Jain Spirit 2003 10 No 16

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 40

ART & LITERATURE
CREATIVE COMMUNICATION
Raju (Sobhag) Shah analyses the creativity of Vijnaptipatra,
a letter of request to a monk
ODERN LIFE IN THE
demonstrate to the monk the age of information
attractiveness and prosperity of the -generates a huge amount of
town. A majority of these were communication. Despite this, we are
prepared and repeatedly copied by often told that we lack the right skills
professional painters. This to do it properly. The Jains seemed to
accounts for a remarkable stylistic have a creative style of communi
conformity among the large cation, which I discovered recently in
number of such illustrated my research on the Vijnaptipatra, a
invitations that have survived. unique letter of request.
The majority of them were A Vijnaptipatra is a Sanskrit
prepared in Jodhpur or Nagore in word for a formal letter of request
Rajasthan by professional Mathen sent by a community to a Jain monk,
painters. Quite a few of these inviting him to spend the four
pictorial manuscripts are stored in months of the rainy season
the treasure houses of Jain temple (chaumasa) with them. The request
libraries (Bhandars) of Gujarat and is usually sent in autumn for the
Rajasthan, the most important next rainy season, which lasts from
ones being located in Patan, June through September, when the
Cambay and Jaisalmer. munis are supposed to stay in one
The illustration usually begins place. This is the only time in the
with the eight auspicious emblems year when Jain monks can do so at
(ashtamangalas) and the symbolic other times they cannot live in any
representation of the fourteen one place for more than a few days. Vijnaptipatra to Vijayasena Suri (detail)
dreams of Queen Trishala. Then This is all the more the reason why
scenes from the town sending the it was important to attract monks to a city, and especially those invitation are painted, sometimes showing a street with who had special skills. In addition, the presence of various types of shops, prominent temples and bustling knowledgeable and wise men in those days was a rarity. There markets. This is followed by a procession of elephants, were very few schools, colleges, let alone the media like radio, musicians and dancers, perhaps as an enticement to the papers or TV, so monks were highly respected and treasured monk as to the kind of reception he is likely to get when he guests in any town or village as they brought with them the arrives. These scrolls are sources of social history as well light of knowledge and wisdom.
as records of the movement of monks from place to place. Sometimes the Vijnaptipatra is also called Kshamapana The scroll is painted in bright colours of strong reds and patrika, which is a letter of pardon. This was prepared by the greens, and enlivened by a floral border on either side. Jain laity and clergy with care and embellishment to send it to Animal and human figures in various actions are vividly their ecclesiastical head of the neighbouring place on the last portrayed along with Jain monks and nuns dressed in white and holiest of days of the eight-day festival of Paryushan, addressing the devotees. Samvatsari. The letter was aimed at well-known and eloquent During the reign of Moghul Emperor Akbar a fullysaints who were in demand and possessed special skills for fledged workshop of painting (atelier) was set up. Painters preaching and inspiring. It would have to be sent well in were recruited from various parts of India and worked under advance of the Paryushan to ensure that the invitee had two masters, Abdus Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali, who came sufficient time to walk to the city which gave the invitation. to India from Persia with Humayun. Under the inspiring
Around the 16th century, rather than sending a simple text guidance of Akbar a new style of painting emerged - the letter, the invitation took the form of a long, narrow, hand- Moghul style. These paintings mark the beginning of the painted vertical scroll that began and ended with the text. various Rajasthani schools. During 1550-1750 the Jains These scrolls can vary in size from about 8-60 feet in length faithfully followed the practice of commissioning copies of and 8-12 inches in width. The purpose of the paintings was to their religious texts. It is gratifying to know that during his
38
Jain Spirit . September - November 200