involving mostly women.
Yarns of different qualities, coarse, medium and fine, were spun from: cotton, wool, silk cotton, hemp, flax, silk and wool from deer. Apart from dress material, bed sheets and coverings and protective wear like quilted armour were also made.
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