Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras

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

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Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras
The Uattaradhyayana from Mandal, dated in V.S. 1505-1448 A.D., illustrated in figs. 42 and 60 is a very important dated document produced by a very superior artist. In the general treatment of human figures and even of themes of the text it discloses a new pattern. This style is also found in a newly discovered Uttaradhyayana from a Surat bhandara. A somewhat less refined imitation of the themes is seen in the Uttaradhyayana dated in V.S. 1549-A.D. 1492, painted at Patan, now in Punyavijaya Collection, L.D. Institute, a specimen from which is illustrated in fig. 63. However, so far as the style is concerned, the Patan manuscript belongs to a school or tradition different from that of the Mandal ms. The treatment of the horizon in fig. 60 from Mandal manuscript, is rather rare in Jaina miniatures. Another rare miniature, illustrated in fig. 61, is from a Kalpa-sutra in Muni Hamsavijaya collection, Jñäna-mandira, Baroda, and assignable to late fifteenth or early sixteenth century A.D. We do find such Persian influence in border decorations of Devasano Pädo Kalpa-sutra, but a mere landscape and a forest scene with animals, clouds etc., showing love of nature, forming theme of a separate miniature is hardly found in earlier manuscripts. The treatment of clouds showing Chinese influence is noteworthy in this miniature. This manuscript show several departures, from the stereotyped treatment of Kalpa-sutra miniatures, the depiction of the city of Dvārakā illustrated in fig. 64, from this manuscript may be noted. It is not possible to date this manuscript as late as the Akbar period.
Chinese or Central Asian influence in the treatment of landscape is found as early as 1382 A.D., in fig. 26 illustrated from the Palm-leaf ms. of Kalpa-sutra from Pālitāṇā. For a fuller appraisal of the fifteenth century style of Gujarat, and especially of the new trends and experiments carried out from about the middle of the fifteenth century a detailed study of the several miniatures of the Digambara Jaina manuscript of Yasodharacaritra painted at Sojitra (Central Gujarat) in V.S. 1551=1494 A. D. is necessary.75 We hope Mrs. Sarayu Doshi, who has published only a few
15 The ms. now belongs to a collection housed in a Digambara Jaina temple in Karamsad, near Sojitra. It was first brought to Surat by Sheth Mulchand K. Kapadia of Surat for an exhibition held at the time of an earlier session (fifth or sixth?) of Gujarati Sahitya Parisad held long time ago at Surat, and noted in the report of the same Parisad. Sheth Kapadia informed me about the same and spoke highly about the paintings with plenty of gold used in colours. Since Mrs. Doshi was working on Dig. miniatures I passed on the information to her and taking the aged Shri Mulchand Kapadia with us to Karamsad in Mrs. Sarayu Doshi's car, we could see the manuscript and with Sheth Kapadia's recommendations, Mrs. Doshi has borrowed it for study. See, the Chp. 31 on Miniature Paintings by Khandalawala and Mrs. Doshi in Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. III, colour pls. 30A, 30B and Plates 276-277, figs. A & B.
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