Book Title: Jinamanjari 1999 09 No 20
Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

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Page 20
________________ and northeast of Bhuvaneswar, capital of eastern coastal state of Orissa. On the overhanging brow of the Hāthīgumphā natural cavern situated on the southern face of the Udayagiri are found inscriptions, seventeen in lines, covering an area of 15.1 ft length and 5.6 ft height.“ Dr. Shashi Kant has assigned 172 B.C.E. as the date of incising the inscription.6 A close study of the inscription reveals matter about music, dance, dramatics and Khāravela's learning of various fine arts such as painting, dancing, instrument playing, dramatics, drafting, counting etc. This information is found in inscription line 2: Tato Lekha-rūpa-gananā-vidhivisāradena Sava-vijāvadātena nava-vasāni Youvarajaṁ pasāsitar The Emperor Khāravela, whose faith was Jainism, has developed his taste of music, dance and drama among his subjects.7 As a tradition the kings in the past patronized the artistic activities in their domain reflecting their tastes and temperaments. Kalinga was no different; it contributed to the glorious art and architecture in its Jain temples and caves of Uadayagiri, Hāthīgumphā, Bhuvaneswar and Puri, built at different times of his reign exhibit beautiful dance poses, panels of dancers, musicians, and varieties of musical instruments engraved on the walls of Jain temples and caves. The inscription reveals that the emperor himself was a musician and a great patron of music and dance. However, a curtain of obscurity falls immediately after the reign of Khāravela, and lifts up only at the dawn of the seventh century C.E. with the heralding of another glorious era of temple architecture. Stepping away from the architectural discussion for a moment, the arts of music and dance which were popular with man and woman alike during the Khāravela period follow a special method of expression and style. This is seen from the Orissan architecture, and other historical documents and inscriptions that corroborate the assertion. The description of Orissan dance, songs and instrumental music in the Hāthīgumphā inscription is found similarly in the inscription of Magheshwar temple of 1193 -1195 C.E. and the Ananta Vasudeva temple dated 1278 C.E. The latter informs its readers about the extraordinary dancing skill of Candrādevi, the daughter of Anangadeva. What these inscriptions reveal is a glimpse of high 15 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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