New Evidence of Wall Paintings with Rasa Dance and Other Themes

Jyotindra Jain

Currently working on the wall paintings of Gujarat. as part of my project as a Homi Bhabha Fellow, I recently came across one of the finest examples of wall paintings of this area in the ceiling of the Hafeshvara Mahadeva temple near Kavant in Baroda District.

The temple, with its exquisite wall paintings, faces the threat of extinction due to its projected submersion beneath the waters of the River Narmada under the scheme for harnessing its waters for irrigational purposes.

Thi s author ha s brought the matter to the notice of the Lal it Kala Akademi, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan of the Department of Culture, New Delhi, and Smt. Pupul Jayakar, Advisor, Handlooms and Handicrafts, Government of India. Thanks to the active interest demonstrated by them, steps are now being taken to explore ways and means of salvaging the paintings. The description which follows is the first published account of these paintings.

14 Situated on the bank of the River Narmada. the temple stands at the meeting-point of the boundaries of Gujarat. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The temple is surrounded by the vast-and heavily forested Narmada Valley, which is inhabited. in this area. by the Rathva. Bhil and Bhilala tribes.

The River Narmada is among the seven sacred rivers mentioned in the Purana-s and because of its sanctity it is dotted on both its banks with several shrines. Hafeshvara Mahadeva is only one of the hundreds of large and small Shiva temples (such as Rameshvara. Gautameshvara. Omkareshvara. Kedareshvara) situated on the banks of the river. right from its origin in Amarkantaka to its merging in the Gulf of Cambay.

The stone structure of the temple of Hafeshvara Mahadeva (which contains the paintings in the dome of the main hall) is not much earlier than the eighteenth century as would appear from the style of the sculptures of the bracket figures. arches and pillars.

The paintings are certainly not more than 200 years old. Until more comparative data is collected and analysed. it would be difficult to say anything definite about the date and style of these paintings. A mixture of Rajasthani, Gujarati. and Maharashtrian elements is visible in the style of the paintings as in the details of costumes, ornaments and architectural depictions. The main colours used are blue. green and dark brown with an occasional touch of light yellow and Indian red . The paintings are executed on smooth white lime plaster and, therefore. give the effect of inlay work of colourful stones in white marble.

The centre of the dome has a padmashtla or carved multi-petalled lotus pendant of stone which is expanded into a larger flower by two other painted concentric circles with multiple lotus petals. This central lotus pendant is bound by another concentric band with an ornate creeper of flowers and leaves.

Around this central floral pendant of stone and painted circles. scenes from the legends of Vishnu, Krishna. Rama and Shiva as well as the Rasa dance are arranged in further widening mandala-s or concentric bands.

The mandala of the avatara-s of Vishnu The first mandala around the central pendant has scenes of the incarnations of Vishnu. The mandala is divided into two halves by the appearance, at two opposite cardinal points. of the image of Shrinathji, the famous deity of Nathadvara. The avatara-s of Vishnu in this mandala are in the following order: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha. Narasimha, Vamana. Krishna. Kalki, Buddha. Parashurama and Rama .

It is interesting to note that some of the avatara-s are depicted more as narrative illustrations to the avatara legend than as just rigid symbolic representations.

Matsya avatara is portrayed through Vishnu issuing from a fish, holding the chopped head of the demon Hayagriva, the robber of the Vedas, and then proceed ing to Manu who is shown respectfully squatting in front of Vishnu .

Kurma avatara is depicted through the legend of the Churning of the Ocean where the gods and demons are shown using the snake Shesha as a churning rod and the tortoise Kurma as the pivot for the rod. Krishna playing the flute IS to be seen squatting on the rod. This depiction is interesting because very rarely does Krishna appear in this context. Usually it is Lakshmi who is depicted on the rod as she emerges from the divine act of churning. Perhaps Krishna here represents Vishnu maintaining the rod in position.

Varaha avatara shows Vishnu as half-varaha and half-human. holding the prithvi on his tusk.

Narasimha is port~ayed in the process of killing Hiranyakashipu in the standard manner of depicting this avatara.

Vamana avatara shows Vishnu as dwarf. rece1vmg the hospitality of King Bali.

It is remarkable that the scene of Krishna avatara shows a two-armed Krishna lying under the hoods of a snake, attended by a female. Next to the scene is a gopi attending to a cow and a calf. At first glance the scene seems like that of Vishnu Sheshashayin but actually it represents Krishna. the Ou eller of Kaliya, because nowhere else. in this mandala of avatara-s. is the Krishna incarna tion shown. The gopi with cow and calf further strengthens the Krishna inter pretation. Moreover. in a wall painting at Kheda. I saw a similar Sheshashayin-like depiction with an inscription. Kaliya Damana.

