The present book is a culmination of twenty-four years of research on Ajanta Paintings. It is a pioneering attempt to provide a true picture of Ajanta Paintings, mainly on the basis of literary sources. All the murals of Ajanta are based on episodes from Pali Tipitaka, Atthakatha, Ceylonese chronicles, H.B.S. books- Mahavastu, Divyava dana, Asvaghosha's treatises - Buddha Carita, Sundaranand Kavya, Saddharma Pundarika: which have been carefully studied. The author has collected the findings and evidence from Ancient Indian History and Culture, Buddhist art and architecture, archaeology, and inscriptions. All these have been scrupulously tallied.
Nearly thirty unidentified murals have been identified for the first time, and seventeen murals, which were misinterpreted, have been rectified. Besides, thirty-one murals are acquainted with brief information. The plans of the caves and locations of the murals have been attested neatly for the convenience of the readers and visitors. The monograph contains fifty coloured plates, photographs taken on the site, of eleven caves, namely, Cave Nos. 1,2,6,7,9,10, 11, 16, 17, 19, and 26. Nearly a hundred plates of Line-drawings of the murals and the images will help to give a clear idea of the cave paintings. The purpose of line drawings is to assist the photographs and reveal the differences in past and present conditions, and make murals more knowledgeable. The monograph will reveal a new panorama of Ajanta paintings and enhance the joy of their beauty, especially when one is informed about the literary sources.
Dr. Meena Talim has retired as a Professor and head of the departments of Pali and Ancient Indian Culture. St. Xavier's (1990). She was the first person to be awarded PHD. in Pali from the University of Mumbai (1960). Her contribution to Buddhism in various aspects- Social. Historical Literary Medicine, Art, and Architecture is remarkably significant. Her publications include. "Buddhavamso" (1969), 'Women in early Buddhist Literature" (1972), "Bagh Paintings- Identification and Interpretation" (2002), "Science of Medicine and Surgery in Buddhist India" (2009), "Edicts of King Asoka-a new vision" (2010), "Life of Women in Buddhist Literature" (2010) & Buddhist Art Vol. I & II (forthcoming). She has contributed more than eighty-five research papers to Indological journals, magazines, and to seminars, National and International Conferences, and symposiums. Dr. Talim is presently working as an Honorary Professor at K.J. Somaiya Centre for Buddhist Studies and Visiting Professor at the University of Mumbai, Mumbai.
In the History of the world, Ajanta is the most favourite subject of historians, archaeologists, and artists. Ajanta is a unique site that is well admired by all, including Buddhist and non-Buddhist devotees who throng here with love and devotion. There are nearly Thirty-one Caves at Ajanta which belong to different periods ranging from the Second Century B.C.E. to the Seventh Century C.E. In the early 19th Century the caves were first discovered by army men in 1819, but the first scholarly report was tendered by Prof. J. Fergusson in 1843. Caves were then in a dilapidated state; therefore, copying of the paintings was allotted to Robert Gill, who had completed thirty paintings, in the period of six years (1849-1855). Unfortunately, all these paintings were destroyed in the fire that broke out at the Indian Museum, South Kensington, in 1866. Prof. John Griffith undertook the job of copying the paintings and worked on them from 1872 to 1885. This laborious work of Prof. Griffith was destroyed in 1896, as the fire broke out in the Indian Museum, South Kensington. However, undaunted by the calamity, Prof. Griffith, with the help of his students, recopied a large number of the paintings, and we are fortunate to have some of them in his two volumes on Ajanta Paintings.
Prof. J. Fergusson and James Burgess undertook the job of archaeological survey of the caves (1871) and studied them through paintings. sculptures and inscriptions. We can not forget the efforts of E.B. Havell and Ananda Coomarswamy who in their philosophical and critical ways, established the greatness of Ajanta paintings. The following number of eminent scholars like F. Oldenberg, H Luder, Bhau Daji, A Foucher, Lady Herringham, G. Yazdani, Dr. Mirashi, and Dr. Karl Khandalawala. Dr. M.N. Deshpande, Dr. M.Dhawalikar, Dr. D. Schlingloff. Dr. W. Spink and many great scholars. All these scholars have contributed valuable research on the Ajanta Caves and paintings. Many of these scholars. Archaeologists, art-historians, and artists have devoted their lives to the study of these caves. I am aware of all these stalwarts and their Himalayan contributions, and yet I am attempting to bring forth to light some of the areas that have remained unnoticed and untouched.
Literary Endowment
The Pall and Sanskritised-Pali literature have played an important role in providing material for Ajanta paintings. The paintings have been delineated on the walls, columns pilaster, and ceilings of the caves. These murals have been illustrated with a certain purpose. They narrate the stories of the Bodhisattvas episodes from the life of Buddha and his disciples and convey principle teachings of the Buddha. The source of inspiration of these paintings can be traced in Theravadin literature from the Fifth Century B.C.E. to the Fifth Century C.E., approximately; mainly from the Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka, Atthakathas, and Varhsa Literature. Amongst all these literary sources. Jataka-Katha was most popular. The joy of appreciating these paintings becomes exuberant and exotic after knowing the exact event, episode, or story on which the painting is based. The Jataka stories relate paramita theory of Theravadins, but we also have episodes from the books of Khuddaka nikaya, Dtgha, Majhima, Samyutta nikayas, commentaries, and Mahavarnsa, which provide us not only theological information but historical facts of ancient times.
In Mahayana Literature we notice use of Mahasamghika-Lokuttaravadin books like Divyavadana, Mahavastuavadana, Sundaranand a Kavya of Asvaghosha, but none from Vaipulya-sutras of first Century C.E. to fourth Century C.E. Amongst Mahayana Literature Sundaranada Kavya is more popular, and many murals are based on this treatise. There are only two Avadanas from Diyavadana, namely Simhal and Purna, and two from Mahavastuavadana, namely Trisakuniya and Shyama, but all have a resemblance to Pali Jatakas.
