Copy of a mural painting in Cave 1 at Ajanta by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art, India, 1872-1885

The centre of the painting is dominated by a Bodhisattva seated on a raised green platform. He wears a robe, has a nimbus around his head and his right hand extended pointing to the ground. Surrounding the Bodhisattva from above are an army of fearsome demons and warrior type figures with weapons, all looking aggressively at him, as if about to attack. On either side of the Bodhisattva are two female figures and below him are five other female figures, one holding a white covered vessel and the other four in with alluring poses. On the right hand side of the painting is a princely figure, fine jewels across his body.

Commissioned by Government of India between 1872-1885 and deposited at the India Museum, London.

Historical significance: The paintings inside the Ajanta caves tell stories from the lives of the Buddha. This painting depicts the Maravijaya jataka - the Assault and temptation of Mara on the eve of Enlightenment.

Narrative:
This painting recounts the story of the Bodhisattva before he became the Buddha. Here he is shown seated underneath the Bodhi tree (the tree represented by a branch with three leaves on it). He is determined not to leave this seat until he reaches enlightenment or ‘awakening’. However, Mara, lord of the sensual world, seen here on the right hand side as a princely figure adorned with ornate jewels, tries his best to stop him from achieving this and sends an army of demons to attack him.

The Bodhisattva remains unmoved and with his hand extended to touch the ground he summons the goddess of the earth, seen here standing on the right hand side of him, to testify to his virtue. Mara also sends his daughters to seduce him, seen here below the Bodhisatttva, in alluring poses. Enlightenment is achieved and the scenes depicting Mara’s defeat are only just visible here. In the bottom left hand corner is an Asoka tree under which Mara is said to have sat in despair at his failure and on the bottom right hand side a scene just below Mara shows warriors stuck to the ground, testifying to Mara’s defeat.

The cave paintings of Ajanta are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict scenes from the lives of the Buddha and date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480. The cave complex was discovered in 1819 and since then attempts have been made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872, John Griffiths from the Bombay school of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter for the following 13 years at the caves producing approximately 300 paintings, of which this is one.

Painted by John Griffiths and students from the Bombay School of Art

This is a copy of a mural painting in cave 1 at Ajanta. These cave paintings date from the 1st century BC to about AD 480 and are the oldest surviving examples of painting in India. They depict stories from the lives of the Buddha (the Jatakas).

Here the Bodhisattva sits beneath the Bodhi tree, seeking enlightenment or ‘awakening’. Mara (the princely figure on the right-hand side), lord of the sensual world, tries his best to prevent this. He sends demons and seductive women to distract him. The Bodhisattva remains unmoved. He summons the goddess of the earth (standing on his right-hand side) to testify to his virtue. Despite the temptations, he achieves enlightenment and Mara is defeated.

The cave complex was discovered in 1819 and attempts were made to document the paintings inside them. In 1844 Major Robert Gill was commissioned to make copies. Unfortunately most of the paintings he completed were destroyed in a fire in 1866. To make up for this loss, from 1872 to 1885 John Griffiths from the Bombay School of Art and seven Indian students spent every winter at the caves. This is one of the most elaborate of the approximately 300 paintings they produced.

IS.13-1885