Left: Goddess Sharada enthroned surrounded by fairies. From a Private collection. Probably 18th century. Kashmir. Notice the way angels are painted around the orb. Came aross the image in “Cosmology and Cosmic Manifestation: Shaiva Thought And Art Of Kashmir by Bansi Lal Malla (2015). While writing about the image, the author missed an important art connection.
Right: 16th century, Ṣafavid Iran. Miraj painted by Sultan Muhammad for a manuscript of Nizami Ganjavi’s Quinary (“Panj Ganj” or “Khamsa”. Art styling inspired by Buddhist China. Khamsa was a work popular in Persian and Mughal courts. Notice the way fairies are drawn and the headgear on them.
In the right image, Khamsa influence on the court culture of Kashmir can be seen as late as 18th century. This mixing of culture, arts and “sacred” was not a phenomena unique to Kashmir, other major cultural centers also experienced it and continue to experience it. Only in case of Kashmir, it is least studied in detail.
The post from 2012 about evolution of modern painting in Kashmir:
In 1947, just when geographic borders of Kashmir were getting re-defined, a bunch of artists started on a journey that was to alter the borders of Indian art. Six young artists founded the Progressive Artists Group in Bombay. These were FN Souza, SH Raza, KH Ara, MF Husain, SK Bakre and HA Gade. Around same time three men in Kashmir were also going Progressive mentored by the artists from Bombay group. These were S.N. Butt, Triloke Kaul and P.N. Kachru. When SH Raza reached out to these artists in Kashmir in August 1948, the result was formation of ‘Progressive Artists Association’ in Srinagar in October. It’s first exhibition was held in May 1949 and by October that year the exhibition traveled out to Delhi. The two progressive groups continued to inspire each other for many years to come. Raza famously went on to explore the Tantric symbolism in his paintings inspired by Kashmir. In 1950s, Raza went on to mentor one of the best known progressive artists from Kashmir, G.R. Santosh who too worked on Tantric symbolism.
Earlier this year I got married. I married someone related to Triloke Kaul. Kashmiri marriage formalities require that the new couple eat-out with relatives of each other. A meeting with Triloke Kaul is what I looked most forward to. I wanted the complete story of the art movement in Kashmir.
And I had something special for him: images from March 1955 issue of Marg: A Magazine of the Arts (Heritage of Kashmir Special Issue) edited by Mulk Raj Anand. The issue carried some of his early works along with that of his colleagues.
In his room the TV was on Tetris mode. I think he plays. He doesn’t follow news much. Classical India Music plays, he records it and neatly arranges them by the Ragas.
We talked about the magazine, turns out he helped Mulk Raj Anand edit the particular issue, he even ghost wrote the introduction to the issue He identified the sketches done by him in the issue…most of the sketches of Kashmiri ornaments.
In the magazine, he saw one of his early work: Ajanta. It was done during his Baroda days. He doesn’t have it with him. I have promised to send a scan to him. He also asked for a work of S.N. Butt.
And about that iconic self-portrait. I was happy to see that he had a sense of humor. He indulged me when I suggested that he offer me a pose with the cigarette. He even suggested the proper angle. He told me that back in 1950s when that portrait was exhibited in Jehangir Art Gallery, a photographer did capture him against the painting holding onto a cigarette between the lips.
No, he doesn’t have most of his old work with him. In 1990, he lost most of his early work to conflict when he was forced to shift to Jammu like other Kashmiri Pandits.
Left: the deity from his ancestral village talked art.
He talked art and history. How he mentored Santosh and how young Raza greatly influenced all of them. The names of the Kashmiri artists of earlier generation and the politics of the later years.
Here’s the audio of the conversation (primarily in Kashmiri):
History of Progressive Art in Kashmir with Triloke Kaul
The colonnade of Buniyar Temple, situated along the Baramula-Uri road on way to Mohra, housed something that caught my eye: ancient sculptured stone slabs. In traditional Kashmiri architecture for temples suggests that colonnades surrounding a temple housed images of deities. Now, these empty colonnades at Buniyar house these stone slabs.
