It was suggested by Prof. Swaminathan, that for a clearer understanding of my earlier Post #2, I should do a detailed step by step explanation of at least one panel, along with the Jataka story - to elucidate my points better.
Here I have attempted to do that with the Mahajanaka Jataka Tale in Cave 1. It is located on the left wall, in the centre, as a linear panel.
This is an important, yet fairly simple composition executed in the Baroque Style of Art.
 |
 |
| Mahajanaka Jataka - Cave 1 - Schlingloff and the Net |
The Story ...
Once upon a time, in Mithila, in the Kingdom of Videha, there was a king Mahajanaka, who had 2 sons - Aritthajanaka and Polajanaka. After his demise, Polajanaka went to war with his brother, defeated him and killed him.
Aritthajanaka's queen, in exile, gave birth to a son named Mahajanaka, who was no less than a Bodhisattva himself. He went all over the world, as a merchant, amassed enough wealth and regained his father's kingdom.
Meanwhile Polajanaka died, leaving behind, his beautiful daughter Shivali. 3 difficult conditions had to be fulfilled by anyone wanting to marry her. Mahajanaka fulfilled all the 3, married her and lived happily, ruling from Mithila.
But he soon grew tired of all the luxury and material comfort of the palace life and wanted to renounce this and lead an ascetic life.
When he mentioned this to Shivali, she first refused to accept this and tried to entice and seduce her king with music, dance and then her own self.
But the King's heart was not in any of these. He left the palace to go and meet an ascetic/ teacher who preached to him about salvation and solitude.
Convinced, the King returned to the palace, informed his queen and subjects about his decision and finally left the palace with great fanfare to proceed towards an abode of his calling, to meditate and attain wisdom.
The Painting/Panel ...
The Painting only concentrates on the main tale of the Bodhisattva and his renunciation. His past is not illustrated.
 |
| The Overall Panel - with Individual scenes marked out. |
1. Looking at some women preparing cotton, the King gets his idea of wanting to live alone.
2. The King tells the Queen about his decision, but she tries her best to seduce and beseech him.
3. She also arranges for a music and dance performance to entice him & divert his attention.
4. Unmoved, the King leaves the palace to go and meet an ascetic and seek advice.
4a. He is accompanied by warriors, standard bearers and minstrels.
5. Along with his retinue, the King listens to the sermon of the master.
6. Returning to the palace, the King informs the Queen about his decision.
7. After convincing her, he leaves the palace one last time, with all fanfare, accompanied by his subjects.
 |
| Use of Architectural Elements |
Like all paintings in Ajanta - within a large panel, there is no conventional separation/ fragmentation of scenes using Frames.
Instead Architectural elements are used to act as unobtrusive dividers that allow for seamless blending of individual scenes into an overall composition that follows all the basic rules of art like balance, harmony, focus etc.
Further these elements are used to
- Highlight a focal activity from its surroundings by showing it inside a Pavilion
- As backdrops for certain scenes and spaces like Palace Courtyards (Pavilions and building facades)
- Highlight transitions both physically and metaphorically (Palace Gates)
- Represent not just a physical space, but a social milieu.
Thus buildings and their elements are intrinsic and integral to the painting.
Scene 1 ...
 |
| Scene 1 - Me and Schlingloff |
Here the King is supposed to be having his moment of epiphany by seeing women working on cotton preparation.
One woman is wearing 2 bangles, which clash together and resound, while the solitary bangle on the other woman remains silent.
His decision to seek solitude emerges thus.
- The women are shown inside a Pavilion - thus making them a focus while the King is outside observing.
- It also helps to demarcate a scene seemingly inconsequential at one corner of the Panel.
- A series of steps are used to connect this Pavilion to the next one - showing a sequence of Activities and moving the story forward.
- The simple design of Pavilion also indicates a humble surrounding.
- The Women are grouped together - at work.
- Their sensuous body language and grace and rhythm are typical of all Women portrayals.
- Simply adorned with minimal jewelry and flowers in their hair.
Scene 2 ...
 |
| Scene 2 - Schlingloff and me. |
She is heartbroken, beseeches him and tries to entice him.
- Once again the Pavilion is used to create a focus for the central activity. The 4th wall is broken and you are gazing straight at the King and the Queen.
- All secondary participants/ onlookers are kept outside the Pavilion.
- The outermost pillar of the Pavilion helps to demarcate and contain the scene.
- The Ornate and elaborate design of the Pavilion indicates the royal stature of its occupants.
- Buildings grouped as a facade at the back - indicate the location as a palace courtyard.
- The King is portrayed with complete regalia, jewelry and ornamental crown. His expression captures his confusion, dilemma and disinterest. He has no eye contact with the Queen.
- The individual and overlapping portrayal of the women is a signature style of Ajanta.
- Shivali is leaning into the King in a sensuous, intimate way - her entire being suggestive of seduction and surrender at the same time.
 |
| Scene 2 - Benoy Behl and ASI. |
- Her face portrays her grief, anxiety and concern as she tries to catch the eye of the King, who is not really looking at her.
- The other women, languid in their poses are variously leaning, standing, sitting or squatting.
- Most of their expressions convey anxiety and concern, while their hands indicate request/ pleading
- A couple of women (including one pressing the Queen's feet) is looking the other way, creating a continuity with the next scene.
