Nalanda Murals

The study of Indian Painting has always been a fascinating subject for the scholars, yet the Pala School of painting from Eastern India which occupy a conspicuous position in Indian art has often been a neglected field. We get very scanty references regarding the Pala School of painting. No systematic work on Pala painting was done earlier. The subject was therefore, chosen by the author who, also happened to be the excavator of the site. The work not only reveals the skill of the craftsmen of the past but a civilization that was at its height during the contemporary age.

The result of excavation at Nalanda has revealed the remains of a Buddhist temple, depicting mural-painting inside the sanctum-hall in the Eastern India for the first time. Till today, the Pala School of painting was only confined to Palm-leaves and manuscripts, preserved in the library and the museums of India and abroad. Hence, the discovery of such painting through excavation has inhanced the importance of Pala School of painting. Nalanda-Murals is the best specimen of Pala School of painting This is the only surviving example of the Pala period. No comprehensive work has been done on this topic so far. The Pala period (750 A. D.-1150 A. D.) witnessed the last great phase of Buddhism and Buddhist – art in India. The Buddhist monasteries of Nalanda, Odauntpuri, Vikramshila and Somapura were the great centres of Buddhist learning and art. The Pala-painting is characterised by sinuous line and with subdued-tones of colou It is naturalistic style which resembles the ideal forms of contemporary bronze and stone sculptures which reflects the same feeling of classical art of Ajanta.

In its first chapter, the sources to study has been narrated. In chapter two, the origin, concept and development of painting in India has been narrated with a comparative study of different styles. The third chapter deals with the technique applied to Nalanda Murals. Chapter four deals with pigments. Chapter five deals with the theme, dress, costumes, Hair styles, ornaments, Jewellery and its probable date. The book has been illustrated with plates of mural painting inside the sanctum hall.