I need to find out what they are. These stone slabs are found all over Kashmir. A lot of them now placed in temples and worshipped. As usual, Kashmiris haven’t documented much, the stones are simply called ‘memorial stones’, I know a discovery awaits.
One of the stone slabs at Buniyar depicted a horse man with the upper panel of the slab depicting a woman. It is an iconography associated with ‘Sati-Stones’ of India. In ancient times when a woman burned for her husband had died, at the spot where she died, a stone memorial was put.
Rajatarangini mentions Sati was practiced in Kashmir, yet there is not memory of it in the Pandit community. However, a more modern history tells us ‘Sati’ was almost revived by Pandits in around 1830s. * Still no memory of it.
Kashmir is know as ‘Satidesh’ (County of Sati). The mythical origins of the valley come from the story of Sati, the first wife of Shiva who immolated herself. Yet, no memory of ‘Sati’ practice.
Still, these stone memorial stand testimony to a time when women were burnt alive and then worshipped.
I am not the first person to notice the ‘sati-stones’ of Kashmir. One of the first archaeological reports on ancient monuments of Kashmir did mention the probability that these were ‘sati-stones’.
Rai Sahib Daya Ram during his survey of monuments of Kashmir in around 1915 wrote:
“Another class of antiquities of this late period which are very common everywhere in Kashmir, are a kind of memorial spans which might have been sati stones. […]The face of the slab is divided into two compartments, the upper one containing a standing figure of Bhairava with this usual emblems, and the lower a female figure seated between a bird and a dog, the vehicle of the diety referred to. In some examples, the female is represented as seated by the side of her deceased husband.”
Daya Ram in ‘Pre-Muhammadan Monuments of Kashmir’ ascribes the stone slabs to 14th century, the late part of Kashmir History, towards the end of Hindu rule when no big shrines were anymore constructed.
To understand these memorial stones (as with understanding the ancient architecture of Kashmir), we have to look at our Hindu neighbours.
Near Kashmir, Mandi in Himachal is famous for ‘Sati-Stones’. They would put up memorials for dead warriors and their burnt wives.
In a paper on tombs at Hinidan in the Las Bela, on right bank of Hab river, about 73 miles from Karachi. The tombs were interesting because they belong to an era when Islam was new to the region and the rituals for the dead were a mix of native belief and Islamic rules. On some of the tombs, there were human figures drawn. Jean Philippe Vogel in Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report 1902-1903 writes:
“In Kangra and other Himalayan tracts such slabs are commonly found in the courtyards of temples, near tanks and under banyan and pipal trees. That in many instances the stone exhibits more than one figure, is explained by the fact that women, who became Sati, were represented on the same slab with their husband. Curious examples of this kind is the so-called Sati slabs of the Rajas of Mandi. here they are called barselas, because they are worshipped for one year (bars), but the general name by which they are known in the Kangra valley is muhra. Near nagar, the ancient capital of Kullu, there is a collection of muhras, several of which have a figure said to represent either a Rani who died before here husband, or a Raja who became an ascetic. On some of them the effigy of a horse will be seen at the bottom of the slab as is always the case with the Mandi stones. “
It’s interesting that the place called Mohra in Kashmir is not far from Buniyar. Such memorial stones were more common in Lar Pargana of Kashmir.
Rajatarangini tells us 14th century was a turbulent time as the local powers where constantly at war with each other and Islam was introduced in Kashmir. Men were dying in wars and women were getting burnt.
This brings us to the other kind of memorial stones found in Kashmir: the ‘Hero-Stones’
Two more slabs housed at Buniyar
These stone slabs were put up where a great warrior fell in war.
Sati Stone
Some memorial slabs kept at SPS Museum, Srinagar
Hero Stone
These stones are essentially dead men and their dead wives, tales of war and bloodshed, reminders of gruesome ancient customs and traditions. These are episodes from Rajatarangini, our past.
