Gambhirpur Rock Paintings - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Gambhirpur Rock Paintings" by Ravi G. Hajarnis:

The article describes Gambhirpur Rock Paintings, a series of discovered rock art located in Gambhirpur village, approximately three kilometers north of Idar in Gujarat State. This region, formerly part of the Idar State, is situated in the Sabarkantha District and is rich in historical and archaeological significance, influenced by the Arvalli hills and major rivers like the Sabarmati.

The author, Ravi G. Hajarnis, provides historical context for the Idar region. He mentions a folk-lore connection of Pratihara King Veņivatsarāja with the Idar hills. He also references the Chinese pilgrim Hüen T'sang's mention of "O-cha-li" (identified by some as Idar) and the subsequent debates on its exact location. The text highlights the historical significance of the area, mentioning the Maitraka rule and its connections to Ānandapura, Mālva, and Khetaka. The discovery of Buddhist settlements at Devnimori, south of Idar, further underscores the region's ancient cultural activity, extending back to pre-Kshatrapa times. Hajarnis notes his own previous discoveries of rock paintings at Sapāvāda, Lālodā, and Idar, which shed light on the art history of the region from the Stone Age to historical periods.

The central focus of the article is on the seven stūpa depictions found painted on the inner vertical surfaces of rock shelters at Gambhirpur. These paintings are presented for the first time in English.

The author then provides a detailed description of the paintings in specific shelters:

Shelter 14: Features a stūpa painted with thick red lines (geru) and flanked by a chatra-yaşți. The chatra is shown with a perspective element, and a patākā (flag) is drawn with red lines without filling. Despite imperfect proportions, it serves as a representation of the contemporary stūpa form. The pigments used are geru and white.
Shelter 15: Contains two clearly recognizable stūpa figures, outlined in red and filled with white. The first stūpa is larger. The article notes that these figures are more developed than those in Shelter 16, possibly indicating superior artistry, with remarkable space distribution and forceful lines. The chatra-yaşți and hermikā are carefully drawn, and the chatra is depicted in a moon-shape.
Shelter 16: Houses three stūpa figures. The first is not perfectly symmetrical, with uneven line thickness and proportions, possibly due to the rock's surface. The second stūpa is in better condition, drawn more carefully with finer lines, though the chatra-yaşți and hanging patākā are less accurate. The third stūpa in this shelter is considered the superior of the three, directly drawn onto the uneven surface. The chatra portion is semi-rectangular, but its top is not clearly visible.
Shelter 18: Located near "Ruthi Rani-no Mahel" on the way to "Idario Gadh," this shelter displays a superimposed painting. A semi-circular stūpa shape and some Brahmi letters, possibly reading "Rajas," are discernible above it. Paleographically, these Brahmi characters are assigned to the 4th and 5th centuries A.D.

Based on the evidence, the author concludes that all the painted stūpa configurations can be dated to the bracket of the 4th-5th centuries A.D. The article emphasizes that such painted stūpa configurations within rock shelters have not been reported elsewhere in India and that these findings strongly prove the prevalence of Buddhism in this area during the early Gupta period.

The article also includes acknowledgments to individuals who assisted in the rock painting project and thanks the Department of Archaeology, Government of Gujarat, for the courtesy in reproducing the drawings.