𝗕𝗔𝗚𝗛-𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦

        

Bagh is a small village located on the banks of the Baghni river, a tributary of Narmada, in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. The village has gained fame for its sari prints, known as Bagh Prints or Bagh Blocks, which draw inspiration from the Buddhist cave paintings located approximately 4 kilometers away. These ancient caves, carved into horizontal strata of sandstone and claystone, represent one of India's most significant Buddhist archaeological sites. The caves have attracted scholars, archaeologists, and artists for over two centuries, contributing immensely to our understanding of ancient Indian Buddhist art and culture.

The earliest modern reference to these caves comes from Captain F. Dangerfield, who visited in 1818 and published his account in 1820. Posted at Mhow as a Bombay Military Establishment officer, Dangerfield found four caves in ruins, noting that the claystone layer running six feet above the caves was responsible for their destruction. Local tradition attributed the caves to the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata, though Erskine later identified them as Buddhist in nature. Dr. Impey's 1857 account corrected the count to nine caves and provided valuable descriptions of the already weathered paintings. James Burgess offered detailed accounts in 1879 and 1880, comparing the paintings favorably to those at Ajanta and dating them between 450-500 CE, with paintings from the sixth century CE.

Following various early accounts, including those by Mme. Blavatsky and C.E. Luard between 1879-1910, the caves received official attention after the formation of the Gwalior Archaeological Department in 1913. Luard documented eight caves and provided local historical context, noting that the caves took their name from Bagh village, possibly after Raja Bagh Singh. The department undertook significant repair and conservation work, clearing debris and creating access platforms. Most importantly, they initiated a comprehensive painting copying project in 1920-21, engaging renowned artists including Nandalal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, and Surendranath Kar from Shantiniketan's Kala Bhavan, followed by students from J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai.

The first detailed archaeological account emerged in 1927 through contributions from John Marshall, J. Ph. Vogel, M.B. Garde, E.B. Havell, and Henry Cousins. Marshall praised these cave temples as remarkable monuments representing 1600 years of Indian art and architecture. He considered the paintings a "priceless treasure" comparable to European works up to Michelangelo's time. The discovery of a copper-plate grant of Maharaja Subandhu in cave 2 in 1929 provided the first epigraphic evidence, dated to the fifth-sixth century CE based on Gupta characters. S. Paramasivan's 1939 study documented the tempera painting techniques used, while various scholars continued contributing detailed accounts of the excavations and artistic methods.

The 1940s-50s brought significant dating revisions when V.V. Mirashi's epigraphic studies concluded that years in rulers' inscriptions from Valkha and Mahishmati belonged to the Kalachuri era (249 CE) rather than the Gupta era (320 CE), pushing back cave dating by approximately 70 years. P.K. Agrawala supported these findings. In 1972, Marg magazine published a dedicated issue featuring articles by Mulk Raj Anand and John Anderson, who argued for fourth-century CE execution, positioning Bagh as a predecessor to Ajanta. Walter Spink's comprehensive 1977 dating study compared pillar styles and iconography with contemporary Buddhist caves, particularly Ajanta, placing Bagh construction between 465-478 CE and connecting it to the broader context of Mahayana Buddhist development.

The Archaeological Survey of India conducted extensive preservation work from 1954-1965, addressing smoke damage, pigment flaking, and water seepage issues. In 1979-82, innovative techniques including the Italian strappo method were used to remove deteriorating paintings from cave walls. A major breakthrough occurred in 1982 when farmers discovered twenty-eight copper-plate grants in a casket, later published by S.P. Tewari and K.V. Ramesh in 1990. These grants, issued from Valkha and dated between years 47-134, provided crucial historical context. The twenty-first century brought renewed scholarly interest, with Monika Zin's 2001 identification attempts of painting narratives, followed by interpretive work by Anupa Pande and Meena Talim focusing on specific iconographic elements and Buddhist themes.

Recent scholarship has expanded understanding of Bagh's historical significance. Archana Verma's 2007 research identified Valkha with Bagh itself, demonstrating the region's transformation from a non-Sanskritized area to a Brahmanized cultural center during the Gupta period while maintaining Buddhist patronage. Meena Talim's 2014 comprehensive study covered all site paintings, incorporating Jataka tales and avadana stories. However, conservation challenges persist. Despite thirty years of ASI restoration efforts involving substantial resources and expertise, continuous water seepage and rock disintegration continue threatening these irreplaceable artworks. The ongoing struggle between preservation efforts and natural deterioration highlights the urgent need for innovative conservation approaches to safeguard this Buddhist heritage for future generations.

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WORLDS TO BE NOTED-

1. Ineffable
Definition: Too great, extreme, or intense to be expressed or described adequately in words; indescribable.

2. Perspicacious
Definition: Having a ready insight into and understanding of things; showing acute mental discernment and keen judgment.

3. Sesquipedalian
Definition: Describing words that are unnecessarily long or complicated; characterized by the use of long words.

4. Iconoclast
Definition: A person who attacks, criticizes, or challenges cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, or established practices.

5. Intransigent
Definition: Unwilling or refusing to change one's views, position, or agree about something; stubbornly uncompromising.

6. Tergiversation
Definition: The act of being indecisive, changing opinions frequently, or using evasive language to avoid committing to a position.

7. Eleemosynary
Definition: Relating to charity, charitable giving, or dependence on charity; philanthropic in nature.

8. Cacophony
Definition: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds that is often unpleasant to hear; jarring noise.

9. Inchoate
Definition: Just begun and not fully formed, developed, or organized; rudimentary or embryonic.

10. Aberration
Definition: A departure from what is normal, expected, or typical; a deviation that is usually temporary or unusual.

PARA SUMARRY-

Bagh is a small village in Madhya Pradesh, India, famous for its beautiful cave paintings and traditional sari prints. The village sits near the Baghni river and has nine ancient Buddhist caves that are about 1,500 years old. These caves were carved into sandstone hills and contain some of India's most beautiful paintings.

The caves were first documented by Captain Dangerfield in 1818, who found them in poor condition. Over the years, many explorers and scholars visited and studied these caves. The paintings inside show Buddhist stories and were made using special techniques where colors were mixed with glue and painted on prepared surfaces.

In the early 1900s, the government started taking care of the caves. Famous artists like Nandalal Bose came to make copies of the paintings before they got too damaged. Unfortunately, water leaking through the rocks has been slowly destroying the paintings for many years.

Archaeologists have found copper plates and inscriptions that help them understand when the caves were built - probably between 400-500 CE. Despite many efforts to save them, the caves continue to face problems from water damage. Today, these caves remain an important part of India's Buddhist heritage and attract visitors who want to see ancient Indian art.

SOURCE- PURATATTVA MAGAZINE

WORLDS COUNT -800

FLESCH-KINCAID -14