Adhaidvipa thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Adhaidvipa

Textile
19th century (made), 20th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Jain cosmological mandala: plan of Adhaidvipa, or the two and a half continents where mortals dwell. In Jain cosmography the universe is divided into three kingdoms: the upper, occupied by the celestials; the middle, by the mortals; and the lower, belonging to the damned and the disorderly. The continents, which are concentrically arranged, are separated by two ring-shaped oceans. The central continent is Jambudvipa, the continent of the rose-apple tree. Lines and tusk-shapes representing mountain ranges can be seen as well as blue wavy rivers. Four pairs of tusk-shaped promontories project into the inner ocean or Lavanasamudra (Ocean of Salt). At the very centre is Mount Meru. The part of the outermost continent inhabited by mortals is bounded by a chain of mountains. Annotations on the map are in Devanagari script, probably in the Rajasthani dialect of Hindi, and give details of the lands, rivers and their dimensions. In each of the four corners sits a Jina or Tirthankara, one of the 24 Jain saviours (called victors or ford-makers), in meditating posture.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAdhaidvipa (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Opaque watercolour on cloth
Brief description
Jain cosmological mandala: plan of Adhaidvipa; Gujarat, 19th century
Physical description
Jain cosmological mandala: plan of Adhaidvipa, or the two and a half continents where mortals dwell. In Jain cosmography the universe is divided into three kingdoms: the upper, occupied by the celestials; the middle, by the mortals; and the lower, belonging to the damned and the disorderly. The continents, which are concentrically arranged, are separated by two ring-shaped oceans. The central continent is Jambudvipa, the continent of the rose-apple tree. Lines and tusk-shapes representing mountain ranges can be seen as well as blue wavy rivers. Four pairs of tusk-shaped promontories project into the inner ocean or Lavanasamudra (Ocean of Salt). At the very centre is Mount Meru. The part of the outermost continent inhabited by mortals is bounded by a chain of mountains. Annotations on the map are in Devanagari script, probably in the Rajasthani dialect of Hindi, and give details of the lands, rivers and their dimensions. In each of the four corners sits a Jina or Tirthankara, one of the 24 Jain saviours (called victors or ford-makers), in meditating posture.
Dimensions
  • Height: 54.5cm
  • Width: 55cm
  • Height in modern card mount height: 71.5cm
  • Width in modern card mount width: 85.8cm
  • Height of modern textile lining height: 56.7cm
  • Width of modern textile lining width: 56.9cm
Style
Object history
The painting was purchased by the Museum in London from Maggs Bros. Ltd in 1972.
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.91-1970

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Record createdNovember 15, 2002
Record URL
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