Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s37: A Palace Scene: The Conception (?)

Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s37

Language: English

A Palace Scene: The Conception (?)

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*The subject is painted in the right corridor above the first and second cell-doors from the right. It is reproduced in monochrome.*

THIS scene was identified by Burgess and his colleague Bhau Daji as the bedroom of the Future Buddha's wife wherein he appeared to have a last look at her and his newly born son Rāhula before his renunciation. But there is no figure of the Buddha in this scene nor in the next one, painted towards the left, in which a rājā and a rānī are seen talking together. Foucher has identified the former scene with that of the Conception, in which Māyā saw in a dream a white elephant entering her body from the left side, and the second scene with that of her relating the dream to King Suddhodana in the royal chamber. The absence of the figure of the Buddha makes Foucher's identification more likely, although the fresco representing the first scene is so much damaged that nothing except the lower part of the leg of a lady reclining on a couch is discernible.³ A round pillow with a striped cover, on which the foot of the lady rests, is, however, prominent. The figures of two maids, who have apparently fallen asleep by the sides of the couch, are also visible. One of them has her face towards the bed; the other, whose face is towards the front, has beautiful features, and the artist's imagination can be admired in giving her a very realistic pose. Her head is inclined on one side and rests on

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³ *Journal of the Hyd. Arch. Soc.*, 1919-20, pp. 81-2.

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weakness. The sight startled the prince, and he inquired of his charioteer who that man was. On hearing the charioteer's answer the prince was much agitated in heart and said, ‘Woe to birth, since to every one that is born old age must come’. He returned to his palace; and when his father was informed of the incident he rebuked his servants and extended the guard against the appearance of other signs to the Future Buddha. But after some time when he went to the park he saw another sign, a sick person; and so it continued until the gods had shown the Future Buddha all the Four Signs in spite of all the precautions taken by Suddhodana. The prince on seeing the wretchedness of life through these signs decided to abandon the world with a view to seeking everlasting peace and happiness. Warren, 56-8, and Thomas, 50-4.

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her arm and elbow, the latter being placed on the couch. To show the features of this lady to advantage the artist has placed high lights on her forehead, nose, lips, and chin. The body of another maid can also be traced near the candlestick, by the side of the bed in the foreground.

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Near the foot of the couch, to the left of the maid, who is shown sleeping, there is a dodecagonal vessel with a grating in each side. It may be a brazier. On the same side, above the head of the maid, a circular table may also be seen. On it several small boxes, apparently containing articles of toilet, are placed. The table has a hole cut in its side to hold the neck of a flask, for the lower part of it is seen below the table. Above, two musical instruments are hung on the wall, one of the form of a fish, and the other either an *ek-tārā* or *do-tārā*, as reproduced here.¹

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¹ Above the roof of the bedroom was painted another scene in which the figure of a hermit (the Future Buddha?), sitting on a chair with his feet resting on a stool, can still be made out with certainty. There are some more figures, but the colours have become so faint that it is difficult to trace the detail of the drawing or the expression with any precision.

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The bedroom is connected by a door with a circular pavilion. The door has been clumsily drawn, but the drawing of the circular pavilion is perfect, and it shows that the artists possessed the sense of perspective and could draw correctly whenever they wanted to do that, and were not prepossessed by the conventions of the time. In the pavilion itself a rājā and a rānī are seen occupied in a serious talk. The scene, as identified above, represents Māyā relating the dream to Suddhodana. The figures of the rājā and the rānī have become very dim, but the artist's skill can be fully judged from the eight figures which are painted around the royal chamber. Some of them are seated and some standing, but all are listening with close attention to the conversation of Māyā with Suddhodana and looking at the royal pair in a very vivid manner. For example, the upturned faces of the two maids depicted near the door towards the right and near the door on the left show much eagerness by the expression of their eyes. The features and the pose of the latter maid can be better studied in the enlargement reproduced in Plate LXII. She has large eyes and a sharp nose, the latter being perhaps too big for her pretty face, yet the features taken collectively look quite attractive. The pose is, however, very graceful and impressive, the right arm showing much elasticity, the fingers of the left hand a sensitive nature. In contrast to the features of this maid are those of a maid of dwarfish stature, sitting to the right of the former. Her head, which is drawn in profile and illumined by high lights, shows her to be an aboriginal with a dark complexion, thick lips, and short nose, the nostrils being wide and prominent. But the curves shown in the outlines of the back and the deep colour washes indicating volume make this figure also an interesting specimen of the art of Ajanta in the fifth century A.D. (LXII).

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The versatility of the artist in adopting a variety of poses to indicate the grace of figure of the Indian woman may be judged from the other maids represented in this scene, notably the one standing near a pillar, close to the door on the left (LXII). She has an oval face, but the features are very pleasing and the pose has enhanced the elegance of her figure. She is wearing a *sārī* of almost transparent material, and her bodice is also of a similar material, but the wealth of jewellery round the waist has compensated for the scantiness of the apparel. The expression of her face indicates a calm, serene nature, which is the salient feature of Buddhist art, even when the vagaries of the artist’s mind have taken delight in painting semi-nude subjects.

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The door on the left leads to another apartment of the palace, where some other scene of the Buddha’s life is represented. The figure of the Buddha as a prince may be identified by his crown and the portion of the head which is intact. He is conversing with a lady who may be his wife Yasodharā, and the subject may represent Prince Siddhārtha (in Pali, Siddhattha) broaching the idea of renunciation to her. The head of the lady is damaged, but the expression of her eyes unmistakably indicates pathos. There are four maids behind the lady, three more in front of the royal pair, and two behind the prince, one of whom is standing close to the door. In the doorway itself the figure of a guard may be seen. The drawing of the heads of the maids exhibits both artistic skill and play of fancy, but the general expression of the entire group, including the guard, is of amazement combined with anxiety. The guard has turned his right hand and fingers in a characteristic manner to show surprise. The colours of the fresco have faded much, but the detail of the drawing and fine brush-work can be studied in the beautiful coiffure of the ladies.

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The architecture of the building shown in this scene is also interesting. There is a small porch in which the young prince (Siddhārtha ?) and his wife are seated. Behind the porch is a veranda, the ceiling of which is probably flat, as indicated by its wooden beams, but the veranda has a sloping cornice (chhajja) in front of it, which at the first glance gives the idea that the roof of the veranda is sloping. From the latter apartment a narrow rectangular door leads to the hall, the roof of which is gable-shaped and crowned by finials.¹

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¹ This scene being very dim is not reproduced in the plates.

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Behind the door to the left of the circular pavilion is a banana tree, and above that another scene in which a building with two doorways is represented. Bats have caused great havoc and destroyed the major portion of this subject. Only four figures can be traced now outside the door on the left, and three in the space between the two doors. Of the latter three figures, two have long hair spread on their backs.

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Above the second cell-door towards the left is a garden scene wherein the sharp eyes of an artist may discern the figure of a woman (Māyā ?) holding the branch of a tree. Farther to the left the infant Gautama is seen in the arms of gods, who are four in number. Proceeding in the same direction, an infant is noticed walking on lotuses, as if taking the seven steps mentioned in the legend.² The scene is continued towards the left, and a lady (Māyā ?) is noticed leading a child (Gautama ?). Two maids accompany her, and there is also a male servant who has joined his hands together in an attitude of adoration.³

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² The incidents relating to the birth of the Buddha are also painted on the left wall of Cave II. A short description of these incidents, based on Buddhist religious texts, is given in Ajanta, ii, pp. 16-17, f.n. 1.

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³ As the colours of this subject have become very flat, and the drawing is also extremely dim, it has not been considered necessary to photograph it.