u00a0I was browsing through famous fashion designer, Wendell Rodrigues wonderful book on Goan fashion — Moda Goa. In tracing earliest fashion that may have existed in the Goan region, we enter the realm of mythology and discover images of gods still worshipped who display what would have been the clothes of our ancestors. I say our ancestors, and not just ancient Goan clothing, because I realised the same clothing would have been seen across India.

Goa, like much of the Western coast of India, is associated with Parashuram, the Ram who held an axe, and belonged to the clan of Bhrigu sages. It is postulated that he is perhaps a mythic embodiment of sages who brought the Vedic way of thinking to a land that was otherwise inhabited by hill tribes (there are cave drawings and markings in Goa that can be traced to the Stone Ages).u00a0What did Parashuram and the sages wear? It was probably ‘valkal’ — fabric made by beating the leaves and bark of the banyan or pipal fig trees. They may have also used animal hide. And bedecked themselves with flowers (Lakshmi’s lotus), and leaves (Hanuman’s Arka) and seeds (Shiva’s Rudraksha).