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“During the administration of Dewan Kirpa Ram [(1826-1830)] Kashmiri Pandits resumed the ancient practice of Sati in all likelihood persuaded by the Sikhs and the Punjabi Hindus.” [A History of Sikh Rule in Kashmir, 1819-1846, R. K. Parmu]
In 9th century, Buddhism was in decline in trans-himalayan region due to persecution from Bon Tibetan rulers like Langdarma of Guge (A.D. 836 to 842). The faith was in decline until King Yeshe-Ö (A.D. 947-1024) came to the throne of the kingdom that consisted of the present Indian territories of Ladakh, Spiti and Kinnaur, and Guge and Purang in western Tibet.
To revive the faith, Yeshe-Ö sent 21 young men to viharas of Kashmir and other parts of India where Buddhism was still flourishing. They were to study and translate the texts of Mahayana Buddhism and bring them to west Tibet. Of these 21 men, only two survived the journey and returned home. One of them was Rinchen Zangpo who in 10th century is credited to have built over 100 monasteries all over Himalayan region from Ladakh to Sikkim. Of these building few survive, the best and the most famous remains Alchi about 10,500 feet above sea level in Ladakh, by the side of Indus.
At the entrance of Alchi a contemporary painting representing Lochen Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055) . He is said to have founded the Alchi monastery by planting a pipal tree here. Lochen means ‘the great translator’.
Rinchen Zangpo was a student of Buddhist Bengali master named Atiśa (Born 980, Bikrampur, Bengal, Pala Empire (now in Bangladesh)). Zangpo is said to have spent quite sometime studying in Kashmir. His biography mentions that for building Alchi and other monasteries, Zangpo brought 32 artists from Kashmir. Thus, laying foundation for one of the oldest and the most unique monasteries of Ladakh. It is here, you can see scenes from ancient Kashmir – 900 year old glimpses left by those Kashmiri hands. Kalhana was to offer us such glimpses only some time later in 12th century. The best place to visualize his Rajatarangini is at Alchi rendered in a style mixing Indian, Kashmiri, Tibetan and central Asian artistic traditions.
Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in Sumtseg temple
The Kashmiri painters at Alchi have drawn these scenes around bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in Sumtseg temple of Alchi. Avalokiteśvara, ‘the lord who looks down’, the buddha of compassion, is said to live on mythical mountain Potalaka which modern scholars say is in fact Pothigai hills of Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu/Kerala).
Site map of Alchi Chhoskhor
The monastery was abandoned in 16th century for some unknown reasons
It is now run by Likir Monastery, currently headed by the Dalai Lama’s younger brother, Tenzin Choegyal.
Although Ladakhi tradition places the monastery in 10th century and to Zangpo, inscriptions at the temple ascribe the monastery to a Tibetan noble called Kal-dan Shes-rab later in the 11th century. The various temples here are now dated to be between early 12th and early 13th centuries. A period of great religious and political upheaval for the entire region with the coming of Ghaznavid Attacks on the sub-continent, but miraculously, owning to its geographic location, left this place untouched.
Sumtseg/Sumtsek temple made in stone and mud brick supported by wooden beams
Alchi temples are also the oldest surviving big wooden structures done by Kashmiris.
Maiteya Buddha
Akshobhya Buddha
Bodhisattva
The upper floors are off limits for tourists
the caretaker monk
If you are a woman, there is a chance he will grab your hand and try to explain away the place.
Inside the temple: Pattern drawn on the beams is now believed by scholars to have patterned on the design of Kashmiri textile, making it the only surviving sample of Kashmiri cloth design of medieval times.
West niche of Sumtsek temple
Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara
the most interesting part of Alchi complex
Avalokiteśvara’s painted clay dhoti
Scholars like British anthropologist David Snellgrove and German art historian Roger Goepper have suggested that the scenes depict ancient pilgrimage sites of Kashmir or famous sites of Kashmir known to the artists (depicts 13 places in all and a place). It is a map of Kashmir.
A Shiv Temple
And
the Riders
The figures in the painting look too Kashmiri, with typical nose, beards and half-closed eyes. But the over-all feel seems a bit Islamic.
Not just Trans-Himalayan and Indian subcontinent, 10th, 11th and 12 century Kashmir was also going through some major changes.
