Tradition of Paintings

The traditional of paintings in Assam can be traced back to several centuries in the past. The gifts presented to Hiuen-Tsang and Harshavardhana by Kumar Bhaskara, the king of Kamrupa, included a number of paintings and painted objects, some done on exclusive Assam Silk.

Assamese literature of the medieval period abounds in references to chitrakars and patuas meaning expert painters who used various locally available materials like hengool and haital.

A large number of manuscripts of that era have excellent paintings in them, some of the most famous being Hastividyarnava (a treatise on elephants), Chitra-Bhagavata and Gita-Govinda. Ahom palaces and satras and namm-ghars still abound in brightly-coloured paintings depicting various stories and events from history and mythology. In fact, the motifs and designs contained in Chitra-Bhagavata have come to become a traditional style for Assamese painters of the later period, and are still in practice to day.

The paintings of Assam may be divided into two broad schools viz., Tai-Ahom school and Assam schoo.

The Assam school of painting may again be sub-divided into two styles viz., Sattriya and Royal. Royal school developed two styles viz., Garhagaon and Darrang styles under the patronage of Ahom and Koch rulers, respectively.

Tai-Ahom school

The paintings of the Tai-Ahom school are mainly represented by two paintings-

Phung Chin manuscript dated 1473 A.D. and Suktanta Kyempong.

These manuscripts represent the earliest school of the manuscript painting in Assam. The Phung-Chin deals with 16 heavens and 16 hells. The second manuscript deals with Lokadharma. The style and theme of these religious paintings preserved in some Buddha Viharas of Assam have their origin in South-East Asia and not in Assam. Of late, few more such illustrated Tai manuscripts have come to light in Assam.

Sattriya School

The Sattriya style of paintings is the product of Sri Sankaradeva. As the indigenous school of painting in Assam, the Sattriya style is the earliest. The Citra Bhagavat (Bhagavat, book X), dated 1539 A.D. (1461 Saka), from Bali satra of Nagaon is the earliest example of the Sattriya style. The painting of this manuscript is of great beauty. After the publication of this manuscript with the photographs in original colours by H.N. Dutta Barua, the interest of the art historians was heightened. K.K. Handique while writing the foreword to the book says 'The Assamese manuscript dated A.D. 1539 is of special interest in view of the paucity of known examples of Rajput painting earlier than the seventeenth century A.D., and represents one of the earliest attempts to illustrate a version of the Bhagavat composed in vernacular'. He further says that pictures of trees with flowers of birds have considerable charm, and animal life is vividly portrayed with observant sympathy and tenderness of feeling. The maleness Indian lion occurs more than once and the bison (methon in Assamese) which is almost extinct in the province will attract the attention of the student. The customers follow a conventional pattern, but it is interesting to find the drum and the horn (pepa), the familiar auxiliaries of the Bihu festival. The style of the painting shows Mughal, Rajput and Pahari influence. However, local traits and Assamese traditions are very much reflected in the paintings rightly pointed out by Handique.

