Ajanta paintings rank high among world's art

By Amal HEWAVISSENTI

The spectacular Ajanta paintings are ranked superb among the immortal masterpieces of world art. India considers them the best of her art developed from the distant past when man was hardly civilized. Indian paintings are generally studied under different phases and Ajanta paintings pre dominantly capture the attention of art enthusiasts. Shaped like a horse shoe the grand complex of Ajanta caves houses the priceless paintings created from second century BC to seventh century AD.

Ranked among the best

The cave complex of 29 caves is snuggled ensconced in Hydera bad on the outskirts of the city of Bombay. The caves which are placed in close proximity to each had been covered in dense forest through centuries and were discovered in 1819 by a team of military men engaged in an operation in Hyderabad. Archaeologist guess the caves to be early abodes of Buddhist monks practising asceticism in the dense forest.

Most obviously fame enshrouded the region of Ajanta chiefly owing to the classic paintings in the caves which are generally inferred to be the creations by Buddhist monks who were meditating in the caves.

Most critics of these paintings greet them with high amount of esteem and are prepared to place them in line with the world's superlative paintings. Such is their artistic and aesthetic charm. The extant paintings have survived the elements of nature in six caves out of twenty nine caves. The paintings in the caves of 1,2,9,10,16,17 are well preserved.

Visible evidence supports the idea that almost all the paintings have been created on the walls of caves made smooth by thin layers of clay. The smooth clay coat has been prepared from white clay, cow dung, and powdered chaff. The paintings reflect the signs of being the works of multiple artists with varying genres in different epochs. It is interesting to note that the painters have applied on the paintings an exclusive gum prepared from animal and vegetable matter in order to protect them from cracking, humidity and damage from insects.

The artists have exploited local colours prepared from things which they could easily find the region they lived. Paint brushes have been used in colouring process in which light colours have been produced by blending two colours. The artists have exhibited full-scale ability to infuse the paintings with exceptional vitality, and vividness by the appropriate use of colours.

Vividness

The hues employed for the purpose bear surprising vividness even today. The lines drawn by the artist project rhythm and dynamic movement. The painters have created a red background over the layer of white clay to make the images more prominent. To obtain the ideal light for the process of drawing pictures in the caves, the artists have lit up the dark caves with the sun light reflected on the huge metal plates outside the caves.

It appears fair to say that Ajanta paintings have been mainly planned for a religious mission. Yet they represent secular themes and messages rather than highlighting religious ideals. They mirror the full spectrum of social life in India by the time they were painted. The paintings picture the animals, flowers, vegetation at that time and the contemporary kings, princes, concubines with beggars, farmers and labourers. At the same time, the paintings display the costumes and ornaments worn by the royal supremo and people of varying social positions.

A majority of paintings focus on events associated with jathaka tales and the Buddha's life. The paintings based on 'Andamuni jataka', 'Swarnahansa jataka', 'Vessantara jataka', 'Devarohana' and 'Nalagiri Damana' have strong and mysterious capacity to impress the viewer.

This exceptional painting appears on the cave number 1. This is one of the super excellent paintings of Ajanta and displays a figure of a youth of considerable majesty and handsomeness. His eyes exuding kindness and sympathy are mysteriously fixed on something in his hands. The figure which has been identified to be of 'Padmapani Bodhisatva' wears a crown studded with gems and bolds a lotus in his right hand. Behind him appear Queen Yasodara, some gods on the clouds and monkeys on trees.

Another painting in the same cave depicts a king and a queen. The king with a naked bust wears royal ornaments and is talking to the queen who is seated on his left with lots of flowers worn on her hair. Two maids are fanning them from behind.

Another painting shows a young lady with a tray on her left hand. Her face is decorated with a captivating smile. She wears flowers and bracelets and takes things in a tray probably needed by the king.

Sri Lankan theme in India

The cave number 17 houses an exclusive painting probably produced by a Sri Lankan monk in India. It shows prince Vijaya travelling with his men in a ship before he disembarks on Sri Lankan shores. Later another scene portrays how he confronts tribal Yakshas in a fierce combat and accomplishes his coronation.

Most of the paintings in this cave bear striking resemblance to Sri Lankan art and are suggestive of Sri Lankan setting.

They have been drawn during seventh century AD. One of them depicts queen Yashodara and Prince Rahula serving alms to Buddha. The image of Buddha is highlighted under a decorated umbrella and it is comparatively bigger than the other figures in the scene.

The figures of damsels in another picture demands particular notice. The long nose, half open eyes and full lips of the damsels have given an extraordinarily fascinating expression to their faces. The head bands, flowers necklaces and bigger earrings worn by them are an additional embellishment to fit their overall appearance. The earliest paintings of Ajanta can be observed in the cave number 9. The paintings which have probably been created in the second century BC reflect the influence of schools of Sanchi, Amaravati and Bharut. In addition to that, the creations in cave number 10 attract particular attention because it houses a special assembly hall which is 95 feet long, 41 feet wide and 36 feet tall.

The carved images of a group of thirty two tuskers have won favourable appraisal from both critics and viewers simply owing to the masterly creativity of the Buddhist monks in asceticism. The viewer can observe the painted scenes based on Chaddanta jataka and Sama jataka in this cave.

The last paintings

The paintings drawn in the final stage of Ajanta tradition can be seen in the cave number two. They represent twin styles which force critics to arrive at the conclusion that they were drawn by a teacher and a student.

The image of the Buddha who is preaching Dhamma is portrayed to be on a seat of lotus. The elongated ears and the full face are typical of Ajanta depiction of Buddha. Furthermore, Madhura jataka and the birth of Prince Siddhartha have been painted in the same cave.

Apart from these, the paintings of the Buddha walking on the streets of Kapilavattu, the princess resting her back on a pillar, the Persian Ambassadors, and specially the painting showing a king punishing a guilty actress are the prominent works of art inside Ajanta caves.

The artists have employed colours such as black, white, blue, brown and red in the drawings. Not only the paintings on the walls of caves but likewise those in ceilings and pillars bear distinguishable marks of aesthetic beauty. Figures of animals, humans and decorative designs speak volumes for the aesthetic taste inherent in the painters.

Postures, charm and rhythm of body in the figures of ladies painted mutely speaks of technical expertise of drawing and the marvellous skill possessed by the painters.

The impact of these paintings on Sri Lankan art was so profound that the famous Sigiri paintings were all drawn in accordance with the techniques, style and colours exploited by Ajanta painters.

The most distinguishable characteristic of the paintings is that they project Indian cultural fruits. The artist has been successful in representing the shyness of the typical Indian lady and at the same time projecting Buddhist atmosphere with an excellently aesthetic sense.