The Hindu Shahi Kings in Kabul were going to rise and then fall under Ghaznavid blade. Kashmir of Lalitaditya Muktapid ( 724- 761 A. D.) when Hinduism and Buddhism flourished together in Kashmir was past but its legacy in form of architecture was still alive (One of the oldest Kashmir text from the era, ‘Nilamata Purana’, mentions Buddha was one of the lords worthy of worship).
Queen Didda (979-1005 AD), grand-daughter of Bhimadeva, Shahi ruler of Kabul, arrived to rule Kashmir. Shivaie Abhinavgupta wrote the great work of Kashmir Shaivism, Tantrāloka. Mahmud Gaznavi couldn’t get Kashmir due to its remoteness. For the moment valley was safe from outsiders. But, wasn’t safe from insiders.
Kashmir was to see the reign of Harsha (ruled 1089-1111 AD), a destroyer of Hindu and Buddhist temples. He had many ancient temples destroyed, had their golden statues melted for financial reasons. In fact, for his temple destroying ways, Kalhana calls Harsha a ‘Turushkas’. Apart his temple destroying ways, Kalhana (whose father was a minister for Harsha) in his Rajatarangini also remembers the King as a patron of arts and music. It is mentioned that under his rule new fashions of dress and ornaments from foreign were introduced. His ministers were always luxuriously dressed. In his army were employed Turk soldiers (foreign Muslims, in Rajatarangini any Muslim from Central Asia was a ‘Turk’). Can these be the riders seen in the paintings at Sumtsek?
Rajatarangini, mentions that the scale of Harsha’s temple destruction was immense, but some temples did survive. Among those saved was one at Parihaspora, left untouched as a favor to a singer named Kanaka. The year was 1097.
Parihaspora was the capital of Lalitaditya. Here he had built five large buildings viz.,(1) the temple of Mukta-keshva with a golden image of Vishnu, (2) the temple of Parihasa-keshava with a silver image of Vishnu.(3) the temple of Mahavaraha with its image of Vishnu clad in golden armour, (4) the temple of Govardhanadhara with a silver image and (5) Rajavihara with a large quadrangle having a large copper Buddha. At the site, was also a stupa built by Chankuna, Tokharian minister of Lalitaditya.
The site has earlier been plundered by S’amkaravarman (A.D. 883-902), son of Avantivarman. But, obviously some of it must have survived. The silver image of Vishnu Parihasa-keshava was carried away and broken up by King Harsha. Rajavihara was not touched. The site was finally destroyed by Sikandar But-Shikan (A.D. 1394-1416). However, even up to the year 1727 A.D. the Paraspur plateau showed architectural fragments of great size, which were carried away as building materials.
Caitya of Cankuna which housed Brhad Buddha
1915, Parihaspora
The scholars now suggest that these Buddhist sites of Parihaspora can be seen depicted in the paintings on the west niche of Sumtsek temple.
west niche of Sumtsek temple.
representation of Lalitaditya chaitya at Parihaspora
Stupa built by Cankuna at Parihaspora
In the center
Green Tara in varada mudra
Born of Avalokiteśvara’s tear
protects from ‘unfortunate circumstances’
Style in which her eyes are drawn can be seen in Ellora murals (8th Century), Aurangabad, Maharastra
Manjushri
Right wall
Dhoti depicting scenes from life of Shakyamuni
Mahakala
Lotsa Temple
Mahakaal Inside
Gate of Manjushri temple
Red Manjushri Inside
Bodhisattva of wisdom
Saraswati of Hindus,
the goddess of Kashmir
Outside the temple, there are some monk cells meant for meditation.
The inside of the monk cells tell another interesting tale.
the designs and paintings
inside the monk cell
Notice the flying apsara…now see this:
Photograph of the Meruvardhanaswami temple at Pandrethan near Srinagar, taken in 1868 by John Burke. Pandrethan, now mostly in ruins, is one of Kashmir’s historic capitals, said by Kalhana in his poetical account of Kashmiri history called Rajatarangini to have been founded by king Pravarsena in the 6th century AD.