Most of the features of the paintings here have been depicted in profile. These are always shown against deep blue or red and sometimes with grey background. Sometimes the face is in profile, while the body stands in formality. The painter does not care to emphasize on the physiology or physiognomy of the figures. The aim of the painter is to depict a scene showing an incident. The music and dance scenes are vividly portrayed, which remind us of the bhaona, the Vaisnava theatre. The male head-dress is the turban of Mughlai topi, in the style of Rajput-Mughal paintings. The divine figures are shown with a mukuta with cones which is possibly derived from the Kiritamukuta depicted in the pre-Ahom icons. Landscape or any other background, except a uniformly dark monochrome, is rare in these paintings. Third dimension and the perspective seem to be unfamiliar to the artist. Maha-Purnan, a manuscript dated 1540, from Palam near Delhi and Mrigavati, in which the north Indian style of miniature paintings of early 16th century can be seen, are stylistically close to the manuscript in question. There is great controversy regarding the date of this manuscript. Motichandra places the work in 17th or early 18th century A.D. on the basis of the style of the paintings. Karl Khandalawala supports the view of Motichandra. M. Neog expressing similar views says that the original copy bears the date Samvat Saka 1461 (A.D. 1539), which seems to be too early; the work may suitably be dated to 17th century A.D. and he further says that the original manuscript was written earlier. The present one is a copy of the original work and it is presumed that the date mentioned in the manuscript must have been inserted by somebody. The present date of the manuscript falls in the life time of Sri Sankaradeva. Therefore, if we are to accept the date, then we must assume the work as one done when the great saint was alive. He does not agree with this. Basil Gray, however, does not contradict it. Rajatanand Dasgupta is also of the same opinion and he does not want to contradict the date. Our contention is that no paintings were done during the lifetime of Sri Sankaradeva. Nor any Caritputhi mention about this illustrated manuscript during the lifetime of Sri Sankaradeva. The use of Mughalai topi or turban, liberally shown by the artist in the painting of this manuscript, make it impossible at the present state of our knowledge to place this work in the life time of Sankaradeva.

The Assamese rendering of the illustrated copy of the famous manuscript Gita Govinda by Ramnarayana Kaviraj Chakravorty, a court poet of the Ahom king Rudra Simha (1694-1714), is in the same style. Rather, it can be said that Gita Govinda portrays an advanced style of the Sattriya School. It appears that Rajatanand Dasgupta has wrongly mentioned that the Assamese rendering was done by Ananta Acharya Dwija. The manuscript is so profusely illustrated that not a single folio remains without illustration. The illustrations vividly portray the scenes of love between Radha and Krishna. Hem Chandra Goswami has rightly felt that the illustrations of this manuscript by no means are the best specimens of Indian art. Although the pictures of this work are more than two hundred years old, the brilliance of the paintings can still be seen. The paintings depict scene of the court scenes of the Ahom Kings portrayed in the Hastividarnva, which will be described in the following pages. The general characteristic features, colour schemes, etc. are shown in the same style. The most remarkable feature of this manuscript, according to Dasgupta, is that only examples of Ragamala paintings are contained in it. He further observes 'Their depiction is, however, identical and only some of the Ragas and Raginis have been portrayed whenever a change in the meter of the poem is indicated'. The river, ponds, hills rains etc. are stylized. The figures are always in profile. In Citra-Bhagavata also figures are in profile as we have already noticed. It appears that the artist did not find it important to bring perfection to the physiognomy of the human figures and hence these look crude. Birds and trees in the stylized forms are commonly found in this work. The leaves of the trees are shown as very small. Like Citra Bhagavata here also the use of Mughiai topi or turban is noticed with human male figures, while the divine figures wear the conventional Mukuta, which is very commonly noticed in Ahom sculptures. The treatment of the background is almost same as Citra Bhagavata. The artist, it appears, was not concerned about expression of joy, sorrow, surprise and other feelings through the faces or eyes of the figures. But he does it with the help of the movement of limbs of the figures and labels (caption) below the scene. Every scene contains a label below it. This is the convention of the illustrated manuscript painting of Assam.

The Sattriya School continued till the last days of the Tungkhugiyas though in the meantime a superior style developed in royal patronage in upper Assam. The association of the Sattriya style with the religious atmosphere of the satras was perhaps responsible for its popularity as a medium especially when religious texts had to be illustrated. This is seen in the preference of royal patrons for this style when they commissioned artists to illustrate religious texts like Gita Govinda, the Ananda Lahari or the Rama Yana in the same style'. The important manuscripts of schools are as follows-

