Last updated on July 15th, 2024 at 02:42 pm
In the bustling city of Banaras, over two centuries ago, a group of artists from diverse regions gathered in the court of Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh. They arrived with one monumental task: to create an illustrated manuscript of Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas, a text revered for its devotional and poetic excellence. These artists, hailing from the artistic centers of Awadh, Delhi, Datia, Jaipur, and Murshidabad, brought with them their unique styles and techniques. The project, known as the Kanchana Chitra Ramayana, spanned from 1796 to 1814, culminating in an epic collaboration as legendary as the Ramayana itself.
Fast forward to September 2023, when the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bangalore unveiled the “Book of Gold: The Kanchana Chitra Ramayana of Banaras” exhibition. Curated by Parul Singh and the late Kavita Singh, this exhibition showcases nearly 80 folios from this extraordinary manuscript. The display not only revives a significant piece of art history but also challenges the long-held belief that miniature painting traditions in northern India had faded by the 19th century.
Historical Context and Significance
The Kanchana Chitra Ramayana, created between 1796 and 1814, stands as a testament to the resilience and vibrancy of miniature painting traditions in northern India. Despite the 19th century being perceived as a period of artistic decline, this manuscript reveals a thriving art scene. The project involved artists from various schools across North India, including Awadh, Delhi, Datia, Jaipur, and Murshidabad, who converged in Banaras to create this masterpiece. This collaboration transformed Banaras into a cultural hub and resulted in innovative visual idioms that reflected a dynamic and cosmopolitan artistic environment.
Cultural and Linguistic Significance
One of the unique aspects of the Kanchana Chitra Ramayana is its use of Awadhi, the vernacular language of the region, as opposed to Valmiki’s Sanskrit, the language of the elite. This choice by the Bhakti poet Tulsidas made the text more accessible to the common people, resonating with a broader audience. The manuscript’s creation was a monumental task, resulting in an 1100-page volume, though only 80 folios are displayed in this exhibition due to many pages being lost or acquired by private collectors.
Interview Insights: Curatorial Vision and Challenges
To gain deeper insights into the exhibition, we spoke with Parul Singh, the co-curator. Her responses provide a comprehensive understanding of the historical significance, artistic collaborations, and the challenges faced during the curatorial process.
Q: India is home to a rich heritage and some of the dilapidated princely states still hold valuable art pieces they’re unaware of. What is your thought about it? How do you think this kind of heritage can be preserved?
Parul Singh: Private organizations and museums can play a role in the preservation and conservation of more mobile objects in partnership with the owners or, in many cases, the trust concerned. The objects can then travel to other museums on long-term loans but remain the property of the original owner. Conservation of monuments becomes more difficult as this is an expensive exercise, but there is a dire need to conserve them. Again, private organizations in India can collaborate with well-funded international organizations such as the Agha Khan Foundation to preserve these monuments.
Q: Your research revolves around visual art histories, especially around Awadh. Can you share some of your research findings that surprise you?
Parul Singh: Awadh has sadly been a neglected area in art history. The reason is that its artistic efflorescence occurred in the 18th to the mid-19th centuries at a time long regarded by historians as a time of political, economic, and social decline. This narrative of decline was long the prevailing view of art historians until the turn of this century. Through my research, I have attempted to shift existing prejudices about the art and culture of the period to reveal the cultural vibrancy and cosmopolitanism of the period. The artists of this period were highly creative, absorbing ideas from a diverse range of circulating paintings, prints, and photographs, adapting to the changing aesthetic tastes of patrons of different cultures, both Indian and European.
Q: How was your experience while curating this project, considering the history that you were handling?
Parul Singh: Fascinating. The illustrations of the manuscript continue to throw up new surprises. The paintings reveal dynamic art networks of the period and unprecedented mobility of artists, objects, and ideas. Rulers of small kingdoms and merchants came to play an interestingly active role in artistic production, resulting in innovative visual idioms that are very eclectic.
Q: Could you provide a historical context for the origins of manuscript paintings in India and their preservation? Additionally, can you explain the relationship between the artistic traditions of Awadh and earlier styles such as those from Bengal?
