Sittanavasal Paintings using Sikalnayakanpet Technique

Sittanavasal Caves is a 2nd-century Tamil cave complex located in Sittanavasal hamlet in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai district. A rock-cut monastery or temple serves as a monument. It is known as the Arivar Koil. Sittannavasal literally translates to "abode of the great saints" in Tamil

The most important mural of Sittannavasal is the exquisite composition depicting the delightful Jain heaven. The painting depicts Sama-vasaranathe adorable heavenly pavilion with the Bhavyas, the eligible souls fortunate to receive divine discourse in the Samava-sarana.

In Jainism, Samavasarana or Samosharana ("Refuge to All") is the divine preaching hall of the Tirthankara is stated to have more that 30,000 stairs in it. The word samavasarana is derived from two words, sama, meaning general and avasara, meaning opportunity. 

In samavasarana hall, the tirthankara sits on a throne without touching it facing the east, but appears to be looking in all directions. Tirthankara sits on a soft cushion while preaching the Jain philosophy in plain terms.

Samavasarana Depiction

                        

All humans and animals can understand the discourse. Jain scriptures say that all creatures who listen would become less violent and less greedy

According to Jaina faith, the Bhavyas have to pass through seven bhumis or regions before they gain eligibility to listen to the divine discourse. Among these bhumis, the second bhumi is the khatika-bhumi (region-of-the-tank)

The Sittannavasal mural depicts the joyous scenes at this divine lotus tank.  It pictures bhavyas amusing themselves in the delightful lotus tank full of lotus flowers, fishes, birds and animals.).

It is a picture of sublime happiness, where the Bhavyas happily gather, with tender care, lotus flowers having 1000 petals, while elephants appear to smile; and the bulls, birds and fishes are in playful mood. The figure of the bhavya is made with a lilting grace, like the stalks of the lotuses he gathers. It is a gracious world.

It is a celebration of life, even in after-life. It echoes the spirit of life immortalized in an inscription at Ajanta: “The joy of giving filled him so much that it left no space for the feeling of pain.”

It seemed to convey “Every leaf, every flower, every ant, deer, elephant and human form is filled with the same joyous spirit that flows through and connects all that there is in the world”.

A thousand petal lotus compared to mandala

                                     

                                        

Comparison of Ajanta and Sittanavasal Paintings

We recreated this scene in using sikalnayakanpet technique and the video of the work can be found here. Sittanavasal X Sikalnayakanpet