More Documents of Jaina and Gujarati Paintings

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

Page 14

tural data for the seventh and the eighth centuries A. D. A whole chapter (No. 29) is devoted to the description of an elaborate Samsāra-Cakra-Pata, a painting on canvas depicting the miseries, inequalities, futilities etc., of human life, the conditions of lower animals, insects etc., and of heavenly beings. Another pata shows the futility of human efforts. Inspite of poetic fancies and exaggerations, it is obvious that large scale paintings showing various aspects of life with all its different sentiments and emotions, landscapes included, as also representations of torments of hell and pleasures of heaven, were popular. Translation of the whole chapter is not necessary for our purpose. It is sufficient to note here that painting on large scale, covering narration of stories through a chain of events depicted in succession, were practised. The whole description makes it quite clear that the efficiency of a painter lay in successfully depicting the different rasas (sentiments) and bhāvas (moods, passions), with clear outlines and appropriate use of pigments.
The Painter of this pata was Bhānu, prince of King Simha of the ancient city of Duārikā situated in the Lāta-deśa. Uddyotana sūri, who composed his work at Jālor in Western Rajasthān (Mārvād) and whose field of activity along with that of his teacher, grand-teacher, great-grand-teacher and others was Mārwär and modern Gujarat, includes Dvārikā (on the west coast of Saurashtra) in the Lāța-deśa. If we remember Larakhand of Sindh, Lāri dialect, and Larike of Ptolemy, we are led to the conclusion that the Lăța-deśa once possibly included the whole west coast from Sindh, Saurāştra upto Narmadā or Tāpī. The author thus describes painting as practised in this Lata-desa (and Mārwar) from personal knowledge. 18 Bhānu, the royal painter of the pata, here says that he knew citra-karma which was accomplished with proper lines, composition, and portrayal of bhāvas with appropriate selection and application of colours (varna); he also knew how to look at, study and appreciate a painting; cf. :
रेखा-ठाणय-भावेहिं संजुयं वण्ण-विरयणा-सारं। जाणामि चित्तयम्मं णरिंद दद्रं पि जाणामि ।।
(Kuvalayamālā, ed. by Upadhye, p. 185). Thus the ideal painter was one who not only knew how to paint well but who was also well-versed in art-criticism.
The citra-pata painted by Bhānu looked as if it was a celestial painting i. e., of an extraordinary, inspired, superhuman workmanship; it very vividly represented a large variety of incidents, and it was atisankula, i. e. crowded with a large number of compositions, of figures, scenes etc. Thus excellent workmanship lay in making the citra true to life, inspired and successful in the proper depiction of various scenes and figures on one canvas (cf. divva-lihiyayaṁ piva aisaṁkulaṁ savvavuttanta-paccakkhikaranam........etc.).
18. The reference to the Lāța-Dindinah in the Padatāditakam (a Bhāna type of drama of c. 6th
cent.) is interesting. The Lāča Dindinah (Dandys of Lāfa) were fond of and versed in the art of painting. Their painting is ridiculed in this farce.