Saraswati-Pata, Jain Style,
circa A. D. 1475-1500
The earliest miniature paintings of India are
the Jain illustrations of the 11th century. These
are the Kalpasutra (A Book of rituals) and the
Kalkacharya Katha (the story of the venerable
teacher Kalka) commissioned by the Jain merchants
and bankers. Kalpasutra is a Prakrit work composed
by Bhadrabahu in the 5th century BC. This canonical
work narrates the early stages of development
of Jainism, the successions of Pontiffs and the
rules for Jaina monks during the rainy chaturmasa
(four months). Besides these, the five propitious
events- the descent from heaven, birth, initiation,
obtaining of omniscience, and death and other
events from the life of Mahavira and Tirthankaras
are also integrated.
The KalkacharyaKatha story deals with the story of
the Prince Kalka who became a monk. The story runs that
Kalka’s sister was abducted by Gardabhilla and
he with the support of the Shakas laid siege to Gardabhilla
capital, Ujjayini in Malwa. The critical part was to
restrain the magical ass, which through her brays could
proved to be detrimental to Kalka and his squad. Kalka’s
archers stopped her mouth with the arrows and won the
battle. It is said that Gardabhilla still wanders in
the cycle of birth and rebirth.
The merchants presented the illustrated manuscripts
based on these themes to Jaina monks as acts of religious
merit in the hope of attaining heaven after death. The
monks would preserve them carefully and on the occasion
of Paryusana, they were read out in the congregation
and the illustrated leaves were put on the decorative
stands for the devotees to see them. In course of time
several of such canonical gifts became a part of Jain
bhandaras (Libraries).
These Jain illustrations employed vibrant inks and
dyes in red, blue, gold and silver.
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One of the other earliest surviving examples of illustrated
manuscripts is Savaga-padikkamana-sutta-cunni from the
13th century. It is a palm leaf manuscript written by
Pandit Ramachandra in the Mewar region. The book measuring
.41X.055m originally consisted of two hundred eighty
five leaves, of now 56 leaves are missing. The manuscript
shows illustrations or miniature paintings of Jina Parsvanatha,
a seated Jaina Monk instructing a disciple and goddesses
who are recognized as Saraswati and Ambika. In total,
the set consists of six illustrations that are executed
on square panel spaces left between the lines of writing. |
The colors like dark blue, green, crimson, and black
and white without gold can be found in the manuscript.
Sangrahini Sutra from the 14th century illustrating
the Jaina Mangalakalasa with emphasizes on the eyes
is also notable.
Other distinguished contributions of the Jain legacy
are the Uttaradhyayanasutra and Vrijnapritpatras. Uttaradhyayanasutra
was composed in the 4th A.D century and illustrated
in the 15-16th A.D. century. The text consists of discourses
addressed to monks by the Jaina founder Mahavira.
While, Vrijnapritpatras are long rolls of paper richly
illustrated carrying report or letter of the members
of the Svetambara Jain Community to the acharya of the
other community, inviting a pastoral invitation. These
illustrated texts are usually ascribed to the 17-19th
century.
Besides these, illustrated Hindu religious texts and
one illustrated poem called ‘Vasanta Vilasa’
from the western India in the 15th century are significant
contributions from western India.
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