Vanamali Devar Carita of Ramakanta Dwija Sri Bhagavata Matsya Carita of Nityananda Kaystha, (1644-50 AD) Lava-Kusa-Yuddha of Harivar Vipra (1714-44 A.D) Ananda Lahari of Ananta Acarya Dwija (1714-44 A.D) Ramayana, Sundara Kanda (1715 A.D) Sankara Carita (Date not known) Ramayana, Lanka Kanda (1791-1806 A.D)

The lavish decoration, mastery of execution and expansion of the palette with mixed colours are some of the characteristics of the later day paintings which show the influence of the Tunkhungia court. Basket pattern, the use of the mudras and stylized poses of the human figures etc. continued even in the late Sattriya style. The Lava-Kusa Yuddha, a work done during the days of Rudra Singha or Siva Singh (1714-44 A.D), in Sattriya style is an example of very high standard of miniature painting of Assam. The artist of the work must have been a master in his subject. He had the sense of proportion and vision. Anatomical perfection to a great degree can be seen in this work. The figures of horses, elephants etc. are depicted not in stylized forms. The scenes of fighting are depicted in a very dynamic way. The bodies of the fighters are shown in full movement and action. In our opinion, this work on the basis of artistic merit should be the best example of the Assamese miniature painting. The Ananda Lahari by Ananta Axarya Dwiji during the days of Siva Singh (1714-44 A.D) is executed in the same style. This is the only known Sakta illustrated manuscript which has come to our notice so far. Anadi Patan, the date of which is not known, was composed by Sri Sankardeva himself. Stylistically, it can be placed in the 17th century. The subject matter of the work is the theory of creation as given in the Bhagavata Purana (Book III). The miniatures drawn in this manuscript are important as book illustrations and as a source of information about Hindu mythology. Various Gods and Goddesses are portrayed here in different ways.

The last phase of Sattriya style is depicted in the Ramayana (Lanka Kanda) done during the days of Kamalesvar Singha (1791-1806 A.D). The lavish decorations, minute details, gorgeousness of colours, which are the traits of the last phase of the Sattriya style, are found in this work.

Royal School (Ahom and Darrang)

This style is close to the Sattriya style. The birth-place of this style is Darrag Raj of Mangaldoi. It grew up at the royal patronage of the Koch royal family of Mangaldoi in the line of Sattriya style and soon it developed its own characteristic features. M. Neog has rightly said 'It is, thus, seen that Assam Vaisnavism developed a school of painting of its own and this art was later patronized by the Ahom monarchs and Koch chiefs in the 17th and 18th centuries'.

As the resources of the Rajas of Darrang were limited, slowly it was influenced by the art of Ahoms. The most important manuscripts of this style are Tirtha Kaumudi (1686). The Tirtha Kaumudi is a guide to the Hindu places of pilgrimage within and outside Assam. It includes the description of the Sakta places of pilgrimage in the Jaintiya hills, Kamakhya, Kurukshetra and many such places. The male figures in this manuscript are depicted with tall and slender limbs and chiseled faces. One folio of this manuscript with inscription shows two male figures representing kings of Jayantia and Kamrupa. There are scenes of swimming and bathing in the rivers including the vastraharana scene. Normally, the human figures, as in other manuscripts of Assam, are shown in profile. But in a few cases this tradition is absent. In one folio goddess Kamakhya and two other unidentified deities are shown in front view. The figures of Kamakhya bears some similarity with the stone image of Budhigosami or tribal Durga from Mangaldoi preserved in the Assam State Museum. The figure bears folkish treatment

The Ahom Royal style is found in several manuscripts. This style is named as Garhgaon School as this style developed in the Ahom capital Garhgaon under the patronage of the Ahom rulers. It was a new secular school and, in a sense, the real court art. This royal style is really Mughal in technique and Assamese in spirit. The Hastividarnava, Sankhacuda Badha, Dharma-Purana, Bhagavata (Book VI) etc. can be identified as the works of this style. For the development of this new style Rudra Singha and Siva Singha and their queens were responsible. Brahmavaivarta-Puran now in the British Library, London, is the last work of the Assamese manuscript painting executed in the 19th Century.