As far as Vajrayana Literature is concerned, we do not find any book on which the Ajanta painting was based. There are two murals in the Caves which depict monsters of the Paticcasamupada (Law of Causation), a prominent tenet of Vajrayanist, but it is based on Tipitaka - Pali-sources.
As stated above, the paintings in the Ajanta Caves are mostly based on the Jataka-Kathas (stories). Jataka-Kathas correlate with Bodhisattva and Parami theories, and the prominence is given to assist the theory of Pararnis (perfection). Theravadin tradition follows ten Paramis, namely, Dana (Charity), Sila (Virtue), Nekkham (Renunciation), Panna (Wisdom), Viriya (Energy), Khanti (Forbearance), Sacca (Truth), Adhitthana (Steadfastness), Metta (Compassion), and Upekkha (Indifference). All the murals of Ajanta portray one of these ten Paramis. But sometimes, even two Paramis can be located in one mural, viz., in Mahajanaka Jataka (Nekkham + Adhitthanal and in Sibi Jataka (Dana + Adhitthana ) can be observed. This observation furthermore reveals that artist of Ajanta have taken more interest in depicting human emotions, more so, that would portray teachings of the Buddha, collected from the Theravadin Source. Theravadin Culture was then dominant at Ajanta Caves from the Second Century B.C.E. to the Third Century C.E. The priestly class had accepted Theravadin episodes, for the sake of the popularity of these stories and for propagating the norms of the Buddha.
The Mahayana presence started projecting through introducing images of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas in Chaityagriha and Viharas. However, Asvaghoshas Sundurananda- Kavya had captured the minds of people and artists, therefore have painted the love story of Nanda- Sundari vivaciously. Besides, these paintings were parallel to Theravadin teachings of Anicca and Dukkha, hence there was no bifurcation in ideology. But depicting Bodhisattvas in murals or as images was significant; in a way, it was an intrusion in the Theravadin Caves.
I am aware that Theravadin, Jataka - katha have also depicted Bodhisattvas to expound the 'Parami', but they do not directly make an impact on the mind about the concerned Bodhisattva, but of the 'Parami' that he had performed. On the other hand, Mahayanist Paintings of Bodhisattvas are very clear about the intention, and gradually they introduced eight Bodhisattvas as special entities. Eventually, paintings and sculptures of Mahayanist minor deities like Kubera, Yaksha, Vidyadharas, Apsaras, and Nagas were given more scope. The Vajrayana sect could not make an impact in the caves; perhaps the cult never became popular in Maharashtra (consequently, at Ajanta), as the other two sects, unlike in north and north-east India.
About Paintings
In India tradition of painting on the wall was very ancient. One can observe cave paintings from the Megalithic age in Madhya Pradesh and other parts of India. This indicates that the art of painting on the wall was not new to artist-guilds- Vinaya Pitaka refers to the colouring of the wall with mud, clay, and wood. The palaces, houses, towers, and huts were well-plastered and coloured. It narrates "The walls of the houses made of wood, stone, bricks, and even leafy cottages should be plastered from inside with lime and mud, and then on this surface pictures can be drawn with white or red colours."! Such a work was a special job done by a person known as "Cittakammalikhitaka" (one who does the job of drawing a picture). Ambapali, the courtesan, and King Prasenajita had picture-halls (cittagara)." Dr. Nihararanjana Ray writes, "Besides portraiture and mural paintings, we also find widely known practices such as lepya-chitra, lekya-chitra, dhuli-chitra, etc.
In the Mauryan period, stone art was introduced by King Chandragupta, and it became very popular. King Asoka (3rd Century B.C.E.) encouraged cave architecture, which gradually moved towards Maharashtra by the second Century B.C.E. Ajanta Caves were smoothly plastered, before paintings. However, I shall not dwell on this point, but would like to draw your attention to an achievement and skills of the artist-guild. They have not made any mistakes in sketching or colouring. This indicates that artist-guilds were not novice, amateur, but experienced ones.
Another notable characteristic was that they had studied the story or an episode from the Buddhist Literature very carefully. Therefore, they have not missed even the smallest point, however insignificant it may be; viz. Prince Vessantara is mostly shown with his two children, as he was a family man. Thus, every mural is faithfully delineated according to the literary source. This helps us to diagnose the panel correctly.
Ajanta artists have used the 'Chitrakathi' style, which is advantageous for identifying the painting. One can observe an involvement of an artist in taking the trouble to know the exact story and consciously portray it in the mural.
Artists of Ajanta are experts in human anatomy and vegetation. They have never lost a sense of proportion in delineating a sole figure or crowd. They are particular about showing human emotions on their faces or through their hand gestures. It is amazing to observe that every personality in the crowd, whether a King, Queen, attendant, minister, guard, doorkeeper, or a beggar depict their emotions. This helps us to understand the exact situation of an incident that has been painted in the panel.
The stories that deal with non-human beings like Devas, Nagas, Yakshas, Apsaras, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, Kuber, or Demons- all have been painted carefully. Anyone can make out the differences between these various species. Though anatomically they resemble human-anatomy, yet the little variations in the faces or limbs make the difference. Devas are shown with halo and beautiful faces, Nagas with serpent-hood above the head, Yakshas with peculiar curly hair style that runs up to shoulders, Apsaras with floating position in the clouds, Kinnaras with bird like feet, Gandharvas with musical instruments, Kuber with big stomach and short stunted feet and Demons with rough thorny, hair protruding eyes and long molars. All these minor peculiarities make it clear to everyone about their gene.
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