· Ramgarh hills, situated on the Ambikapur-Bilaspur road, hold significant historical importance in Surguja district of chhattisgarh. Also known as Ramgiri, the Ramgarh Mountain is shaped like a hat (cap).
· According to ancient beliefs, during the Vanasthan period, Lord Rama's brother Lakshman and his wife Sita resided in the Ramgarh region. Several caves in this area are named after them, such as Jogi Mara, associated with Rama's Tapas Ves, Sita Bengarga named after Sita, and Lakshman cave in honor of Lakshman.
· The Sita-Bengra caves have dimensions of 14x5x1.8 meters and are surrounded by round rock-cut benches arranged in terraces, forming a crescent shape. Dating between the 3rd-century BCE to 1st-century BCE, it is renowned for its non-religious inscriptions in Brahmi script and Magadhi language, as well as featuring one of the oldest colored frescoes in Asia.
· The cave has a unique architectural design resembling a partly sculpted stage. It includes two rows of hemispherical rock-cut stone benches in front, which some suggest may have served as steps to enter the cave. However, scholars like Bloch argue that these bench-like designs were likely intended for people to sit and watch performances on the stage rather than function as steps.
· The cave's historical significance is heightened by its association with the famed poet Kalidasa, who hailed from this region, as mentioned in his compositions.
· One of the notable caves in the region is the Jogimara cave. Jogimara is credited as the starting point for mural painting in India.
Characteristics of Jogimara Cave:
- Natural cave measuring ten feet by six.
- The paintings on the ceiling panels date back to the third century BC.
- Asit Kumar Halder and samarendra Nath Gupta prepared copies of Jogimara in 1914.
- The original paintings, outlined in white, red, and black pigments, depict various scenes, including human figures, animals, and dancing couples.
- The subject matter ranges from the representation of a garden with lilies to curious lilliputian doll-like figures.
- First Panel:
- Depicts human figures.
- Includes a figure of an elephant.
- Features a grotesque-looking shark in a river, indicated by decorative dark lines representing waves.
- Second Panel:
- Shows several figures seated underneath a tree.
- Trees are represented with a thick trunk, a few branches, and two or three leaves, all drawn in red.
- Includes a garden drawn in black lines against a white background.
- The garden is represented by some lilies painted in black lines.
- A dancing couple is painted over one of these flowers, entirely in red.
- Eyes and noses of the dancers are missing or not intact.
- Flowers are not shown in color.
- Fourth Panel:
- Features lilliputian doll-like figures.
- In one place, only a bird's beak has survived the ravages of time above a human figure.
- Fifth Panel:
- Depicts a lady squatting on the ground.
- Musicians engaged in a dancing revelry accompany her.
- Sixth and Seventh Panels:
- Described as well-nigh undecipherable.
- Closer inspection reveals several paintings resembling those found in Chaitya temples.
- Some representations of ancient Indian chariots are present.
- Fresco-Ground:
- The ground for the frescoes in Sitabenga Cave differs from that in Ajanta.
- At Ajanta, the fresco ground was prepared with a thick coating of earth and other materials.
- In Sitabenga, the ground appears to be made of white paints laid over the rough surface of the ceiling.
Inscriptions found on the stone walls of Jogimara and Sitabengra caves narrate a love affair between a dancing girl and a sculptor, providing a glimpse into the historical and cultural aspects of the region.
for detail study of indian art, read my book on amazon. https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0CQXGH6W3?ref_=cm_sw_r_tw_ud_dp_QDQ6EFQ0T4E2VC88QBV6_1
No comments:
Post a Comment