Directed at the merchant community, the Shalibhadra Chaupai, a 17th century Shvetambara Jain narrative tale in old Gujarati, extolls the benefits of almsgiving to the monastic community. While the end goal remains (self-)realization of the futility of worldly ties, Shalibhadra’s story, which is meant to be performed with music, promises an individual success in worldly as well as religious affairs. Sumptuously painted manuscripts of the Shalibhadra Chaupai from early modern Rajasthan and Gujarat concretely visualize this ultimate reward through bright and colorful imagery that celebrates a luxurious Jain merchant culture. This presentation examines artistic agency in two Shalibhadra Chaupai manuscripts from Jaisalmer, one having been painted by a monk Kanakakirti, who used an older Shalibhadra Chaupai painted manuscript, now housed in the Jinabhadrasuri Gyan Bhandara, Jaisalmer, as a model. While all the paintings in the two manuscripts are identical, Kanakakirti adds details in the climax that have not been found in any other Shalibhadra Chaupai manuscript till date. Using these two manuscripts as a case study, this presentation will focus on aspects of performance, recitation, visual interpolation and reception of a tale that though not directly connected with festival celebrations, celebrates merchants through traditional tropes related to visual narratives associated celebratory events in the lives of Jinas. It will at the same time highlight the role played by monks, not just as scribes but as artists, and how that might have affected the reception of the painted narrative.
The Shalibhadra Chaupai is a 17th century Shvetambara Jain narrative tale that extolls the benefits of alms giving and is directed at the merchant community. It celebrates merchant culture using visual tropes that refer to the traditional depiction in paintings of celebratory events in the lives of Jinas. This presentation examines two identical Shalibhadra Chaupai manuscripts set a hundred years apart, both painted in Jaisalmer. Keeping patronage and viewer reception in mind, it discusses the role of Jain monks not just as scribes but as artists as well. What types of visual interpolations take place when the artist is also a monk? How might that affect the reception and circulation of the painted manuscript? The latter are some of the questions and issues the presentation seeks to examine.