Bikaneri Usta Kala: With special reference to the paintings in Seth Bhandasar Jain Temple

By Swapna Joshi

Seth Bhandasar Jain Temple is one of the most famous temples in Bikaner, Rajasthan. [1] Dedicated to the fifth Tirthankara Sumatinatha, the temple belongs to the Shvetambara tradition of Jainism. The temple is built in the shekhari style of architecture, featuring an imposing multi-spired shikhara (superstructure). According to an inscription in the antarala or antechamber, the temple was built in the 16th century CE through the generous patronage of a merchant named Bhanda Shah. Hence, the temple is known as the Bhandasar Temple. The inscription also mentions the name of Rao Lunkaran, the ruler of Bikaner during the 16th century CE. The current temple structure largely dates back to the 19th century, with few architectural remains from earlier periods.

The exterior of the temple is primarily a bi-chrome structure, with the core built of stone, brick, and stucco, painted in white and red ochre colours. In contrast, the temple’s interiors, walls, pillars, and ceilings are highly ornamented with various paintings. Due to significant reconstructions, the original Rajput style of architecture has incorporated architectural and stylistic patterns from the colonial period. For instance, the main shrine is pancharatha (consisting of five projections on each side) on plan and has a circumambulatory path surrounding it. The elevation of this mulaprasada (main shrine) has sculptures of deities, celestial damsels, and other divine beings. The sculptured walls of the main shrine were later painted, and the outer walls encasing the circumambulatory path have semicircular windows in the European architectural style. The interiors of the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) are predominantly made of marble, including the Tirthankara images, reflecting a pattern common in many contemporary Jain temples. A significant part of the temple’s interior features several paintings on diverse subjects. Although most of these paintings were retouched in the last decade, the themes and subjects they portray are much older. These paintings serve as testimonials to the rich Bikaner school of paintings, as depicted in the temple’s architecture.

Bikaneri Painting Style

Although the exact date for the advent of Bikaneri style paintings is uncertain, Hermann Goetz suggests that ‘the actual beginnings of pictorial art at Bikaner probably formed part of the Jain cultural renascence in the 15th and 16th centuries.’ [2] Some of the earliest examples are paintings on paper depicting court scenes or portraits of Bikaner rulers. [3] Painting developments at the Rajput courts were influenced by the close contact between the Mughal and Rajput rulers during the 19th century. During the 17th century CE, Muslim painters migrated from Delhi to Bikaner and became significant painters at the Bikaner court. [4] The emergence of the local Bikaneri painting style, often loosely referred to as ‘Usta Kala’, can be traced to this migration. [5] Usta comes from the Persian word Ustad, meaning artist. ‘Usta Chitra kala’ features vibrant colours, fine brush strokes, and portraits with exquisite landscapes in the background. Oval cartouches for portraits and stories, floral motifs for the typical Bengal arched roofs, and gold foil embossing to enhance the painting are some of the key characteristics of the art form. From manuscript painting to architectural spaces, Bikaneri kala (art) has come a long way to be alive today, albeit at a diminished level. Rajput-style paintings, including the Bikaneri art, were also influenced by the Company school paintings. This resulted in a fusion where traditional themes were portrayed using new techniques. Usta Kala transitioned from miniature paintings and temple and haveli walls to camel hide. Today, carvings on camel hide are one of the important aspects of Bikaneri art forms.

Themes of the Bhandasar Jain Temple paintings

All the wall surfaces of the temple exhibit a diverse range of paintings, especially in the mandapa (pillared hall) and the antarala. The fluted columns of the temple are adorned with intricate floral motifs, while the walls and the ceiling display paintings on a wide variety of subjects and themes. These include stories depicting miracles of Jain monks, portraits of Tirthankaras, the architecture of Bikaner city, and sacred mandalas (auspicious symbols) from Jain traditions. Although these paintings have been retouched several times as part of temple renovations, their themes are rooted in classical Jain religious traditions. The architecture from Bikaner, particularly the Junagarh and Lalgarh palaces, is renowned for its paintings. However, the paintings of the Bhandasar Temple remain relatively less understood. Different sections of the temple feature different themes of paintings. Some significant paintings and an overview of the general subject matter of the paintings found in each section of the temple have been briefly discussed below.

