Jain Kashthapat Chitra

SR No.: 006752
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vasudev Smart
Publisher: Omkarsuri Gyanmandir Surat
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 156
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 50

Alip
Pat Paintings:
All the pat paintings are 6'x8' and afixed on walls. They are marked by their very complex and highly imaginative compositions. The colour-scheme of the pats is characterized by simplicity and the use of a limited number of colours viz. red, white, yellow, black, brown and golden. The temples depicted are of various sizes and shapes. The ornaments decorating the human figures are full of variety. The Panchtirth pats depicting Palitana, Girnar, Abu, Ashtapad and Sametshikharji evince a broad uniformity of themes and subjects. But they have a great variety in their conpositions. In all probability, all these pats belong to the same period of time. The pats in the temple of Neminath in Rander have been retouched or repainted and have lost much of their original charm. Nevertheless, if we look at them from a distance, they stun us as magnificent specimens of the rich tradition of the murals in jain temples in this part of India.
The original wood carvings on the ceilings of these temples have been lost to us because they have been rebuilt or renovated. Lost also are the exquisitely carved wooden pillars which were adorned with large doll-like figures of celestial damsels.
The temple of Chandraprabhu Swami of the Digambars houses idols made of an alloy of five metals. The idols are characterized by their sharp noses, slanting eyes, squarish faces and high busts. Jain temples have a large number of different tools, implements, pots and vessels and a large variety of highly decorative items used at the time of prayers or at religious festivites. All of them are very beautiful artefacts.
It is unfortunate that the age-old traditions of Jain art is fast disappearing. Priceless pieces of art are simply destroyed or sold at the time of renovating or rebuilding the old temples. The temples built in recent past have large pats in glass mosaics or in oil paints done by lesser artists and in low taste. The old hanging lamps of glass, pat paintings, wooden pillars and bases with exqiusite carvings or paintings, celestial damsels and other ornamental pieces, beautiful lattices of cast or wrought metals, beautifully painted or carved doors and door frames etc. are fast disappearing from Jain temples.
36 Jain Kashthapat Chitra