Jain Journal 1980 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 70

APRIL, 1980
175
After a new inquiry from the office of the National Museum at New Delhi I learnt that this wooden facade had been acquired from the Schweiger Collection in New Delhi in 1952 and that the place of its origin is unknown. Sometimes a male figure even appears in the pose of a salabhanjika, e.g. Cintamani Lokesvara on the west facade of the Machindranath temple in Kathmandu city.
RAJASTHANI SALABHANJIKAS
Figs. 7a-7d. Wood-paintings on the wings of a folding door from Rajasthan, Marwar, late eighteenth century A.D. Measurements : Left wing (Figs. 7a-7b) 5'9" X 13.9".
Right wing (Figs. 7c-7d) 5'9" X 12".
Housed in : National Meseum, New Delhi.
Fig. 7a. Removal of a thorn from the lady's foot standing under a tree raising her left arm and bending down the branch of the tree.
Main distribution of colour : background red, tree-trunk brownish red ; on top : five petalled white blossoms (perhaps Yasmin). The lady's skin is light brown, hair black, trousers are kept in Indian red with brown cloured, regular circlets.
Fig. 7b. Lady under a tree of the same type with balls or fruits in her hands.
Main distribution of colouring is the same as in Fig. 7a, but the two balls or fruits appear in dark blue, the pair of trousers are also in dark blue with yellowish floral geometrical designs.
Fig. 7c. Lady under a tree of the same type holding one of its branches with her left hand and a stalk with two lotuses in her right hand.
Main distribution of colouring is the same. Trousers are in Indian red without designs. Long scarf in dark blue having brown stripes on border with white floral designs.
Fig. 7d. Lady under a tree of the same type, her right arm raised above her head, the left arm hanging down and holding a string with a disc. It seems to be kind of a whirligig or yo-yo. In Bengal a similar thing is known as cand-mala where it is attached to the goddess Kali during the Pujas as symbol of purity.