The sheer richness and sophistication of practitioners of this art is highlighted in the

sculptures belonging to the 2300 year old Mauryan and Gupta age as well as from 

ancient Buddhist scripts and murals of the Ajanta caves. Legend has it that when 

Amrapali, the celebrated courtesan from the kingdom of Vaishali met Gautam Buddha, 

she wore a richly woven semi transparent sari, ample testimony to the sophistication