Jataks stories are the common themes in Ajanta paintings. Mahajanak Jataka painted in Cave One is one of the important compositions. A Presentation byf Prof. Subramanian Swaminathan on the paintings of Ajanta.

1. Paintings of Ajanta Caves(2nd century BC to 6th century AD)Appreciation ofMahajanaka JatakacompositionbyS. Swaminathan(sswami99@gmail.com)

2. Presented byS. Swaminathan

3. Mahajanaka Jataka is an important composition in Cave 1 belonging to the Baroque period (6th century AD). Due to fortunate survival of most of the composition the narration is taken for a detailed discussion

4. The Story Bodhi-sattva born Mahaajanaka whose father was banished from his kingdom by his brother, Pola-janaka. Mahaa-janaka went all over the world as a merchant and amassed enough wealth to help him regain his father's kingdom

5. The Story Pola-janaka died survived by his most beautiful and haughty daughter, Shivaali Three almost impossible conditions were set to marry her. Mahaa-janaka fulfilled all three and married Shivaali

6. The Story However, the pomp and luxuries of the palace life was not to his liking. In spite of the pleadings from his queen, Mahaa-janaka finally renounced the world and went to the Himalayas to meditate upon the Truth Narration in this cave starts after the marriage of Mahaa-janka

7. Importance of the Panel A major portion has survived Important from art history point of view Composition shows the beginning of deterioration from the classical elegance to baroque ostentation

8. Importance of the Panel Offers scope for a study of art style and method of narration of this period Provides a wealth of information Regarding jewellery, textile and dress, musical instruments, architecture, etc

9. Location of Composition Shrine Scenes from this jaataka are painted on the left wall of the main hall Entrance To Cave 1

10. Composition Story is in four acts: 1. The king in dilemma 2. He seeks advice from an ascetic 3. He abdicates 4. He leaves the palace

11. Composition Act 1 King in dilemma Act 2 King goes to seek advice Act 3 King abdicates Act 4 King leaves palace Ship wreck (An earlier scene)

12. Composition Act 1 King in dilemma Act 2 King goes to seek advice Ship wreck (An earlier scene) Act 3 King abdicates Act 4 King leaves palace

13. Act OneMahaa-janaka in Dilemma The newly wed king is dissatisfied with the pompous life The queen attempts to captivate him with all her charm The king goes out to seek advice from an ascetic

14. Scene 1: Queen captivating Scene 2: Dancer with musicians

15. The Scene

16. Mahaa-janaka in Dilemma The bejewelled king does not look at Shivali, but has a wild and vacant look. His right hand suggests despair.

17. Queen captivating Queen, dressed in ‘nakedness', leans against the king. Every line of her figure expresses her attitude of passionate yielding

18. The Court The maids are looking at the couple. Their looks invite the attention the pathetic king Variation in poses and the varieties of textiles are worth noting A dwarf in attendance sitting on the ground

19. Musicians accompanying the Dancer The dancer is supported by musicians playing flute, cymbals, drums and a stringed instrument

20. Dancing Scene The musicians, like the dancer, show great dynamism and movement Characters shown in variety of body postures

21. The dancer strikes a graceful pose, her hands a mudra. She wears a long jacket and A close-fitting blouse. Her striped skirt is loose and long. Her ring set with a small mirror, the ear-rings of elaborate design Her head-dress of strings of gold beads or pearls. Her plaits entwined with flowers. The Dancer

22. The palatial surroundings and decorations, accompaniment of a host of musical instruments, The Scene fantastic garments and elaborate ornaments all successfully contributed to a spectacular scene

23. Act TwoKings seeks Advice The queen was not successful in her attempt in holding back the king Mahaa-janaka's mental turmoil has not ceased He goes to Himavali Hills to seek advice from an ascetic

24. The Scene Ascetic King listening King on an Elephant

25. Mahaa-janaka goes out Mahaa-janaka goes out through the Palace-gate on an Elephant

26. Mahaa-janaka meets an Ascetic The ascetic is delivering a sermon. The king listens in deep reverence A pair of deer is seen with faces tilted up, as if in rapt attention.

27. The King listens tothe Sermon Casting off most ornaments, the king listens to the sermon in great humility and utter surrender, his hands folded in prayer.

28. Act ThreeMahaa-janaka announces his Decision The enlightened king announces his decision to abdicate The queen listens stoically while the royal household is perplexed

29. The Scene

30. Queen Mother admonishes Shivali Queen-mother admonishes the queen for letting the king meet the ascetic

31. Mahaa-janka announces his Decision The king, serene and composed, announces his decision to renounce

32. Shivali receives the News The queen, better clad and composed, receives the heart-breaking news

33. Bewildered Royal Household All are in great animation. One girl stunned with her eyebrows drawn and eyes dilated. Another is musing with a finger on her cheek Exquisite portrayal of women in varieties of postures

34. Act FourMahaa-janaka abdicates Finally, the king leaves the country to meditate on the dharma

35. Mahaa-janaka Departs King leaves in full regal splendour, led by a procession of his loyal subjects

36. RoyalMusicians A flautist, a conch-blower, a cymbal player and a mridangist lead the procession

37. Women watching the Procession Geese-motif of the dress worn by a woman is noteworthy An example of expert draughtsmanship and excellent colouring

38. Portrayal of Characters This mural affords excellent scope for studying of portrayal of characters Continuity in dress and physical features of characters maintained while bringing out contrast in the expressions of characters

39. Mahajanaka and Shivali The king depicted three times and the queen twice Though the location the same, the emotional atmosphere different

40. Mahajanaka In dilemma Listening to Sermon Abdicating

41. In Dilemma The newly-wed king in regal splendour - two rows of necklaces sparkling with diamonds and pearls, and pearl-studded sacred-thread But he has a vacant look reflecting his mental conflict and his hands showing his inner pain

42. Listens to Sermon When he met the ascetic the elaborate necklace replaced with a less ostentatious one Now his deportment of humility and utter surrender, his hands folded in prayer.