The ceiling of the temple:
Copy of Pandrethan ceiling prepared by one R.T. Burney was presented by W.G. Cowie in his 1865 paper ‘Notes on some of the Temples of Kashmir, especially those not described by General A. Cunninghan’ (Journal of The Asiatiic Society of Bengal Volume 35, Part 1. 1866)
The design on the ceiling was first copied by Alexander Cunningham in around 1848 after a tip-off by Lord John Elphinstone. When Cunningham visited the temple, there was evidence that one time the ornamentation, the designs and the figures of the temple must have been profusely plastered over to cover its naked idol beauty. [for details read: Ceiling of Pandrethan]
By 13th century, the Buddhist Kashmiri Pandits in Ilkhanate court where heading back to Kashmir as Iran became Islamic. But, by the end of 14th century, Kashmir also became Islamic. The famous Bodh vihara of Nalanda in Bihar was destroyed by Muhammad Khilji. It’s last head a Kashmiri named Shakyashri Bhadra (1127-1225) headed for Tibet and then retired to Kashmir.
Later Rajataranginis tell us that temples with beautifully painted walls were found in Kashmir till Akbar arrived in 16th century. The area around Hari Parbat in Srinagar was full of such temples. But, these got lost or destroyed and none remain. Around 16th century Alchi monastery was abandoned for unknown reasons. The stories on its walls remained etched and untouched for centuries. A little time capsule, storing the glory of ancient Kashmir and its artists.
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Wood carving workshop on Jhelum river.
Fateh Kadal, Urdu Bazaar.
Way to the Ghat
Upper floor
The entire building used to be wooden. It is now being remade in cement and bricks. The upper floor was still under works. If I could get into that floor, the view would have been something like this:
Herath is now often remembered as the day of Shiva’s marriage. A day of Shiva. A reflection of state of our society today. A correction: it is day of Parvati and Shiva. A small ritual in a Kashmiri Pandit wedding involves the bride holding up a mirror and the couple seeing each other’s reflection in it. A Pandit wedding is essentially a recreation of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. The bride, Parvati holds the mirror and brings a certain self-realization upon Shiva. A balance. The nature of Shiva changes at this self-realization. The approach, the methods to explain him, changes. A war of ideas is settled. All made possible by Parvati, and the mirror she holds. Harsha V. Dehejia explains in ‘Parvatidarpana: An Exposition of Kasmir Saivism through the Images of Siva and Parvati (1997)’:
“Shiva’s first cognition discovers the sensuous Parvati
but he cognises yet again and sees the mirror in her hand
The first cognition reveals the lustful Parvati
the second cognition none other than Shiva himself
in the mirror of Parvati.
Shiva is wonderstruck, he experiences the rasa of adbhuta
at the transformation brought about by the mirror
a movement from the enigmatic dvaita to the restful advaita
such is the wonder of pratyabhijna that creates the majestic
advaita
not the advaita of negation but of affirmation, not where the mind whispers netineti
but the chitta joyously exclaims itiiti.”
Image: Shiva and Parvati (holding mirror), Kashmir, 10th or 11th century. Cincinnati Art Museum. [source: wiki]
The Pratyabhijna thoughts started in Kashmir with the writings of Somananda (875–925 CE) and Utpaladeva (ca. AD 900–950).
Based on the 11th and 12th sarga of Kāśmīrakamahākaviśrījayānakaviracitaṃ Pr̥thvīrājavijayamahākāvyam.
Prithviraja Vijaya Mahakavya was written by Kashmiri poet Jayanaka between 1193-1200 A.D in Ajmer at the royal court of Prithviraj Chauhan III. It was an epic eulogy to the Chauhan, and along with Rajput history, it gives the description of early battles between forces of Prithviraj and Muhammad Ghori.
The only known manuscript of the poem (missing some sections) was found in around 1875 in Kashmir in Sarda script by Georg Bühler. It was a commentary on the work by Jonaraja, who is famous for having written Dvitiya Rajatarangini (second Rajatarangini), covering the period from 1150 A.D. to 1459 A.D.
In 11th sarga, Prithviraj is told the story of destruction of asuras Sunda and Upasunda. He hears about defeat of Ghori’s forces in Gujarat. He retires to his picture gallery, browses through his illustrated books and is aroused by image of apsaraTilotamma, the one made from the ‘finest bits’, the cause of destruction of Sunda and Upasunda. He over hears someone recite a verse, ‘…everything comes to him who strives to get it.’
