Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c6.407

c6.407

The size of the original is 30 cm. square. The colours used are vermilion (background), crimson, pink, blue, green, black, white and gold (chiefly the square of gold-leaf over which the central figure of the Jina is drawn). The cloth was primed before painting. Dr. Coomaraswamy assigns it to the 16th century, but this is rather too conservative an estimate, as the painting bears a close resemblance to the *Pañchatirthī Paṭa*, dated 1433 A.D., to be described later.² It should be dated not later than 1450 A.D. Another point of interest in this painting is the panel of the five Siddhas, whose true identification leads to the recognition of the site of the temple. As we shall see later on, these five figures represent the five Pāṇḍava brothers, who, according to the Jaina tradition, attained salvation at Śatruñjaya. If our identification is correct, then this painting represents one of the temples at Śatruñjaya.