Indian Painting under the Mughals, A.D. 1550 to A.D. 1750 c18.32

c18.32

But with one or two exceptions, as for instance two Muhammadans from Lahore, the remaining members of Akbar's school of painters were all Hindus. Most of these were drawn from four castes, the Kayastha, Chiterā, Silāvat, and Khātī, of whom the most renowned were the Kayasthas, or writers. It may be remarked that the Chiterās were originally metal-workers, the Silāvat or Salāt, stone masons, and the Khātī, wood-carvers. On the other hand at least four of Akbar's artists were the Kahār, or palanquin-bearer caste, including the famous Daswanth. The Kahār is of lowly origin, and, although a 'clean Sūdra', is not numbered among the 'twice-born'. But Daswanth rose superior to his humble birth, and by sheer genius came to be regarded as the ablest painter of his time. His artistic gift displayed itself early in life, and in his efforts to find expression he used 'to draw and paint figures even on walls'. By accident his natural ability was first revealed to the emperor himself, for 'one day the eye of His Majesty fell on him; his talent was discovered', and he was handed over to Abdus Samad for training. In a short space of time he surpassed all the other painters, and became 'the first master of the age'. Unhappily he was subject to fits of depression, and finally his mind became unhinged. One day he stabbed himself with a dagger, and died two days later. This tragic circumstance apparently took place in the year 1584, and, although he barely attained to middle age, yet he ‘left many masterpieces’. It is to be regretted that no works by the hand of this artist alone have survived, but there are many in which he has collaborated with others. In the Jaipur *Razmnāma* at least twenty-four pictures bear his name, and there is also one in the Bankipur *Tīmūrnāma* (fol. 2), in which he combined with Jag Jīwan, but none of these is a convincing example of his art. Daswanth’s caste-fellows all distinguished themselves in their profession, as the Kesus, father and son, are both mentioned in the *A’in*, while Paras and Ibrahim also did good work; their pictures may be studied in the *Bāburnāma* and *Dārābnāma* in the British Museum, and in the Bankipur *Tīmūrnāma*.