A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c14.s1: Section II. Rāmgarh Hill, Orissa
A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c14.s1
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Section II. Rāmgarh Hill, Orissa
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The oldest Indian pictures, and, excepting the Egyptian, probably the most ancient extant specimens of Oriental painting, are found in the Jogīmārā Cave of the Rāmgarh Hill in the Surgujā State, a wild region lying to the south of the Mirzāpur District and now attached to the Central Provinces.²
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² The spelling 'Surgujā', not 'Sirgujā', seems to be correct. The hill is situated in 22° 53′ N., 82° 55′ E., close to the small village of Udaypur in the Lakhanpurī Zamīndārī of the Surgujā State, transferred from the government of Bengal and Orissa to that of the Central Provinces.
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These pictures, apparently executed in the customary Indian method of fresco, which will be explained presently, are divided into concentric circles by bands of red and yellow, sometimes enriched with a geometrical design, these circles seemingly being again subdivided into panels. The general nature of the subjects of the four best preserved panels, copies of which are not available, can be understood from the following brief description:—
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A. In the centre a male figure is seated under a tree, with dancing girls and musicians to the left, and a procession, including an elephant, to the right.
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B. This panel exhibits several male figures, a wheel, and sundry geometrical ornaments.
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C. One half of this panel merely shows indistinct traces of flowers, horses, and clothed human figures.
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In the other half is seen a tree having a bird and apparently a nude child in its branches, while round the tree are grouped other nude human figures, wearing their hair tied in a knot on the left side of the head.
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D. The upper part of one half of this panel contains a nude male figure seated and attended by three clothed men standing, with two similar seated figures and three more attendants on one side. In the lower part are depicted a house with the horseshoe or so-called 'chaitya' window, an elephant, and three clothed men standing in front. Near this group are shown a chariot drawn by three horses and surmounted by an umbrella, and a second elephant with an attendant. In the second half of the panel the figures are generally similar in character.
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The early date of the paintings, which are fairly well preserved, is attested by inscriptions, evidently contemporary, and by the style, which recalls that of the sculptures at Sānchī and Bharhut (*ante*, pp. 74, 80). They probably date from the second century, and cannot well be later than the first century before Christ. The subjects cannot be interpreted at present, but the nudity of the principal figures suggests a connexion with the Jain rather than the Buddhist religion, if the cave and paintings had any religious significance, which is doubtful. As regards technique, the designs are painted usually in red, but occasionally in black, on a white ground. The outlines of the human and animal figures are drawn in black. Clothing is white with red outlines, hair is black, and eyes are white. Yellow appears in the dividing bands only, and blue does not seem to occur. These particulars indicate a very primitive style.¹
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¹ The only information on the subject is recorded by the late Dr. Bloch in *Ann. Rep. A. S., Bengal Circle*, 1903–4, pp. 12–14; and *Ann. Rep. A. S., India*, 1903–4, p. 130. No doubt the Director-General will seize the earliest opportunity to obtain copies of these interesting works. The premature death of Dr. Bloch is much to be deplored.