Bed sheets made from linen and cotton have been used in the Indian subcontinent for a very long time. Their history goes back to the Vedic Age, around 1500 BC or even earlier.
Ancient Time (Vedic and Epic Age)
In ancient India, books like the Vedas talk about linen cloth. Linen was called ksauma or dukula at that time.
According to Ayurveda, a newborn baby was wrapped in soft linen cloth. Linen bed covers were also used to take care of babies.
During the Epic Age (1000 BC – 600 BC), linen was used in religious ceremonies and was very common in royal homes.
Materials and Making
The Indian subcontinent was famous for high-quality cotton from around 1500 BC.
Flax, which is used to make linen, was also used, but it was more expensive and considered luxury fabric.
Mauryan and Gupta Period
Between 322 BC and 550 CE, textile making became very advanced. People made bed sheets, curtains, and fine linen clothes.
Books from the Gupta period mention white and clean linen bed sheets, showing that bed sheets were already in use.
Medieval Period
From 500 CE to 1500 CE, people continued using cotton and linen sheets. Kings, such as Harsh Vardhan, used rich and beautiful bed coverings.
Important Points (Easy Summary)
Materials: Linen and cotton were used for bed sheets.
Time: Bed sheets were used from the Vedic period (1500 BC) onwards.
Who used them: In the beginning, bed sheets were mostly used by kings and rich people and were a sign of luxury and status.