In 12 sarga, the reciter is introduced: Jayanaka, from the fine land of Sharda – Kashmira Mandala. A man knowing six languages, great-grandson of a brother of Sivaratha, a minister of King Uchchala of Kashmir (1101-1111 A.D.).
Near But Kadal in Zadibal, Srinagar, is a 15th century monument known as ‘Madin Sahib’ named after the tomb and mosque of Sayyid Muhammad Madani who came to India with Timur in 1398 and moved to Kashmir during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Butshikan (1389–1413 CE). The monument comprises of a Mosque and a Tomb, with the mosque dating back to around 1444 which first came up during the reign of Zain-ul-Abidin, incorporating elements from an older Hindu monument.
In 1905, archaeological surveyor W. H. Nicholls (1865-1949), during his pioneering study of Muslim architecture in Kashmir, was the first to notice the uniqueness of the art of this building among all the Muslim monuments in India. The mosque had glazed tiles of a kind unlike any other building in India and some tiles was painted a mystical beast not seen anywhere on any other mosque in India. The beast could be seen in the tile work on left spandrel of arch at entrance.
Nicholls wrote in a report:
“a beast with the body of a leopard, changing at the beck into the truck of a human being, shooting apparently with a bow and arrow at its own tail, while a fox is quietly looking on among flowers and cloud-forms. These peculiar cloud-forms are common in Chinese and Persian art, and were frequently used by Mughals – by Akbar in the Turkish Sultana’s house at Fathepur-Sikri, Jahangir at Sikandarah, and Shah Jahan in the Diwan-i-Khass at Delhi, to mention only a few instances. The principal beast in the picture is about four feet long, and is striking quite an heraldic attitude. The chest, shoulders, and head of the human being are unfortunately missing. The tail ends in a kind of dragon’s head. As for the colour, the background is blue, the trunk of the man is read, the leopard’s body is yellow with light green spots, the dragon’s head and the fox are reddish brown, and the flowers are of various colours. It is most probable that if this beast can be run to earth, and similar pictures found in the art of other countries, some light will be thrown upon the influences bearing upon the architecture of Kashmir during a period about which little is at present known.”
Nicholls supposed the figure like the main building too came up in 1444, which would make it pre-Mugal. However, John Hubert Marshall (1876-1958), superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India, in his introduction to Nicholl’s report mentions that a Persian text at the site indicted that the present entrance was added during Shah Jahan’s time (1626 to 1658), that would make it from 17th century and not 15th century. [More recently inscriptions have been found from the time of Dara Shikoh too]
Beast as drawn by W. H. Nicholls in his Muhammadan architecture in Kashmir by Mr. W. H. Nicholls for ‘Archaeological Survey of India Report 1906-7’ [uploaded here] Digitally distorted copy as made available by Digital Library of India
Although the figure was unique and the description by Nicholls was repeated verbatim often when talking about architecture of Kashmir. The mystery beast wasn’t explained till recent times in obscure journals. And even then there is much confusion.
Using Google Image search, it took me just five minutes to figure out that the image stands for the Islamic astrological figure representation of eclipse happening in Sagittarius or centaur (ai-qaws), the bow man represents the planet Jupiter, while the dragon is al-jawzahar, the devouring pseudo planet. The concept of 8th planet coming after the 7 planets (the sun, the moon, saturn, jupiter, mars, venus and Mercury), is supposed to reached Sasanian Empire from Indian Astrological concept of Rahu (head) – Ketu (Tail), the two (but 1) pseudo planet(s), a giant dragon that occasionally devours planets, a concept that made its way into all major schools of eastern astrology.
In case of Sagittarius, the eclipse is a weak, hence the Bowman is shown defiantly shooting into the mouth of the dragon (Rahu).
