More Documents of Jaina and Gujarati Paintings

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 10

More Documents of Jaina Paintings
& Gujarati Paintings of Sixteenth & Later Centuries THE earliest known examples of Western Indian Miniature Painting (with the
characteristic pointed nose, three-quarters profile, and the squarish broad jaw or cheek-bone) are the Vişņu on Garuda at Kailasa, Ellorā, the standing Sarasvati in the plamleaf manuscript of the Jñātā and other Ariga texts, dated in V. S. 1184 / 1127 A.D., from the Sāntinātha Bhaņdāra, Cambay, and the painted wooden book-covers from Jesalmer with paintings of Jinadatta sūri.
Still earlier, we have the painted roundels (with lotus and animal figures) in the palm-leaf manuscript of Niśīthacūrni dated in V. S. 1157 / 1100 A. D.s from the collections of Sanghavi-nā Pada-no Bhandāra, Pāțan. Recently, M. R. Majumdar brought to our notice the incised figure of Garuda in human form, with three-quarters profile, somewhat farther projecting eye and pointed nose, in the copper-plate grant of Paramāra Vākpa tirāja, dated 974 A. D., (fig. 3), and another figure of Garuda with somewhat more developed similar traits, in the charter of Paramāra Bhojadeva, dated in 1022 A. D., (fig. 4),5 showing clearly that by the last quarter of the tenth century and the first quarter of the eleventh century these traits had already gained currency in art.
Besides the two engraved figures noted by M. R. Majumdar, we may here nota some more such incised figures. One is in the Bānswārā copper plates of Bhojadeva dated in Samvat 1076/ 1019-1020 A. D.', where Garuda shows the long pointed nose, as well as the extended farther eye, and can be looked as a figure in the style of Western Miniatures (fig. 5). In Vākpatirāja's charter of 974 A. D. referred to above, the farther eye is only slightly projected while the face of the eagle is more oblong and not squarish as in these two charters of Bhojadeva.
A second noteworthy charter is that of Paramar Siyaka, dated in Samvat 1026/ 969 A. D., published by Diskalkar (fig. 2). This may be comparated with fig. 3 of 974
1. Moti Chandra, Jaina Miniature Paintings from Western India, Ahmedabad 1949, fig. 4, Kailasanatha
temple, Ellorā, and pp. 11-12. 2. Ibid., fig. 16, p. 28. Fig. 15 illustrates a miniature of Mahāvira with attendants from the same
manuscript. 3. Copied at Broach. Moti Chandra, op. cit., fig. 14, pp. 28-29. 4. Kirtane, N. J., 'Three Malwa Inscriptions', Indian Antiquary, Volume VI. pp. 48 ff. and pl. facing
p. 52. Very similar in style to the figure of Garuda in the grant of Vāk patirăja d. 974 A. D., and probably incised by the same artist, is another full standing figure of Garuda in the grant of Vakpatirāja, dated in V. S. 1038 (July, 982 A. D.), published by Rao Bahadur K. N. Dikshit,
Three Copper-Plate Inscriptions from Gaonri', Ep. Ind., Vol. XXIII. pp. 101 ff. and plate B. Gaonri is about 3 miles from Narwal, about 11 miles south-east from Ujjain. Here the farther
eye, though shown, is not projecting beyond the face in space. 5. Ibid., pp. 53-55 and pl. facing page 54. 6. Hultzch, E., Banswara Plates of Bhojadeva, Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XI pp. 181 ff. and plate
facing p. 183.