Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras

Author(s): Umakant P Shah, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 28

Notes on Art
Two bundles of Padmānanda-Mahākāvya, nos. 200 (1) and 200 (2) in Sri śāntinātha Bhandāra, Cambay, are assignable to c. 14th cent. V. S.= 1243-1343 A. D. Miniatures of these mss. may be regarded as dating from early fourteenth century A. D. (Cat. nos. 401-2, pp. 63-64). These miniatures, though partly damaged and defaced, are of a superior quality. The miniature of Mantri Padma requesting Amaracandra sūri, drawn on folio 99, is a beautiful work of art (figure 22 ). The attendant fly-whisk bearing yaksas in the different paintings of Tirthankaras (figure 21 ) are not stereotyped figures but lively and varied in both modelling and dress as also in their postures and expressions. Figures of Tirthankaras, with beautiful round faces are also well-executed and display the work of skilled artist. The background is painted red, body complexions are either white or yellow, the other colours used are usually black, green, yellow, pink and red.
of about this period is the boldly drawn miniature of Dvyāśraya-Mahākāvya (Cat. no. 403, p. 64 ) from Jesalmer Collection no. 340, representing Jineśvara sūri and Vimalacandra (Colour plate II fig. E). Of early fourteenth century A. D, there is a ms. of Dašavā ikālika-sutra (Cat. no. 408, p. 66) in the L. D. Institute, Ahmedabad. Paintings of the Mangala-kalasa and the caitya-tree in this manuscript are not finely drawn but the latter one is noteworthy as Caitya-tree is not yet known to have been a special separate subject of a miniature.
The Kalpasūtra-tippaņaka of Pșthvicandra sūri (Cat. no. 409, p. 66) in the Jesalmere Bhandāra, no. 82 (6) has been fully illustrated by Nawab.30 The place of copying is not known and even though Nawab has called these oldest Rajasthani paintings, the problem of origin of the style of these paintings should remain an open question (Colour plate I figs. B and C). The manuscript is assignable to c. 1300-1350 A. D. Miniatures of the palm-leaf ms. of Kalpa-sūtra from Sheth Anandji Mangalji Pedhi Collection, Idar, assigned to fourteenth century A. D. have been profusely illustrated and described by Moti Chandra.31 They show a more advanced style than the miniatures of the Jesalmere Kalpa-sūtra just referred to.
But a more attractive palm-manuscript of the Kalpa-sūtra
and Kälaka-katha
30 The Oldest Rajasthani Paintings from Jaina Bhandaras, pls. Q,R,S. figs. 24-29. 31 Moti Chandra, Jaina Miniature Pointings from Western India, pp. 33-34, figs. 59-78,