An Illuminated Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript Depicting the Life of Jina Neminatha, India, Gujarat, Second Half ...

An Illuminated Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript Depicting the Life of Jina Neminatha, India, Gujarat, Second Half of the 15th Century.
This exquisitely painted Jain manuscript folio originates from a Kalpasutra (Book of Rituals), the most venerated canonical text of the Svetambara Jain tradition. Crafted in Gujarat during the second half of the 15th century, the folio is richly adorned with red, blue, and gold pigments. It forms part of a larger manuscript used during the annual Paryushan festival, when ascetics settle amidst the laity and recite the Kalpasutra.
The recto of the folio presents two narrative registers. The upper register depicts Jina Neminatha, the 22nd Tirthankara, leading a grand marriage procession. However, upon witnessing a pen of animals destined for slaughter as part of the wedding feast, he is overcome by compassion and renounces the ceremony. The lower register illustrates the Jina leaving the palace, followed by his would-be bride, Rajimati, as he embarks on the path of renunciation.
The verso continues the story. In the upper register, Neminatha distributes alms to the needy as part of his spiritual preparation. Below, in a powerful act of self-denial, he is shown plucking out his hair by hand—an initiation rite marking his transformation into an ascetic.
The script is Devanagari, beautifully inscribed against a vermilion background and bordered with floral decorations. This folio reflects the Jain values of non-violence (ahimsa), renunciation, and compassion, and stands as a superb example of medieval Indian manuscript painting.
Approximately 26.6 x 10.9cm
Provenance: Originally part of the personal collection of the artist Ravi Kishan Kashoroua from Kutch, Gujarat, dating to the late 1960s. Subsequently acquired in India by a German dealer, before entering a private collection in London.