Transcript Decorative Designs of illustrated Kalpasutra Manuscript

Indian Painting
B.A. II
Dr. O. P. Parameswaran,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Fine Arts,
Post Graduate Govt. College for Girls,
Sector-11, Chandigarh.
Decorative Designs of
illustrated Kalpasutra
Manuscript
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The Western Indian tradition of
manuscript painting spread over the
Gujarat and Rajasthan area.
It evolved steadily from 11th to 16th
centuries, despite iconoclastic
depredations caused by the Muslim
invaders.
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Contributing significantly, to the development
of Rajasthani School, it also
shaped the
vocabulary of visual expression of Indian
miniature painting at a formative stage.
The regional manifestation of this style, at
Mandi, Gwalior, Delhi and Jaunpur
were
equally important in this respect.
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Veneration of scriptures (Jnana-Puja or Sastra Puja)
was an age old practice among the Jainas. Temple
libraries (Jnana-Bhandaras or Sastra Bhandaras),
established by 8th century AD, were headed by
eagerly erudite monks called Battaraks.
They zealously acquired and commissioned
manuscripts, mainly of religions texts and
occasionally of works on grammar, rhetoric and
astrology.
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It was they again, who encouraged
bankers and merchants as well as the
laity to donate transcriptions of sacred
texts to the bhandaras. This act of
Sastra-dana came to be considered as
virtuous.
The Kalpasutra (The Book of Sacred
Precepts), with its two important
hagiographic sections on the founders of
Jainism is undoubtedly one of the most
revered texts of the Svetambaras and
was most often selected for making
illustrates copies to be offered.
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Earliest Jaina manuscripts were done in
palm leaves (1100 to 1400 AD). Paper
was introduced in the 14th century
manuscripts. From 15th century to early
17th century they have used cloth,
paper and wooden panel for painting.
Finally western Indian style is merged
into Rajput- Mughal style.
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Decorative designs of Kalpsutra manuscript
One of the important stylistic features of Western
Indian Manuscript to be mentioned is the elaborate
decoration.
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In the paper manuscript period of Western
Indian Painting, the marginal decoration had
reached its zenith in some of the best
manuscripts of the Kalpasutra. It is marvelous
how the painters, who could never claim to be
great artists as far as human figure and
landscape were concerned, proved their merit
as decorators.
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All the designs are distinguished by careful
execution, perfect balance and beautiful colour
schemes. The patterns are never repeated
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Foreign influence: Floral meanders,
diapers, palmates, arabesque, flowers
and leaves arranged in cloud pattern,
lozenges in combination with sprigs
rosettes, knotted loops in combination
with diaper, etc. are some of motifs
which show foreign influence
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Indian Designs: There are patterns,
however, distinctively Indian in form
and spirit. The hamsa-heads pecking at
floral petals, rows of fish arranged
decoratively, antelopes, panels divided
into compartments showing lions,
peacocks, and geese, row of elephants
etc. are good examples of pure Indian
decoration.
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Kalpasutra in Devara Pada. Ahemdabad. collection of
the late Muni Dayavimalaji. It is probably the most
beautiful manuscript and unparalleled account of its
border musical modes and different dance poses are
used as decoration. The figures of the dancer, are
remarkably beautiful, and reveal at once the mastery
of the painters in catching the spirit of the fleeting
movements in dance and translating them through
the medium of line and colours.
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At one place battle scenes of Persian
origin have been used as decoration.
From the decorative borders of this
manuscript, it is evident that Persian art
was making in roads in the realm of
Indian art, at least hundred years
before the foundation of Mughal School
of Akbar
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Decorative patterns borrowed from
architecture, such as rosette (phulla), floral
scrolls in circles and ovaloids (kishti), diapers
with onion-shaped compartments filled with
flowers (badrun), circles filled with arabesque
(chanda), bent things with curved points
(danda, murri), interlaced flowers and
creepers (Jangla) etc. have also been_used
on an extensive scale.