Such figures could be (and can still can be found) from the time of AbbasidDynasty inregion as wide as Iraq to Iran. Abbasid calip Abu Ja’far al-Mansur (r. 754-75) is said to have built his capital at Baghdad under the astrological sign of Sagittarius. In Iran, it is very common in Isfahan, a place whose symbol is Sagittarius, having something to do with the year the city came up in 16th century around 1591 with defeat of Uzbeks. Sagittarius represented meant realm of Persia around this time. The building with Sagittarius in Iran came up mostly came up in 16th century. However al-jawzahar showing up on a building in Indian sub-continent is unique. It is interesting that the monument falls in the Shia locality and is claimed by them. There was colony of Persian traders at the place till 1830, when religious riots forced them to move back to Iran.
Sagittarius in Persian astrological treatise from 9th century, ‘Kitâb al-Mawalid’ by Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi Also known as ‘The Book of Nativities’ or ‘The Book of Revolution of the Birth Years’. One of the most influential works from Islamic astrology
Sagittarius on the entrance to the bazaar of Esfahan source
In 1926, some of the tiles from the monument were moved to Victoria and Albert Museum. The tiles were described to be coloured in “iron-red, manganese-purple, tin-white, copper-green, cobalt and copper blues, on an opaque antimony-yellow ground. Height 8 inches, width 32 inches.”
The Sagittarius figure however was to be found on the entrance just until 1983. The tiles were then moved to Central Asian Museum (University of Kashmir, Srinagar).
In this photograph from 1983 for the renovation happening at the place, the tiles on entrance are missing. Some additional tiles (some of the missing pieces of the Bowman) were found in rubble and now stay at SPS Museum, Srinagar.
Prataap Patrose, Aga Khan Visual Archive, MIT source
The actual sketch of the beast by W. H. Nicholls in 1905
A color version I tried to create using GIMP. Color palette based on description by Nicholls and of the tiles at Victoria and Albert Museum.
The missing pieces Sagittarius tile not given in the sketch of Nicholls at SPS Museum November 2014 The cations for the display of course don’t tell you the story of the tile
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In 1994, archeologist Ajaz Banday in Srinagar did identify the image as Sagittarius and yet the image continues to baffle people.
In 2011, Aniket Sule tried to explain the figure as ‘Indian record for Kepler’s supernova: Evidence from Kashmir Valley’ [pdf link]. The writer tried to explain the dragon spitting fire as representation of Kepler supernova witnessed in 1604.
An argument to the contrary was provide by Robert H. van Gent in his paper ‘No evidence for an early seventeenth-century Indian sighting of Keplers supernova’ (2012) [archive.org link], placing the image well back in Islamic astrological iconography. (As explained a simple google image search would have stopped anyone from superimposing supernova on that figure)
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Interestingly, Sagittarius, it seems, was always watched closely by Muslim astronomers and astrologers.
In 1575, Taqi ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ma’ruf, court astronomer of Sultan mural III (reigned 1574-1595), established an observatory in Istanbul. This was the last great observatory built in Islamic empire. When the Great comet of 1577 appeared in Sagittarius, Taqi al-Din predicted that Turkish army would win against Persian. The Turkish army did win but the losses for Turks was also great. And then in the same year some important men of the court died, this was follow by plague. Taqi’s rival astrologers and clerics convinced the Sultan that observatory was the cause. The observatory was destroyed in around 1580. This destruction of the last Islamic observatory almost coincides with the construction of first modern observatories in Europe by Tycho Brahe. Johannes Kepler, all of age six, was among the people who witnessed the great comet of 1577 and later went on to assist Brahe, and much later helped change the way people look at sky forever.
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Further read and references:
The Dragon in Medieval East Christian and Islamic Art (2011) by Sara Kuehn
Slaves of the Shah: New Elites of Safavid Iran (2004) edited by Sussan Babai
A History of Physical Theories of Comets, From Aristotle to Whipple (2008) by Tofigh Heidarzadeh
Jews, Christians, and the Abode of Islam: Modern Scholarship, Medieval Realities (2012) By Jacob Lassner
Inside cover of ‘Kashmir’ (1977) by art critic Francis Brunel. Book gives it simply as ‘Miniature from Kashmiri Hindu manuscript’. It is easily identifiable as an episode from Mahabharata: Abhimanyu in Chakravyuh.