Paintings on the walls of the mandapa

The walls of the mandapa in the temple are punctured with equidistantly placed long windows. These windows are flanked with paintings of doorkeepers, military processions and celebrations in a town, and more. Above them, round arches feature stories of Jain monks and military gatherings or floral motifs. Among the Jain stories, the paintings of Parshvanatha and Mahavir are prominent. One of the inscribed paintings in these arches depicts the story of the conversion of 527 people, including thieves, to Jainism. This story is of Jambu Swami, who is known for embracing monkhood across his various lifetimes and achieving kevala gyan or kaivalya (refers to the highest state of spiritual awakening and knowledge). In his final incarnation as Jambu Kumar, his yearning for asceticism was inadvertently overheard by thieves as he pleaded with his parents and eight wives. Moved by Jambu Kumar’s appeal, both his parents and the thieves renounced their worldly lives. On the left, a painting depicts the life of Jambu Kumar, while on the right, a large group of thieves are portrayed as monks.

Mandapa Dome paintings

The mandapa of the Bhandasar Temple, particularly its domed ceiling, boasts the most extensive collection of paintings. Adorning the capitals of the pillars that support the ceiling are depictions of ashtamangala symbols or eight auspicious signs sacred to the Shvetambara Jain tradition. These eight auspicious symbols include the Swastika (a symbol of good fortune), Srivatsa (the rhombus symbol usually found on the chest of the Tirthankaras), Nandavarta (symbol resembling a mesh), Vardhmanaka (food vessel), Bhadrasana (seat), Kalasha (pot), Darpana (mirror) and Meen (fish).

The ceiling comprises four circular bands in the ceiling, each dedicated to a distinct theme, with occasional additions of mandalas of the Jain tradition. Of these four bands, the bottommost paintings are on the beams that frame the structure of the mandapa. This octagonal arrangement of beams has paintings depicting scenes and landmarks from Bikaner city. Most of the architectural buildings in these paintings are shown in white, representing the stone marble that is prominently used in the construction of Havelis (mansions) and temples. Chintamani Temple, Sitala Darwaja (entrance gate), and Cheej Mandi (market), among others, are some of the significant buildings depicted in these paintings. Surrounding these structures are depictions of local people engaged in everyday activities, as well as military processions. The names of the structures are also inscribed in several of these paintings.

This octagonal band is separated from a band of 16 arches that have stories of Jain monks, acharyas (teachers or people who impart knowledge), and sectarian traditions, which impart moral codes of conduct for life. Among these stories is Vijay Seth aur Sethani ka vrat, illustrating the tale of a couple who took a vow of celibacy and adhered to it throughout their lives. Two paintings within this band are dedicated to their story and depict the celibate couple residing in an ornamented haveli.

In the same band, three paintings depict the journey of Shalibhadra and Dhana, two wealthy Jain merchants who renounced the material world and embraced monkhood. Another two paintings illustrate the story of the two brothers, Bharat and Bahubali. The story begins with Rishabhnath, the first Jain Tirthankara among the twenty-four, who decides to renounce the world and thus divide his kingdom between Bharat and Bahubali. However, Bharat, unsatisfied with his portion, seeks dominion over the entire realm, leading to conflicts with Bahubali. Bharat eventually emerges victorious, but Bahubali, instead of being disheartened by his brother’s victory, recognizes the transient nature of material wealth and, consequently, decides to lead an ascetic, secluded life. Interestingly, the paintings depicting the Bharat-Bahu conflicts are preceded by a painting of Rishabhnath relinquishing his territorial property.

