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abstract, etherial and spiritual, in the sense that the artist is trying to come to grips with some abstruse thoughts and concepts related to the Jain order of the universe or Jain cosmology. At times the artist seems to let his imagination run wild and enter into the lighter and brighter world of make-believe and of child-like fancy. It is strange that this unique and composite piece of art has escaped the notice of many of the historians and scholars of Indian art or even Jain art.
The Outline of Nandishwar Dwip in Jain Tradition
In Jain cosmology, we find detailed descriptions of a series of dwips or cosmic islands. They are eight in number and their names are as follow :
1. Jambu dwip 2. Dhataki Khand dwip 3. Pushkarwar dwip 4. Varuniwar dwip
5. Kshirwar dwip 6. Dhrutwar dwip 7. Ikshuwar dwip 8. Nandishwar dwip
Jambu dwip is situated in Tiryag lok. Nandishwar dwip is the eighth one which lies beyond the seventh dwip known as Ikshuwar. There is one black mountain called Anjangiri on each of the four directions of the dwip. Each of the Anjangiris is 84000 yojan high and has a Jain temple at its top. Each Anjangiri has at the distance of one lac yojan on each of its four sides, a large well of the same length and width with steps leading down to the water. Each of these sixteen step-wells is encirled by a mountain range called Dadhimukh which is 64000 yojans high. Each of the Dadhimukh mountainranges eneircles a step-well in the same manner as that of the Manushottar mountain range. On the top of each of these sixteen Dadhimukh quartz mountains there is one Shashwat or eternal Jain temple. Each of these step wells is divided from the nearest one by two Ratikar mountains. Each of the 36 Ratikar mountains is 1000 yojans high and has an eternal Jain temple at its top. Thus Nandishwar dwip is adorned with 4+16+32= 52 eternal temples in all. Gods go there to celebrate at the time of Shashvat Ashtalhikas and the Kalayanks of the Tirthankars.
From the point of view of art, Nandishwar dwip is a complex construct of composite art and is thus in the nature of a highly imaginative three dimensional model frought with dense symbolic overtones. At its very centre is a mountain called Meru with trees and rocks carved in low relief. There is a small throne at the highest peak of the mountain. And we see two dimensional and three dimensional representations of a river and an ocean in a large and flat tray-like form at the feet of the mountain. A number of human beings and fish are painted as swimming in the river. The whole dwip is divided into four sectors. There are four major and four minor 'dwips' or islands on the four sides of Nandishwar dwip represented in two dimenstional and three dimensional forms. Beautiful figures of divinities are painted in bright gold on four wooden cylinders. Besides these, are also painted on its upper half, holy temples with bells and flags fluttering high, demi-gods moving amidst the clouds and on the lower half, royal forms, mendicants and water tanks surrounded by stone steps. Imposing figures of Jains belonging
46 : Jain Kashthapar Chitra
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