Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 856

NEW DOCUMENTS OF JAINA PAINTINGS : 357
Documents of Uttara Pradesh origin are now forthcoming from the Jaina Bhandaras. These show that in the 17th century Agra and Delhi were not the only centres of the Popular Mughal style but Asani near Jaunpur and probably also Nautanpur (whose location is not yet certain but which should be somewhere near the region of Agra) seem to have been flourishing centres. This is evident from the manuscripts of Meghadūta and Kumārasambhava painted at Asanikotta and Nautanpur respectively.
• The recent investigations by U. P. Shah have brought to light some very interesting manuscripts from the Jaina collections which throw important light on the history of Western Indian Painting. This new material may be divided into following categories : Group 1
(1) Kalpa-sūtra - dated V. S. 1403 = 1346 A. D.
(2) Kālaka-kathā, in Mandu style, - c. 1440 A. D. Group II
(1) Satruñjaya Māhātmya - c. 1420 A. D. (2) śāntinātha-Caritra - d. V. S. 1453 = 1396 A. D.
(But seems to be around c. 1440 A. D. according to U. P. Shah
and late 15th c. according to Moti Chandra). (3) Damayantikathă-campü-between 1400 and 1450 A. D. (4) Kalpa-sūtra (painted at Vadnagar) - V. S. 1547 = 1490 A. D. (5) Uttarādhyayana-sūtra (painted at Patan) - d. V. S. 1549 =
1492 A. D. (6) Madhavānala-Kāmakandalā-Kathā (written in Patan) - V. S.
1550 = 1493 A. D. (7) Candraprabha-Caritra, dated V. S. 1555 = 1498 A. D. at Patan (8) Jamnagar Kalpa-sūtra and Kalaka-kathā (painted at Patan)
-V. S. 1558 = 1501 A. D. Group III
(1) Kumārasambhava, - V. S. 1701 = 1644 A. D. (painted at
Nautanpur)
(2) Meghadūta - d. V. S. 1726 = 1669 A. D. (painted at Asaņīkotta). Group IV
(1) Samgrahaņi-sūtra, (copied at Matar, Central Gujarat),- d. 1640
V. S. = 1583 A. D. painted by the Painter Govinda. (2) Samgrahani-sūtra, (copied at Cambay), - d. 1644 V, S. = 1587
A. D.