43. Abdicating He had cast off every-thing including the sacred-thread, excepting the close fitting beads. His visage is serene, but of determination. His hands compose preaching-attitude showing he has now found the path.

44. Shivali Captivating Hearing the News

45. Captivating ‘Dressed in nakedness’ she is determined to win over her husband using all her charm.

46. Receiving the News She is now better-draped, sitting before the king, fully composed and ready to receive the heart-breaking news.

47. Musicians andMusical Instruments Ajanta offers Scope for studying Indian Musical Heritage A Variety of musical Instruments depicted from 2nd Century BC to 6th Century AD Both Continuity and Change over the Ages can be studied

48. Dancer is accompaniedby musicians playing cymbals and flutes common even today, the bell-shaped drum, closer to today’s ‘udukku’ used in folk music, standing drum and strinag instrument, both obsolete.

49. In the scene of ‘the king abdicating’ the musicians shown playing conch-shell, used even today heralding arrival of gods or dignitaries, mridangam (or pakhawaj) and flutes in use today

50. Musicians are shown in Padmapani panel, Cave 1 in ‘Descent of Indra, Cave 17

51. Dancers and Dancing Dancers have been portrayed both in the pre-christian era paintings and in the later scenes Change over this period and continuity till date can be studied

52. Dancing in the Hinayana Period Scanty clothing and ornaments restricted to conch-shell bangles are stamp of unaffected spontaneity of the pre-christian era painting

53. Dancingin the Mahayana Period Dancing is now more stylised. Beautifully designed garments, the glittering trinkets and bewildering coiffure of the dancer Dancing pose, gestures, shape of eyes and the general atmosphere epitomise an advanced phase of dancing

54. Drawing in Perspective Drawing in perspective gives an illusion of distance. In true perspective the farther objects look small

55. True Perspective The Monastery in Cave 17 is in true Perspective

56. Reverse Perspective The building in front of which the dancer is performing is drawn in the reverse perspective

57. Producing Relief through Colouring Ajanta artists have used various techniques for producing depth and relief through skilful use of colours Vartana is a method of shading Ujjotanais adding ‘high-lights’ Blue colourfor the background

58. On shoulder, arms and hands airka, a wash technique, one of vartana methods, is used.

59. On the forehead, cheeks and nose, to show elevation of form, Ujjotana method of applying white patches can be seen

60. Blue colour used, especially for background, to create an illusion of depth by contrasting with the warm red and brown colours

61. Draughtmanship The perfection of painting technique is displayed in the extraordinary breadth and confidence of draughtsmanship - the varying thickness of line drawn with a free flowing sweep of the brush to depict oval faces, arched eyebrows, aquiline noses, and sensitive lips

62. Draughtmanship

63. A relaxed monkey, consisting basically of one masterly sweep of brush starting beneath chin and forming a curve outlining head and spine and terminating beneath knee-cap Shad-danta Jataka, Cave 17

64. Body Postures (Sthaana-s) In all the scenes depicted in this narration, every one of the women is shown in different positions from the rijvagata (frontal) to parshvagata (strict profile) to anriju(back view)

65. Dancing Girlwith Musicians

66. DisturbedRoyalHousehold

67. Demarcation of Scenes and Acts The ajanta artists followed certain conventions in composing the narration A gate is often placed to herald the beginning of an act Within an act pillars may separate the scenes

68. Gate separating Acts Act 1 King in Dilemma Act 2 King goes to seek advice Act 3 King abdicates Act 4 King leaves Palace Ship Wreck (An earlier Scene)

69. Pillars separating Scenes King inDilemma Scene 1 King in Dilemma Scene 2 Dancer with Musicians

70. Contemporary fashion Ajanta is a treasure house to study the contemporary fashion in textiles, jewellery, etc There are no ‘monotonous’ repetitions in the dress

71. Textiles The girl sports upper-garment with geese printed on it - a fashion referred to in contemporary literature

72. The glorious tradition of ikkat, a resist-dye method, where yarn is dyed to produce a design, leading to today’s Patola and Pochampalli, was initiated here. Maha-janaka Jataka, Cave 1

73. Textiles The tailored dress of dancer a proof of high degree of sophistication in both fabric design and dress-making

74. Jewellery Arsi, Thumb-ring set with a Miniature Mirror Karna-pushpam, Ear-rings of elaborate Design Sharashri, Head-dress of Gold-beads and Pearls

76. Hairdress A variety of hair-do seen in Ajanta

78. This is only a drop of the Ajanta ocean

79. The narration of Simhala Avadhana and Vishvantara Jataka both in Cave 17 belong to the classical period and are of compositions of unsurpassing beauty

80. Sutasoma Jataka in Cave 17 is an extensive composition of many features

81. The Mara’s Episode and Champeyya Jaataka, both in Cave 1, are of compact design worth studying

82. It is not surprising that Ajanta was the source of inspiration for paintings not only of the Indian subontinant, but of almost entire Asia AJANTA IS WORTH A VISIT

83. Thank you S. Swaminathan