INTRODUCTION TO AJANTA

Ajanta is known for its world-famous fresco painting, painted in the Gupta period. It is situated about 106 km, northeast of Aurangabad district by road in Maharashtra, extending along a rocky hill, some 300 feet high. It is cut out of a single mountain that extends along a stretch of 486 meters in a crescent moon shape. Below this splashes the little stream of Waghora River. It was discovered in the early 19^th century by some army officers. The first report of the Ajanta caves was sent to the Royal Asiatic Society by Lieutenant J.E. Alexander, who visited Ajanta caves in 1824.

There are 29 caves in Ajanta which are of two types, one Chaitya and the other one Vihara. Out of 29 caves, fives (9, 10, 19, 26 & 29) are Chaitya halls. Chaitya caves are also known as Stupa caves. They were the places of worship and religious discoveries, while the rest of these caves are known as Vihara. Vihara caves were used for the living places of the Bhikshus. Presently a few paintings exist only in six caves (1, 2, 9, 10, 16 & 17) whereas paintings of other caves have almost vanished.

The subject matters of these paintings are based on Bhagwan Buddha and Jataka stories. However, non-religious subjects were also chosen for paintings. The paintings based on non-religious subjects also represent the living world of that time because they depict city life, village life, forest life, beggars, fishermen, bullfight, birds, animals, king-queen, rich-poor, plants, etc.

 

The people of the Gupta period were very simple, they used to learn art as a necessary social requirement. Ajanta murals were done in tempura style. They prepared the ground for painting. The surface of the rock was chiselled rough, on which the artist used to apply a coating of mud mixed with cow dung, rice husk and gum over it. Then they applied two coats of mud and plaster. The first coating was made rough to fill in the pores of rocks and cover the chisel strokes and they laid a dine coat of lime plaster over it. Then the artist would draw the outline of the composition in red ochre colour. Afterwards, they applied colours according to the colour combination. The finishing of the painting was done by a black or brown outline.

 

They used limited colours like white, yellow ochre, terra-Verde green, Indian red, black and brown. These colours were prepared from minerals, trees and vegetables. We don’t find the use of light and shade and blue colour and light and shades also. Eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips and other portion of the body were done by single brush strokes. They used light colours for the affluent people and dark colours for commoners.

The expressions of emotions through line drawing and the picture composition are the special features of Ajanta art. These lines are made thick and thin by exerting pressure on the brush to reflect the desired effect. The shades of lines are also varied according to requirement. The main and important figure of the painting is made larger in comparison to the rest of the figures to make it prominent. The Ajanta artists painted successfully emotions and sentiments like love, anger, courage, fear, renunciation repose, compassion etc. They use hand postures, face and eye style to depict expressions like hope, request, pardon, compassion, preaching etc.

 

Through there is a reflection in the subject matter, each painting is painted in a completely creative way. These decorated the roof of the cave also. The hairstyles, ornaments and garments also represent rhythm, balance, harmony and emotions. We also find a unique emotional depiction of the world and animals like peacocks, ducks, goose, elephant, horse, bull, deer, dogs, monkey in Ajanta paintings. They also painted nature in the most realistic form. The depiction of trees like banana, banyan, pipal, Ashoka, mango with the use of limited colours is praise-worthy. Though the women figures, painted in Ajanta are half nude they never reflect obscenity. They look graceful, divine, polite, and full of affection, compassion and inspiration. In short, it is noteworthy that the original and creativity of Ajanta artists took the art of painting to the climax.

The sculptors of Ajanta were just as talented as the painters, creating wonderfully modelled figures full of energy and elegance. They did not treat bodies as frames of bone on which to hang flesh, instead, as in yoga, they saw the ideal body as full of breath, the inner life force, apparently pushing outward from within. Faces and limbs are soft and rounded and portrayed with realistic detail.

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