THE WORLDS OF JAIN ART
Manish Modi
THE WORLDS OF JAIN ART
17th — 21st Centuries
General Editor: Naman Ahuja
Guest Editors: Professor Dr Phyllis Granoff and Dr Nandita Punj
2025 • 33 × 24 cm • 148 full-colour plates • Paperback • 1 kilo
₹ 500
A Stunning Exploration of Jain Art Across Four Centuries
The Worlds of Jain Art: 17th to 21st Centuries is more than a book; it is a visual and intellectual journey. This beautifully produced volume brings together eleven essays exploring the richness and diversity of Jain art from the 17th century to the present day. Each work discussed is intertwined with narratives of karma, ritual, biography, lineage, and spiritual pursuit, revealing a community—both monastic and lay—deeply engaged with society, literature, and the arts. The essays showcase an openness to innovation, fresh styles, and evolving modes of religious practice.
Dedication
This volume is dedicated to Paul Dundas (23 May 1952 – 5 April 2023), a brilliant Jain scholar, an inspiring teacher, and a beloved friend. For us, the fact that this issue honours Paul—who was a dear friend—makes it special.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Phyllis Granoff, Nandita Punj | Page 12
The Worlds of Jain Art
Phyllis Granoff, Nandita Punj | Page 16
SECTION I: FAMOUS JAIN LIVES | Page 20
An Illustrated Chandana-maliyagari-barata of Karamchand
Victor Baptiste, Sonya Rhie-Mace | Page 22
Painting Karma: Illustrated Manuscripts of the Yashodharacharita
Nalini Balbir | Page 34
Reaping the Benefits of Almsgiving: Jain Merchant Culture and Early Modern Painted Shalibhadra Chaupai Manuscripts
Nandita Punj | Page 44
The Drama of a Layman: A Rare Illustrated Manuscript of Banarasi’s Samayasar Natak
Aleksandra Restifo | Page 56
Locating Holiness in a Changing World: Illustrating the Jinas in an Early 19th-Century Manuscript
Patrick Felix Krueger | Page 62
SECTION II: NARRATING RITUAL | Page 70
Sickly Princes, Troubled Merchants, and the Men who Oppose Them: The Narratives of Jain Yantras
Ellen Gough | Page 72
Butos and Arasu Daivas: Jain Beliefs and Tulu Traditions
Shobha Talengala | Page 82
SECTION III: JAINISM TRAVELS | Page 90
The Jagat Seth Ragamala from Murshidabad: Aesthetics of Jain Mercantile Cosmopolitanism in Early Modern Bengal
Mrinalini Sil | Page 92
Unfurling Udaipur’s Scrolls and Streets, Uncovering Histories of Letters Sent to Jain Monks
Dipti Khera | Page 102
The Shifting Place of Hand-Drawn Illustrations: Aesthetic and Cultural Significance in Contemporary Jain Practice
Shivani Bothra | Page 118
Manuscripts in Motion: Animation in the Being Jina Exhibition
Michaela Blaser | Page 124
Contributors | Page 128
Supplement - News and Reviews | Page 129
This beautifully produced magazine is now available to readers worldwide, offering an enchanting visual experience and a profound connection to Jain culture and art. With contributions from renowned scholars—and with the Guest Editor and several contributors being good friends of ours—this issue is especially close to our hearts.
🌸 Hindi Granth Karyalay, founded in 1912, is a luminous beacon of scholarship and cultural preservation. For over a century, it has published and distributed the finest works on Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and South Asian studies, offering readers a bridge to India’s profound intellectual and spiritual heritage. Its historic Mumbai bookshop—the city’s oldest of its kind—welcomes seekers to explore an extraordinary selection of titles spanning languages and disciplines: religion, philosophy, yoga, Ayurveda, literature, Indology, the arts, self-development, and children’s books. Works are available in Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhraṃśa, Gujarati, Marathi, and Urdu, thoughtfully curated to inspire, enlighten, and enrich.
Whether you are a scholar, a student, or a passionate reader, Hindi Granth Karyalay offers a timeless invitation to discover India’s literary and spiritual treasures, connecting generations of readers with knowledge that transcends time.
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