Parul Singh: The earliest surviving (which does not imply that manuscript paintings were not made before this) such works are wooden covers of a manuscript found in Gilgit, Kashmir, from the 9th century CE. The reason why we find many manuscript paintings from Bengal and later from the “Western Style” is because these manuscripts were preserved in monasteries, and many donors gifted illustrated manuscripts to these monasteries. When the Palas fell, many monasteries were burnt and destroyed by the invading armies, but a few manuscripts survived as they were taken by fleeing monks to monasteries in Tibet and Nepal. Manuscripts are fragile objects – they were painted on birch barks and do not survive well. That is why you do not see many early manuscripts. But that does not mean that they might not have been painted earlier or that they originated in Bengal.
The State of Awadh was a Mughal successor state that grew to power only in the 18th century, so there was no connection with the Pala style painting that you are probably referring to. Socio-political structures of a society, its social mores, practices, and customs are all reflected in art. Political changes, tensions, and fissures can also be gauged through paintings of a period under investigation. Paintings, however, are not windows to the period but have to be carefully read along with the texts and the wide range of material objects that are extant for a historian to understand these dynamics of social change.
Q: The manuscript was about 1100 pages, while this show only exhibited 80 folios since many pages were either lost or acquired by private collectors. Any comment on this?
Parul Singh: I hope we can mount another exhibition, a bigger one this time, so that we can see more of these beautiful paintings!
Q: Please share with us about any upcoming shows you are curating.
Parul Singh: Besides this exhibition, I had co-curated two exhibitions with Deniz Erduman-Çalış from the Museum für Islamische Kunst Berlin in 2022 and 2023 – “Rhythm and Colour: Foregrounding Music in Indian Album Paintings (16th-18th Centuries)” and “Mystical Encounters: Sufis, Kings, and Yoginis in Indian Miniature Painting.” I am currently writing a book that investigates how gardens in Lucknow became instruments of control and disciplining of subjects under Nawabi and Colonial rule. I trace the biographies of three gardens and reveal how pleasure, aesthetics, and politics can be deeply intertwined. It will be possible for me to take up new projects only after I complete this book.
Challenging Art Historical Narratives
The exhibition’s significance lies not only in its artistic splendor but also in its ability to challenge prevailing art historical perceptions. Parul Singh explains that the manuscript’s folios reveal the flourishing of stylistic idioms patronized by small states like Banaras, countering the notion that the late 18th century was a period of artistic stagnation. The paintings from this manuscript illustrate the adaptability and creativity of artists who were influenced by a diverse range of circulating artworks, prints, and photographs, adapting to the changing aesthetic tastes of patrons from different cultures.
Preservation and Modern Engagement
The preservation of such a monumental work poses significant challenges. As Parul Singh highlights, the role of private organizations and international collaborations is crucial in the conservation of movable heritage objects. The exhibition at MAP, which runs until March 8, 2024, includes a digital flipbook of the entire manuscript, meticulously documented by Prof. Richard Schechner in the 1970s. This digital access allows scholars and enthusiasts worldwide to explore the manuscript in its entirety, ensuring its preservation and continued relevance.
Public Engagement and Technological Integration
MAP has made significant efforts to engage the public with this historical treasure. Director Kamini Sawhney expresses her delight in making this exquisite manuscript accessible to the public. In addition to the physical exhibition, MAP offers a digital experience, including a holographic display and a film by contemporary filmmaker Amit Dutta, enhancing the visitor’s understanding and appreciation of this artistic marvel. These technological integrations ensure that the manuscript’s beauty and historical significance are appreciated by a broader audience, fostering a deeper connection with India’s rich cultural heritage.
The “Book of Gold: The Kanchana Chitra Ramayana of Banaras” exhibition is more than a display of beautiful paintings; it is a journey into a vibrant past that continues to inspire and resonate with contemporary audiences. By challenging outdated historical narratives and embracing modern technological advancements, the exhibition bridges the gap between past and present, allowing us to appreciate the timeless appeal of this extraordinary manuscript.
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