There are two non-sequential paintings in this band; one depicts the Samavasarana, a divine preaching hall of Jains, and the other features a chhatri (memorial) of Dadaji, referred to in the painting as Dadaji ka pagaliya. The samavasarana is designed in the form of four circular passages, each with four entrances, with the Tirthankaras positioned at the centre of the innermost circle, followed by other monks of the tradition. The size of the preaching hall varies depending upon the enthroned Tirthankara. The painting of Dadaji ka pagaliya depicts a semi-open chhatri, which is usually built as a memorial for the deceased. Dadaji here might refer to one of the four Dadagurus of the Jain tradition, Jinadatta Suri (1075-1154 CE), Jinachandra Suri Manidhari (1140-1166 CE), Jinakushala Suri (1280-1332 CE), and Jinachandra Suri II (1541-1613 CE). Their memorials are often found next to Jain temples.

The next band of paintings, above these sixteen arches, is a slender circular band which is quite similar to the lowermost octagon of the dome. This circle is dedicated to depicting the life stories and works of Tirthankara Neminath. According to legend, upon witnessing animals being killed for his wedding feast, Neminath questioned the worldly processes and chose to give up everything to lead an ascetic life. The paintings in the band depict Neminath’s wedding story, along with paintings of his father Samudravijaya, the Girnar mountain where Neminath went after accepting monkhood, Raja Ugrasen, the father of Rajulakumari or Rajmati, Neminath’s prospective wife. Ugrasen also accompanied Neminath to Girnar.

The last set of paintings in the Bhandasar Temple’s mandapa are on the spherical dome. Designed within oval cartouches, the two concentric circles of paintings showcase the miracles of Dadagurus Jinadatta Suri and Jinachandra Suri, while the other circle mainly depicts the stories of Mahavir and Parshvanatha Tirthankaras.

Significance of Paintings in the Bhandasar Temple

The plethora of paintings adorning the temple’s interiors is fascinating. While these artworks may not be ancient and may not adhere strictly to the traditional techniques of Usta Kala, their execution and thematic choices are a testament to Bikaner’s rich history. The paintings offer insights into both the religious and political narratives of the region, heavily influenced by Mughal and Colonial-era artistry. M. Altaf Usta, a Bikaner-based artist, has been instrumental in the ‘retouching’, as he calls it, of the Bhandasar paintings. In this process of retouching, the subject matter of the paintings remains the same; however, the use of the colour schemes and pigments has changed. A hereditary Usta artist, M. Altaf, notes a significant decline in patronage for Usta art in recent years. Consequently, he now focuses more on creating portable art objects than wall paintings. However, the tradition has been continued in the Bhandasar Temple. The painting tradition at the Bhandasar temple stands as a unique example, preserving wall paintings amidst evolving trends.

Footnotes:

[1] Sehgal, Rajasthan District Gazetteers Bikaner, 416.

[2] Goetz, The Art and Architecture of Bikaner State, 97.

[3] Aitken, ‘The Laud Rāgamālā Album, Bikaner, and the Sociability of Subimperial Painting.’

[4] Desai, ‘Painting and Politics in Seventeenth-Century North India: Mewār,’ 374.

[5] Aitken, ‘Colonial-Period Court Painting and the Case of Bikaner,’ 32.

Bibliography

Aitken, Molly Emma. ‘Colonial-Period Court Painting and the Case of Bikaner’. Archives of Asian Art 67, no. 1 (2017): 25–59.

———.‘The Laud Rāgamālā Album, Bikaner, and the Sociability of Subimperial Painting’. Archives of Asian Art 63, no. 1 (2013): 27–58.

Desai, Vishakha N. ‘Painting and Politics in Seventeenth-Century North India: Mewār, Bikāner, and the Mughal Court’. Art Journal 49, no. 4 (1990): 370–78. https://doi.org/10.2307/777138.

Goetz, H. The Art and Architecture of Bikaner State. Government of Bikaner State and the Royal India and Pakistan Society, 1950.

Sehgal, K.K. Rajasthan District Gazetteers Bikaner. Gazetteer of India. Jaipur: Printed at Government Central Press, 1962.