Rajasthan Jain Chitrakal Kuch Aprakashit Sakshya

This is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Rajasthan Jain Chitrakala: Kuch Aprakashit Sakshya" by Brajmohansinh Parmar:

The article discusses the history and evolution of Jain art in Rajasthan, focusing on previously unpublished evidence. Jainism's presence in Rajasthan dates back to before Christ, but tangible artistic evidence is primarily found from the 6th-7th centuries CE onwards. Initially, Jain art was limited to bronze and stone sculptures found in specific locations. However, this changed significantly between the 6th and 12th centuries, with Jain art expanding to various sites across Rajasthan. These sites yielded sculptures of different Tirthankaras and other Jain deities, along with evidence of temple construction for their consecration.

Beyond stone and bronze, Jain art began to manifest in other forms, including palm-leaf manuscripts, wooden panels, and paper paintings. The art from the 14th-15th centuries and later is categorized by some scholars as "Apabhramsa style" and "Western Indian art style." The author aims to shed light on some of these newly discovered, unpublished artworks for researchers.

Illustrated Wooden Panels: The article highlights two illustrated wooden panels housed in the Jinadattasuri's grand library in Jaisalmer. These panels are decorated on both sides with colors made from lac. It is believed they were used to protect palm-leaf or paper manuscripts. The illustrations are related to Jainism. One panel is particularly significant artistically, depicting the 22nd Tirthankara, Neminath. It portrays his mother, Shivā, in a reclining posture, experiencing fourteen auspicious dreams, along with a depiction of Harinagamesin-Indra. Additionally, it features Neminath on a chariot and undergoing tonsure (keshalochana). The reverse side of this panel showcases a beautiful depiction of maidens, elephants, lions, and swan couples amidst lotus vine patterns, rendered in striking red, yellow, and black colors. These panels are estimated to be from the 13th-15th centuries.

Illustrated Kalpasutra: A Kalpasutra manuscript stored in the Central Museum, Jaipur, dated to V.S. 1547 (1490-1491 CE), is discussed. Its content pertains to Mahavir Swami, Parshvanath, and Arishtanemi (Neminath), along with their Panchakalyanaka (five auspicious events). This manuscript, measuring 26 x 11 cm, comprises 60 pages and features 33 illustrations, each measuring approximately 11 x 7 cm. The article notes that the inscription on this Kalpasutra specifies its creation date (V.S. 1547, Vaishakh Sudi 7) but not the place of origin, unlike other Kalpasutras from 1432 CE and 1494 CE which mention Mandu and Jaunpur respectively. The pages are written in black ink on paper.

The 33 illustrations within this Kalpasutra depict various scenes: Mahavir in a lotus posture, Ashtamangala (eight auspicious symbols), Indra descending from his throne to chant the Namokar mantra, Indra ordering Harinagameshin-deva to transfer Mahavir's embryo to the womb of Brahmanī Devananda, Trishala Rani experiencing and displaying joy and sorrow upon Mahavir's birth (illustrated as Figure 3), Mahavir's divine bath, Indra receiving the news, Mahavir's playful activities, Mahavir on a palanquin-like vehicle, Mahavir undergoing tonsure, Mahavir attaining Kevalajnana (Samyavasara), Mahavir and his disciple Gautama on Siddhāshila, Parshvanath's birth, initiation, opposition to the Panchagni penance, an equestrian figure, Parshvanath protecting Dhondra from a flood, Parshvanath attaining Kevalajnana, Parshvanath's Samyavasara, Neminath's birth, tonsure, and initiation, twenty Viharmans in Videha region, the nourishment of Mahavir's eleven Ganadharas like Virasena, and religious teachings by Jain Acharyas to their disciples.

These illustrations offer valuable insights into the social conditions, customs, traditional beliefs, religious ideologies, and nature depiction of the era. Stylistically, this Kalpasutra is representative of the Apabhramsa art style within the Western Indian painting tradition, which flourished in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh from the 11th to the 15th century. Later art styles in this region adopted some characteristics of the Apabhramsa style with subsequent modifications. The artistic quality of this Kalpasutra is compared to illustrated Kalpasutras in the collection of the City of Wells Museum, Bombay, and the Kalakacharya Katha, as well as an illustrated Kalpasutra from the Saraswati Bhavan collection in Udaipur (V.S. 1536). Similarities include pointed noses and chins, wide eyes extending to the temples beneath arched eyebrows, a prominent left eye, pointed beards, broad foreheads adorned with tilak, reddish lips, and particularly the muscular chests of male figures and the well-adorned female figures.

Color Scheme: The background is a traditional Rajasthani red, possibly referred to as "hinglu" by master artist Ustad Hisamuddin, indicating a mixture of vermilion. This color was likely made from a combination of ber and peepal bark, and lac. The borders are blue, prepared from some leaf. The yellow color used for male and female figures is achieved by applying thin gold leaf. The use of gold leaf, rather than pure gold, results in variations in the sheen, with some areas appearing brighter and others faded. White is used for the eyes of figures, clothing, ornaments, and swans, likely made from ground 'gandh' or orpiment. Blue is used for filling empty spaces, and for depicting elephants, horses, peacocks, and water. Black is used for outlines, hair, and eyebrows. The black ink may have possibly contained kasees (vitriol) as it has eaten into the paper in some places. Similarly, the maroon and green (silu) colors have also damaged the paper, suggesting they are mineral-based, though their origin is difficult to ascertain.

Yashodharcharit: The article also mentions the Yashodharcharit, a painted manuscript. While the Diwanji temple in Sawai Madhopur houses approximately 450 stone and bronze Jain Tirthankara sculptures, most of them date from V.S. 1826 (1769-1770 CE). A prior painted manuscript titled 'Yashodharcharit' was painted in Sanganeer, near Jaipur, in V.S. 1766 (1709-1710 CE). This manuscript has 56 pages, measuring approximately 12' x 4.6', and contains 36 illustrations, some full-page and others half-page. The line work and color scheme of these illustrations bear a close resemblance to the Ragmala paintings from Amer dated to 1706 CE. Furthermore, an earlier Yashodharcharit manuscript from Amer, painted in 1560 CE, shows a clear influence of the Western Indian art style, according to the study by Sarayu Doshi.