Scene 3 ...
 |
| Scene 3 - ASI and Benoy Behl |
- Here the Pavilion with a unique design and distorted/ reverse perspective is used as a backdrop to highlight the principal dancer and her retinue.
- A stand alone pillar with a couple of women around establishes spatial continuity and sequence of activity with the previous scene.
- Overall detailing indicates a palatial setting.
- The Women portrayed here, are some of the most beautiful and graceful in Ajanta.
- They are all mostly clothed in a variety of fabrics and adorned in simple jewelry and flowers.
- Though they are varied in their postures, they uniformly convey fluidity, motion, rhythm and grace.
- This is among the fewer scenes (in Ajanta) filled with the joy and festivities, as celebrated in the society, then.
Scene 4 and 4a...
 |
| Scene 4 - Me and Schlingloff |
The Palace Gate acts as a Transition point in the painting
- Between 2 scenes
- For the Act of leaving the palace and going outdoors
- For showing the change in the Kings heart - of wanting to switch to a different life.
- Since the scene is outdoors, presumably in a garden or jungle - no other building elements are seen.
- The King is leaving on an elephant as though on a royal procession, complete with warriors with weapons.
- His retinue, unaware of the scenario, are busy in their own acts.
Scene 5...
 |
| Scene 5 - Schlingloff and Me |
Since this scene is played out completely in the open (possibly in a jungle), there are no building elements here except
- A pile of stones at the Ascetic's feet (in front of which a devotee is kneeling down), a pedestal of sorts, forming a continuity with the previous scene
- Some buildings in the distance indicate the backdrop of a city far away.
- The Ascetic, as he is the Teacher, is shown elevated - sitting on a Pedestal
- The King, in a far simpler costume, jewelry and crown, is sitting humbly at his teacher's feet. His body language is one of surrender and humility with folded hands.
- His retinue, some of them still on elephants, have surrounded the Master with rapt attention.
- Even the animals, including the 2 deer at the Master's feet are focusing totally on him.
This is a scene where the power of sermonising & its ability to unite man & beast alike is clearly depicted.
 |
| The Ascetic and the King - Benoy Behl |
Scene 6...
 |
| Scene 6 - Me and ASI |
- Here the emphasis is on showing what all the King is leaving is behind. Hence he is not isolated inside a Pavilion. Instead, along with the Queen and her retinue, he is shown in front of an elaborate backdrop of ornate buildings (The Palace).
- The focus is on the people and their reactions. There are no building elements in the scene - except structures in the foreground, at the bottom (again a distorted perspective) to show an enclosed courtyard, in the Palace.
- There is a marked contrast (to Scene 2) in the way the King and Queen are portrayed. It is no longer an intimate scene. Hence too, the absence of a Pavilion enclosing them.
- The King is serene, composed and clear. He has eye contact with the Queen and his posture is one of relaxed ease.
- The Queen sits away from him and stoic acceptance and dignity personify her.
- Both are clothed differently than before, wearing less ornaments & simpler costumes.
- The women surrounding them are in various poses showing anger, anxiety, perplexity and mere curiosity. While some of them are focusing on the royal couple, a few are having their own conversations.
 |
| Scene 2 and Scene 6 - Difference in the Portrayal of the Royal Couple. |
 |
| The King and the Queen - Benoy Behl and ASI |
 |
| The Women (The Varied Expressions) - Benoy Behl and ASI |
Scene 7...
 |
| Scene 7 - ASI and Benoy Behl |
His departure is in full regal splendour amidst fan fare and his loyal subjects.
Once again, a Palace Gate is used as a Transition device to show
- The Physical exit of the King from the palace to the outside world
- His metaphoric transfer from a life of luxury & comfort to one of ascetism and self realisation.
- The King has a serene expression and is riding a horse (Not an elephant because this is not a celebratory Royal Procession)
- He is simply clothed though the crown is still there.
- His subjects include a variety of musicians, including a conch blower, a cymbal player and a percussionist. (Perhaps it was a custom to give people a musical send off)
- People also show expressions of acceptance. No one is shown anxious or grieving.
Mahajanaka Jataka is one of the simpler panels at Ajanta, with straightforward sequencing and scenes of narration. Also most of it is intact and identifiable.
The locations of activities are few (The palace and the jungle and the path in between).
The no of scenes are also minimal with each scene having a specific focus and clearly linked to the previous and next scenes.
The principal characters are few (King, Queen and Ascetic). Rest are just the retinue and onlookers, who add to the denseness and detailing of the scenes.
Yet, this panel offers excellent scope for studying both the portrayal of people and usage of Architectural elements to convey a complete story, in its physical and social context.
The individual panels blend seamlessly, yet retain their identity.
Indoor and outdoor spaces are equally well detailed, giving us a glimpse into the type of structures and life styles that existed then.
As always in Ajanta, each and every person is detailed fully, including his/her body language and facial expression.
Thus society, as a whole is portrayed and you realise, the various sections of society intermingled freely and participated in each others lives and man and beast co-existed in harmony.
As mentioned by Prof. Swaminathan - 'This is only a drop from the Ocean of Ajanta Art!'
Several of the other paintings in Ajanta are far more complicated.
But they can be understood and appreciated on the same basis by first knowing the jataka tale completely and then identifying the scenes based on the markers used.
Professional photographs / sketches further help us to understand the detailing and techniques of drawing, painting and perspective.
No comments:
Post a Comment