Kalakacarya-katha: A Jaina Monk’s Tryst with the Scythians as Represented in the Illustrated Manuscripts from Western India
Soma Ghosh
Librarian and Social Media Officer at Salar Jung Museum, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Email: somaghosh1133@gmail.com
Chitrolekha Journal 8:2 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/cjad.82.v8n203
[Article History: Received: 28 September 2024. Revised: 02 October 2024. Accepted: 05 October 2024. Published: 06 October 2024]
Abstract
The article discusses an ancient Jaina legend dating back 2000 years, which revolves around the abduction of a nun named Sarasvati by the king of Ujjayini, and the subsequent involvement of a Saka (Scythian) king in her rescue. The story was recorded in Prakrit and Gujarati a thousand years later and was illustrated and included in Kalpasutra manuscripts five hundred years after that. The article explores the illustrations from manuscripts commissioned in Western India, particularly Gujarat, for their patrons, the Sultanates of Jaunpur, Ahmedabad, and Malwa. These illustrations shed light on the storyline, highlighting the use of yogic power and moral themes, providing insight into the meaning behind the Svetambara sect’s legend and its representation in Western Indian Art history.
Keywords: Jaina art, Jainism, Western Indian painting, Svetambara, non-canonical Jaina text, Kalakacaryakatha, Saka, Scythian, Kalpasutra.
Sustainable Development Goals: Better Education
Citation: Ghosh, S. 2024. Kalakacarya-katha: A Jaina Monk’s Tryst with the Scythians as Represented in the Illustrated Manuscripts from Western India. Chitrolekha Journal 8:2 https://doi.org/10.21659/cjad.81.v8n203