The next portrayal is that of a horse w ith a canopy, obviously illwstrating Kalki avatara.

After Kalki there is a figure of a man seated on a lotus throne under a tree. His hands hold rosaries. Either it is a Vaishnavised depiction of the Buddha avatara or just that of a Vaishnava guru.

W8 have next the figure of a person holding a dagger .and attacking a;1other armed man. It is probably Parashurama avatara exterminating the Kshatnya race.

Rama avatara. which is next. is indicated through the procession of Rama. Lakshmana and Sita being greeted by Hanuman.

A great deal of charm is added to these depictions of the avatara ~ s because the artists have chosen the lively narrative mode rather than the ng1d and symbolic one. By incorporating the image of the flute-playing Krishna in the depiction of the Churning of the Ocean and that of Sheshashayin in the 1mage of Krishna the paintings assume a typically local character.

Rasa Mandala

The next mandala (or the further widening concentric band) contains the depiction of rasa dance. In this form of dance. the participants form a circle and

17 move clockwise, using a pair of sticks to clap rhythmically against those of the next partner on either side. The participants may be all male, all female or both men and women may take part in the dance. A related form called rasada IS rather popular among the Mers of the Porbandar area in Saurashtra in which only men participate. This dance is performed during the Rama Navmi festival. Rasa and garba dances are performed during Navratri but in the Bhavnagar area dandia rasa or stick dance is more popular than garba. In Gujarat it is usual to depict in art that particular form of rasa in which each figure of Krishna faces that of the next gopi. Thus each gopi has the feeling that Krishna is dancing with her alone.

The painters of Hafeshvara Mahadeva have deviated from this practice. Here, in the case of some pairs, Krishna and a gopi are shown facing each other as they clap the sticks, whereas in others this is not the case. The most beautiful part of the rasa mandala here is the variety of textile designs. The central parting of the lower garment of the gopi-s has a touch of the attire of Maharashtra. The typical motion of the dance where the participants take a leap forward with one leg and kick the ground with the toes of the other, while following the beat is very effectively depicted. A medallion of flowers and leaves is ornately placed between each couple. It contributes towards uniting the whole mandala into a well-knit creeper.

The mandala of the epics and Purana-s The outermost mandala has scenes from the legends of the epics and the Purana-s. Parts of this mandala itself and all that was underneath is damaged and wiped out. The scenes still preserved are in the following sequence:

One scene shows a palace with a lady seated in the balcony of an upper storey. There is a water reservoir in front of the palace. On the side are seated figures of five men . The fifth carries a mace under his arm. The scene is recognisable as that of Draupadi's svayamvara. The five men are the Pandavas, with Bhima holding the mace. The next picture on the right is that of Rama and Sita seated under a pavilion.

The scene which follows is that of the devotees of Shiva proceeding towards him . Some are holding trishula-s and chopped human heads and can, therefore, be identified as kapalika-s. Some of them are carrying musical instruments and others hold vessels of bhang. The leader of the procession is, surprisingly enough, Hanuman.

. Very close. to the figure of Hanuman on the right is the family of Shiva, relaxmg and enjoymg the drink of bhang. Shiva is shown with his entire body ornamented with coiled snakes. On his right is the squatting figure of Parvati holdmg a cup of bhang. On his left is his son Ganesha holding a chauri in his trunk and a conch-shell in one of his hands. ·

The next scene on the right is the installation of Ganesha as independent deity. Here he is flanked by the sun and the moon, and attended by two female chauri-bearers.

18 Below these scenes is the lower edge of the dome which is embellished by stone-carved figures of Krishna and gopi-s engaged in rasa dance.

Illustrations :

In the cover picture, the upper portion shows the rasa dance of Krishna and the gopi-s. In the lower portion, Shiva and Parvati are shown holding cups of bhang with Ganesha waving a chauri. On the left is the procession of Shiva's devotees, surprisingly enough, led by Hanuman.

In No. 1, the upper band shows, from left to right, an image of Shrinathji, Krishna, the Oueller of Kaliya, a gopi with a cow, and the Kalki avatara of Vishnu. The middle panel depicts the rasa of Krishna and the gopi-s. The lowermost composition shows the Pandavas in front of Draupadi's palace.

In No. 2, the uppermost group shows, from left to right, Hanuman, a four-armed Vishnu, Shrinathji, and the Matsya and Kurma avatara-s of Vishnu. The middle panel portrays the rasa of Krishna and gopi-s. Ganesha is seen in the lowermost portion.