Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s10: A Group of Votaries Approaching a Stūpa: Not Identified

Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s10

Language: English

A Group of Votaries Approaching a Stūpa: Not Identified

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The several scenes relating to this subject are painted on the left wall of Cave IX.

THE story painted on the left side of the front wall seems to have been continued on the left wall, for the figures disclosed by the cleaning recently carried out by the mechanics of the Department are not only similar to those on the former wall but also show a continuity of the subject.¹ This fresco also was covered in later times by another, a portion of which, representing six Buddhas, may be noticed on the upper part of the wall.

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¹ Burgess in his *Notes*, p. 48, has quoted the following remark of Griffiths: ‘Along the rest of the wall beyond these (the figures of the six Buddhas) the plaster is too much smoked to make anything out except some traces of buildings and among them a sort of temple.’

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The old fresco first has a group of sixteen votaries who are approaching the door of a stūpa (Plate XVI b). The hair of the votaries is intertwined with strips of cloth in a variety of styles, the artist’s imagination not being satisfied with a uniform type. The figure nearest the door has turban-like headgear with a knob in the middle, above the forehead. The heavy figure behind him, who has a beard along the edge of his broad face, is also interesting as regards his headgear, which has an elaborate plaited termination protruding over his forehead. The hair of the young man behind him is also dressed in the same style, but the terminal knob is not so elaborate as that of his burly comrade. The three figures above the last two are wearing turbans, on the tops of which tufts of hair are arranged in a decorative manner; but there is a slight difference in the case of each figure in the style of intertwining the hair with the band of cloth. Differences of similar type are to be noticed in the headgear of other figures, and one of them has his turban and tuft rakishly inclined on one side of the head. The artist’s love of variety is also to be seen in the positions of the hands of the votaries, two of whom, nearest the door, have their hands joined together in an attitude of humility. Some of them have raised their hands in the abhaya, or assurance, mudrā, in which the right hand is lifted up with the elbow curved and palm exposed. The painter’s play of fancy can be further studied in the decorative waist-bands, which are tied in front with knots of different styles, and have their ends arranged in a very artistic manner. The grouping of the figures is natural, and the artist has succeeded in conveying an idea of movement, as if the party is approaching the stūpa. The drawing shows the body in the round, and there is no flatness such as we notice in medieval Indian paintings. The fine brush-work shown in the dressing of the hair, and in the designs of the jewellery and the folds of the loin-cloth, also exhibits art of a developed stage.

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The stūpa is enclosed by a wall which has two gates, one of which has a barrel-shaped roof with timber rafters, like that of the contemporary rock-hewn temples (chaityas) at Karle, Bhaja, Bedsa, and Kondane, where original timber beams may still be seen. The other gateway is in the style of the Sanchi gateways (toraṇas), and as one of these was built by craftsmen from the Deccan, it may be surmised that this painting is coeval with that gateway.¹ The *stūpa* is built in the middle of the court and decorated with a number of umbrellas, which have been the emblem of royalty in India at all times, even during the rule of Mughal kings. In the right half of the court, near the *toraṇa*, are some musicians, one of whom is playing on a long trumpet, another blowing a conch, another beating a double drum (*dholak*), which is hung from his neck, and another holding a disk-like instrument.

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¹ The Southern Gate of the Sanchi *stūpa* according to a contemporary inscription was built by the sculptors of the Andhra king Śrī Śātakarṇi.

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This last figure is almost nude, and has stooped down with the disk in a rhythmic movement apparently to indicate harmony with the notes of the musical instruments. It is the figure of a woman, for heavy anklets such as were worn by women of that period are seen round her feet. There are some more figures, but their poses and features cannot be studied with certainty on account of the peeling away of the fresco in several places. A figure can, however, be made out in the middle of the *toraṇa*.

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Outside the enclosure of the *stūpa* towards the right there are two trees, one being a *pīpal* (*Ficus religiosa*) and the other probably a banyan (*Ficus bengalensis*), which is laden with fruit. The latter has a balustrade of upright stones, and may represent the Bodhi-tree under which Gautama obtained enlightenment. Beyond these trees there is a monastery with two courts. The apartments of this monastery have barrel-shaped timber roofs, which seem to have been in vogue at that time.

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Outside the monastery, towards the right, there are two figures, the hands of both indicating the *abhaya mudrā*, ‘the assurance attitude’. They are standing in front of a tree which is almost obliterated, except for a few leaves which appear to be those of a banyan tree. The faces of these two figures are oval, and although the noses are short, the other features are beautiful. They may represent the donors or builders of the *vihāra* shown at their back, and their presence in front of the sacred tree, symbolic of the Buddha,² may signify the fulfilment of a vow. The surmise regarding the building of a *vihāra* is also supported by the structure behind the *apsaras* in the second episode of the story (Plate XVI *a*), which has been painted there as a hint that the story represents the building of a *vihāra* by a king in fulfilment of a vow.

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² In the sculpture of the Hinayāna school the Great Being is not shown in human form, but his presence is indicated by the sacred Bodhi-tree under which he received enlightenment, or by the *stūpa*, or by a throne, or by other symbols.

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In the final scene of the story delineated to the right of the last votaries have assembled in a grove on their journey homewards. This is indicated by the direction of the flight of an *apsaras* towards a house painted at the extreme right end of the fresco, in which several ladies are to be seen. The party comprises five persons, and they appear to be engaged in conversation with a sixth person, who faces them and by the position of his legs seems to be going in the opposite direction. Between the party and the house is a large banyan tree with deep green leaves and red fruit. The trunk and the branches of the tree are painted a pinkish colour.

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Inside the house there are four ladies, one sitting on a couch with legs stretched in front.

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PLATES XVIb-c, XVIIa & XXb

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She is probably the rānī. There is a maid close to the rānī, but her figure is almost obliterated now. In the court of the house are the remaining two ladies, sitting on either side of the fire, the flames of which have been painted like the petals of a lily. They are talking together, and the head of the lady shown in profile has been painted with great skill.

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In this fresco, among the colours used blue is not to be seen. Perhaps the artists of Ajanta could not secure the requisite material to prepare this colour until the fifth century A.D., when it is found in abundance and, on chemical analysis, is proved to have been made of lapis-lazuli.