Apart from the illustrated ones, non-illustrated manuscripts having border design are also in good number. There are called Lata kata Puthi.

There had been many forces at work to hasten the down-fall of arts at Delhi and they were equally important, if not more than Aurangzeb's bigotry. When the Mughal court began to lose its brilliance, the artists began to desert the capital for other centers. The artists penetrated as far as South in Thanjavur and Mysore where local schools flourished in the 19th century A.D. In the same way the 'Mughal Principles' penetrated into the Brahmaputra valley and attracted the royal authorities.

Though Assam was politically independent, the Hindu Ahom never lost ties with the mainland even during the Mughal rule. The native Muslims of Assam mixed up with local population and completely identified themselves with the rest of the community. Artists were invited from other parts of the country and during the days of Rudra Singha, Mughal artists and artisans were given settlement near the Ahom capital. Dasgupta has rightly said that this style has a family resemblance with the other schools originating from Mughal idiom. In addition to the parent school of Delhi, this Ahom court style has much similarity with those of the Deccan and Pahari with the set of Rasikpriya paintings now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The three-quarter profile, which is an inheritance from Persian paintings for the Mughal artist, was continued in Assam painting. Though these Assamese paintings bear the essential features of the Mughals, yet they all breathe the atmosphere of an aristocrat Hindu household of northern India. Another important feature of the Ahom court paintings is that even in the late period it was not influenced by the European style at all. The contemporary art of Patna and Kooch Bihar, however, were influenced by the European style. Another noteworthy feature of the painting in question is that it depicts the portrait of the royal family members and other important persons connected. The Mughal paintings developed this style to a great extent. This is why we get the portraits of Sukumar Barkath, the author of Hastividarnava, the painters Dilwar and Dosai and the royal patrons Siva Singha and Ambika Devi. Of them the portraits of the royal figures are most life-like. There are also some differences between the Mughal art and the Ahom Court art. 'The Mughal paintings are essentially a masculine art, confining itself almost entirely to the lives of men and paying no heed to the doings of the fair sex. This is perhaps the reflection of the Muslim society of that period. But in Ahom court art, the artist gave equal treatment to the fair sex; otherwise, the portrait of Queen Ambika Devi and others would not have been drawn. She was depicted along with the king in the court. The most befitting example is that king Siva Singh and Queen Ambika Devi are depicted in a royal procession which is drawn on a folio of Bhagabata (Canto 6), which was collected from Burma. This work, though only one folio so far discovered, is one of the best examples of Indian Miniature painting.

From our study it is found that some art critics, who made a study on the illustrated manuscripts of Assam, did not say that the total style of miniature painting could form an independent school of Assamese miniature painting. Even M.Neog and Rajatananda Dasgupta were hesitant, as appears, to say so, though they have been studying the paintings for long. But for the first time Kapila Vastsyayan, while writing the editorial note on the Gita Govinda made a categorical declaration that the Assam miniature paintings could form a separate school. We fully support Vatsyayan and say that art cannot remain in watertight compartments. It has to borrow from others and give to others. Thus, the Assam miniature paintings though have borrowed many elements from Rajasthani, Mughal and other styles, it retained its indigenous character and personality and hence it forms a separate school. The Assamese paintings have no stylistic relation with those of Pala paintings or with Orissan paintings. Nor has it any affinity with the folk paintings of Madhubari of Bihar. Though some elements from Rajasthani, Mughal and Pahari can be seen in them, they are profoundly controlled by the local traits which relegate these high styles in the background and are submerged by the local style.

Certain special features e.g., gestures, households objects, utensils such as sarai (decorated dish on stand with or without lid), architectural style of house or buildings, costumes, flora, fauna, abstractness in depiction, the unusual themes taken for illustration, and the size of the manuscript distinguish Assamese paintings in the panorama of Indian manuscript painting tradition as a separate school.