FOLIOS FROM AN ILLUSTRATED MANUSCRIPT OF DEVI MAHATMYA
Description
THE artistic traditions which migrated to Nepal from eastern India included the production of palm leaf manuscripts with illustrations painted on them. Even though palm leaf is not an indigenous product of Nepal, the tradition must have survived on imports most probably from India itself. However the painting style which evolved on their manuscripts remained typically Nepalese.
This manuscript, datable to c. 1400 CE is one of the earliest Devi Mahatmya illustrated manuscripts from Nepal. Devi Mahatmya, originally a part of the Markandeya Purana, was very popular in Nepal from where a number of illustrated manuscripts of the text have been found.
As referred to earlier, the text mainly describes the fight between the goddess Durga and Mahishasura and other demons who were destroyed by her. This Museum has in all 46 folios of the manuscript out of which eight are illustrated. The wooden covers of the manuscript are also illuminated on the outer sides. The folios are decorated with floral borders whereas the main illustrations correspond to the text and mostly depict Durga in different forms in combat with the demons. The illustrations cover almost all the important episodes from the myth.
These eight folios are :
1. Rishi Markandeya the main reciter of the Mahatmya, after whom this Purana is named, narrates the story to his disciple Kraushtuki Bhaguri. The ascetic is shown in his hoary form, whereas the disciple, with hands in the vitaraka mudra, is shown as a divine figure.
2. It relates to the first chapter of Devi Mahatmya where sage Medha narrates the Mahatmya of the great goddess Mahamaya to King Sumedha and Vaishya Samadhi.
3. Destruction of the Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha. Though there is a suggestive arched architectural band used as a base in other folios, the goddess here is shown standing on a river bed. The river is depicted with wavy patterns along with fish and molasses in their shells.
4. The goddess is killing the demon Mahishasura. This is a high point in the narrative of Devi and is most frequently depicted in art. As described in the text, the ten-armed Devi suppresses with all her strength, the demon emerging out of the body of Mahisha (buffalo), holding his tail by one hand. Her left foot is firmly placed on him while the right one is on her vehicle.
5. Kali, destroying Chanda and Munda in another folio.
6. Kali is killing the demon Raktabija. He is depicted twice here, once on the ground in blue colour, and secondly, when he was lifted up by Devi on her spear, shown in red colour.
7. The seventh folio depicts the killing of Shumbha.
8. Gods paying homage to the goddess.
The first two folios published here show ascetic Markandeya and Medha. The other three folios depict the killing of Chanda-Munda, Shumbha and visit of gods to Devi.
The two wooden covers are illustrated with the images of Shiva dancing on the bull, Mahishasuramardini, Kali, seven matrikas, Mahalakshmi and Ganesha.
Collection
Himalayan Art
Object Type
Manuscript
Material
Palm leaf
Schools/Culture/Period
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Technique
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Date
14th century CE
Location
Nepal
Dimension
34 x 5.8 cms.