My Reflections On Murals & Relevant Paintings Of Ajanta Caves
☆ Preamble to The Ajanta Caves :
Khodidas Parmar was born on July 31, 1930 and was the only son of a poor Karadia Rajput family. He was named after the goddess Khodiyar as the family thought of him being a gift from the goddess after many daughters.
Though hailing from a poor family, his parents were determined for him to get a good education. He did his M.A. with Gujarati and Sanskrit, learnt painting even as he studied and went on to become a guide to students doing doctoral research on folk literature for their Ph. D. He was trained in art by Guru Somalal Shah from 1948 – 1951 whom he met at the Alfred High school.
Fascinated with traditional art, particularly the folk style of Gujarat, Parmar, spent his last years documenting and collecting motifs for a book on the arts of the region of Kutch and Saurashtra. He also wrote and published several award winning books on the region like the Folk Embroidery of Saurashtra, Gujarati Folk Tales Collection and Krishna: Legend, in Gujarati. A recipient of several awards, he has participated in several group shows and his works are a part of several permanent collections like the Museum of Modern Art and National Art Gallery, New Delhi. Parmar passed away in March 2004 in Bhavnagar.
Here the beholder would come to know about the precision of artistic expression by looking at the position of thumb set on the thighs as how the painter has precisely outlined the press on the thighs made by the delicate pressure of thumb.
Aforementioned two photos of paintings are quite suggestive in order to know about the position of masculinity and that of the feminine in the society from 2nd Century BCE to 6th Century CE. It seems that Men are having whole and sole aptitude and eligibility to attain Moksha or Nirvana whereas Women are only subject to the mere aesthetic appreciation for men. One would barely find a meditating woman mural or painting at any of these ancient sites but man would always be seen as Yogis or Dhyanis (Those who meditates). This aspect of the centuries shows the social structure and notions of attaining divine of the prevalent era.
Ajaṇṭā is a Buddhist rock-cut cave site in Aurangabad District of Maharashtra State, western India.The caves are not much far from Aurangabad of Indhyadri range of Western Ghat, it is 67 miles (107 kms) far. It was discovered in 1819 by British Army officers who were hunting tigers in the great gorge of the Waghora River. The caves are numbered thirty in total and are divided into two phases. The caves of the earlier phase include two large caityas or stupa shrines (caves 9 and 10) and four vihāras or residential caves (caves 8, 12, 14, 15 A). They are dated to the 1st century BCE/CE on the basis of the architectural features of the caves and paleography of votive inscriptions. The caves of the later phase include two finished caityas (caves 19 and 26), several large and fully decorated vihāras (e.g., caves 1, 2, 4, 16, 17) and some unfinished caves. They were created around the late 5th century as shown by votive inscriptions of ministers/ feudatories who served the king Hariṣeṇa of the Vākāṭaka dynasty. Ajaṇṭā is particularly famous for preserving a good number of early Buddhist paintings. Painted narrative friezes on the sidewalls of two early caityas (caves 9 and 10) are the oldest Buddhist narrative paintings in India. Walls and ceilings of the later caves, particularly caves 1, 2, 16, 17, were richly decorated with a variety of Buddha’s legends, Buddha, and Bodhisattva images and other motifs.
We have been the part of 'Ajanta Caves Painting Exhibition' at Khodidaas Parmar Art Gallery, Javerchand Meghani Auditorium - Bhavnagar, Gujarat from 24 September to 26 September.
☆ Brief Introduction to Khodidas Parmar :
We have been the part of 'Ajanta Caves Painting Exhibition' at Khodidaas Parmar Art Gallery, Javerchand Meghani Auditorium - Bhavnagar, Gujarat from 24 September to 26 September.
☆ Brief Introduction to Khodidas Parmar :
Though hailing from a poor family, his parents were determined for him to get a good education. He did his M.A. with Gujarati and Sanskrit, learnt painting even as he studied and went on to become a guide to students doing doctoral research on folk literature for their Ph. D. He was trained in art by Guru Somalal Shah from 1948 – 1951 whom he met at the Alfred High school.
Fascinated with traditional art, particularly the folk style of Gujarat, Parmar, spent his last years documenting and collecting motifs for a book on the arts of the region of Kutch and Saurashtra. He also wrote and published several award winning books on the region like the Folk Embroidery of Saurashtra, Gujarati Folk Tales Collection and Krishna: Legend, in Gujarati. A recipient of several awards, he has participated in several group shows and his works are a part of several permanent collections like the Museum of Modern Art and National Art Gallery, New Delhi. Parmar passed away in March 2004 in Bhavnagar.
Some of the paintings that will be taken into consideration are made by Khodidas Parmar himself and some of are by his disciples. So, let us dive into the ocean of colors and canvass.
☆ Precision in Artistic Genius :
Here the beholder would come to know about the precision of artistic expression by looking at the position of thumb set on the thighs as how the painter has precisely outlined the press on the thighs made by the delicate pressure of thumb.
☆ Man as The Shrine of Divine & Woman as The Object of Aesthetic Appreciation :
Aforementioned two photos of paintings are quite suggestive in order to know about the position of masculinity and that of the feminine in the society from 2nd Century BCE to 6th Century CE. It seems that Men are having whole and sole aptitude and eligibility to attain Moksha or Nirvana whereas Women are only subject to the mere aesthetic appreciation for men. One would barely find a meditating woman mural or painting at any of these ancient sites but man would always be seen as Yogis or Dhyanis (Those who meditates). This aspect of the centuries shows the social structure and notions of attaining divine of the prevalent era.
☆ Comparison of Paintings to the Primordial Murals :
☆ Location of The Ajanta Caves (GPS Google Maps) :
Ajanta Caves
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rEPMC5obYGoNMsHo9
☆ Brief Introduction to The Ajanta Caves by UNESCO :
Thank You all!
▪︎ Word Count - 669 Words
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