Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras

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

Page 30

Notes on Arts
vitality and expression. Lines are fine or thick according to requirements. In the small space of a palm-leaf miniature the artist has been successful in compressing a number of figures in various attitudes and actions. Garments and hangings are nicely depicted with figures of hamsas, elephants, flower designs etc. Curves and angles are drawn with confidence and in a naturalistic way. Pointed ends of a sāris or paļkās appear in nativity scenes. Already in the latter part of the fourteenth century A.D. we see Western miniature painting at its best.34
The discovery of miniatures of this Pālitānā manuscript further supports our view that the date V.S. 1403 = 1346 A.D. given in the paper ms. of Kalpa-sūtra in Punyavijaya's collection must be correct. More use of gold is seen in the 1346 Kalpa-sūtra just referred to. We also find gold used in decorations in the Pālitānā manuscript, in the Idar Kalpa-sūtra and in the miniatures of Āvaśyaka-Laghuvștti, a palm-leaf ms., Cambay Cat. no.63, dated in V.S.1445 = 1388 A.D. Use of gold in the paper ms. of V.S. 1403 (1346 A.D.)35 is indeed much more but it may just be due to the fancy of a rich donor (Colour plate IV, fig.K),
Pāintings of the Palitāṇā Kalpa-sūtra are drawn against a bright red back-ground, very like the one used in Ävaśyaka Laghuvștti (Cat. no. 410, pp. 66-67). Drawings of Āvasyaka Laghuvștti are also of a superior quality (Colour plate II. fig. F). There is a long miniature of eleven ganadharas of Mahāvira in this manuscript which is typical for the various arches and jāli-patterns depicted in it.36
Miniatures of an earlier palm-leaf ms., dated in V.S. 1412=1355 A.D., of śāntinātha-Caritra from Pravartaka Sri Kāntivijaya Collection, Jnāna-mandira, Baroda, are, however, of inferior quality. The treatment of faces with typical noses and long eyes may be noted. Paintings of a paper ms. of Kalpa-sūtra and Kālaka-kathā dated=1381 A.D. from Motichand Khajanchi's collection,37 now in the National Museum, are better drawn and comparable with the V.S. 1403 Kalpa-sūtra and the V.S. 1439 Palitāṇā Kalpa-sūtra.
In this context see Moti Chandra's remarks on p. 33-36 of his Jaina Miniature Paintings in Western India *New Documents of Jaina Paintings, figs. 1-7, 9, pp. 17-18. **More Documents of Jaina Paintings, p. 9, fig. 22. *New Documents of Jaina Paintings, figs. 8, 8a; Khandalawala, Moti Chandra and Pramod Chandra, Miniature Paintings from Shri Motichand Khajanchi collection, figs. 1-4.
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