Sikh illustrated manuscripts form an integral part
of the rich cultural legacy of India. Three types of
illustrated manuscripts can be identified they are;
early manuscripts bearing pieces of paper with the handwriting
of a Guru (nisans) on their opening folios, second are
the illumination or decoration called minakari or belbuta
and finally the proper illustrated manuscripts.
Nisan
Pieces of paper bearing the handwritings of the Guru
to increase sanctity of the manuscripts have been found
on the Adi Granth manuscripts and other independent
manuscripts. The nisans usually consisted of the invocation
or a couplet found in Adi Granth pasted on the folio
of the manuscript before Japu (the first composition
in the Adi Granth text).
Most of the manuscripts bearing nisan date from the
17th century and are decorated with the illuminations.
The early nisans carried the Islamic blue and gold geometric
pattern, which gradually was replaced with the floral
decorations in yellow, gold and blue.
Illuminated Manuscripts
Besides illuminating Nisan, illumination of the Adi
Granth Manuscripts became a common feature from the
17th century to the middle of the 19th century. They
are typically adorned with Islamic blue and gold geometric
patterns. These early manuscripts are bound in the stamped
leather bindings with a protective flap.
In the mid 18th century, changes in the political and
cultural spectrum led to the introduction of manuscripts
in the Indic pothic form, which were shorter and wider
in form.
By the 19th century, illuminations of Adi Granth manuscripts
were in Kashmiri Style. There is a use of the vine and
floral decorations. The provenance of these manuscripts
can be traced to places as far as Jammu, districts of
Punjab, Malwa, Patna, and Pind Dadan Khan in Pakistan.
Mention must also be made of the Damdami and Bano recension,
which are noteworthy.
The Damdami recension was presented to Baba Sahib Singh
Bedi of Una by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The first two
folios of the text are illuminated in blue, gold, and
red. There is a painting of Guru Nanak with Bala and
Mardana before the beginning of the text proper and
single painting of Ragini at the beginning of Sri Raga
section. According to legends Maharaja commissioned
three such manuscripts.
One of the most lavishly illuminated manuscripts was
prepared by Sudh Singh for Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The
ink used in the text was mixed with gold, diamonds,
and emeralds and the artist was given the revenue of
two villages as a reward for his labors.
Illustrated Manuscripts
The illustrated manuscripts or painted folios appear
in the 19th century. They have been found in diverse
areas of Indian Punjab and Pakistan. These illustrated
manuscripts are executed in Kashmir style. Some manuscripts
depict the ten gurus on their opening folios while others
display Indian gods and goddesses like Devi, Sarasvati,
or Ganesh. There are several manuscripts, which show
the Sikh Gurus along with the Hindu deities. One such
manuscript is of the Damdami text executed in the year
1820-40.
A Lahore- Banno manuscript in Malwa region was composed
during 1820-40. Unlike Kashmiri style the sequential
panels of illustrations are grouped around a central
scallop shaped text area. The border of the illustrations
consists of intricate vine decorations in blue, gold
and red. The individual Gurus like Guru Nanak with his
musician companion Mardana, and both Guru Hargobind
and Guru Gobind Singh on horseback are shown.
One of the splendid manuscripts (a text of the Damdami
recension) composed in the year 1839-43 by Miha Singh
and Misar Prakas is a noteworthy production with several
full-page paintings and illumination at the beginning
of each raga section. There is an illustrated bifolios
on a blue and gold ground with the images of the Ooankar,
Saraswati, the ten avatars of Vishnu in the petals,
Shiva, Parvati, Narayana, Brahma, and the ten gurus.
It was produced for Sodhi Bhan Singh of Haranpur.
At the close of the 19th century, the tradition of
producing the Adi Granth manuscripts, illuminating and
illustrating scriptural texts started declining. The
loss of the artists’ pool and the growing popularity
of the lithographs and type printing in the middle half
of the 19th century were the main reasons behind it.
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