The Nilagama Painter and Mahaya the Chief Guardian

Dr. H. S. S. Nissanka

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[Part 1]

The descendants of eighteen families that accompanied the Bo-saplings during the time of Emperor Asoka (264-227 BC)

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Several scholars have referred to the eighteen families that accompanied the Bo-sapling - a gift to King Devanampiya Tissa by Emperor Asoka (264-227 BC). An effort is made here to trace the descendants of those families.

The Nilagama Painter

On 22 May 1992 Ven. Pallegama Gnanaratana Nayaka Thera - the Head of Atamasthana (the eight places of worship in the city of Anuradhapura) told this writer that out of the eighteen families that accompanied the Bo-sapling only one family is still in attendance at the sacred Bodhi-Tree.

Others had gone into oblivion. It has to be noted here that, so far, no serious effort has been made by scholars to trace those families.

In February 1985, almost by accident, I came across a traditional Sri Lankan painter living in a modest dwelling in Nilagama - a small village in the District of Matale, Sri Lanka.

This fascinating meeting with the 67 year old Jeevan Nainde, a Nilagama painter, led to the writing of an article in the Sunday Observer on 24 February 1985. It was an attempt to trace the lineage of Jeevan Nainde. So far no one has contested the points raised in this article.

Traditional duties

Jeevan Nainde has no traditional duties assigned to him at the Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura but he claims he is a descendant, not only of Sigiri-painters but also of the painter family that accompanied the Bo-sapling from Gaya to Anuradhapura. (Mahavamsa does not mention the 18 families but there is reference to the weavers, potters and handicraft men.)

Prof. S. Paranavitana has explained: “Painting was an art practised by people of ancient Ceylon, in common with others of the Indian civilization, from the earliest historical times, but no remains anterior in date to those at Sigiri which are of the fifth century have so far been found in the island... Belonging to about the same period as Sigiri are fragmentary remains of paintings in a cave at Hindagala... the pigments used and the technique followed the same at Sigiri.

According to popular traditions, there were paintings done in the relic chambers of the Ruwanweli stupa and Mahiyangana stupa. Mahavamsa gives a description of various works of art placed in the relic chamber of Ruwanweli stupa built by King Dutugemunu (101-77 BC).”

Sigiri paintings display not only the ancient Sri Lankan traditions of drawings and painting techniques but also the scientific knowledge of making colours that stood the test of time.

The whole of Sigiri including the vast area surrounding it, portrayed the dynamics of a civilization which belongs to the Anuradhapura period of Sri Lanka’s history. There is no historical evidence to prove that Sigiri paintings were done by painters from India - those of Ajanta and Ellora fame who could have been invited by King Kassapa (AD 460-478) who built Sigiri.

Sinhala Bodhivamsa

The arrival of the Bo-sapling from Gaya accompanied by various people, is no longer considered a myth. The Sinhala Bodhivamsa - a book written in the fourteenth century - refers to eight families of painters and sculptors that accompanied the Bo-sapling. It is reasonable to believe that the Emperor Asoka would have selected them from the best painters and sculptors in India.

The Nilagama painter and his ancestors were skilled in both painting and sculpture. There is enough historical evidence for tracing the Nilagama painter’s family from the time of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe (AD 1747-1782). According to a deed (sannasa) given by this king to a great-great-grandfather of Jeevan Nainde, his (Jeevan Nainde’s) family name was “Bodhi Narayana Buwaneka Bahu Chitra Patabendige.”

Many of the descendants of this family such as Abaranappu, Velappu, Appunainde, Kapurunainde, Kirinainde and Silvatenne were well-known artists.

Some of them have painted the walls of several temples during the Kandy period. The deed of land, gifted to the family by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe, bears the name Bodhipatabendige which indicates some connection with the Bodhi Tree.

The members of Jeevan Nainde’s family are living in the villages of Gokarella, Dambukola, Meelawela, Mangalagama, Udawatta, Medabedde, and Pussellagama. These villages are situated in the Districts of Kandy, Matale and Kurunegala. Jeeven Nainde is the most articulate of all the painters now practising their traditional art.

Jeevan Nainde told me that he had heard from his father and grandfather that it was their ancestors who did the paintings at Sigiri, Hindagala, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Yapahuwa, Ridee Vihare, Degaldoruwa, Medawela and the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.

I pointed out to him that the paintings of Sigiri differed from the paintings at places like Dambulla and Degaldoruwa. I was surprised to hear Jeevan Nainde’s explanation. He said: “When female figures had to be drawn and painted in Buddhist shrines, the artists of my family used much restraint, not depicting them in their full seductiveness unlike at Sigiri which was not a place of worship”.

This seemed to be a convincing a argument for the case that Nilagama artists provide a missing link between Sigiri of Anuradhapura period and Degaldoruwa of Kandy period. Besides, Nilagama, Dambulla and Sigiri are all situated in the District of Matale. Before the advent of the modern transport system, a person from Nilagama could have walked up to Dambulla or Sigiri in a few hours’ time. It was almost a tradition for these painters to stay at their place of work for about two weeks at a stretch.

They were fed and looked after while they were at work. They would come back to their homes about once in two week. On the day I went to Nilagama, I was told that Jeevan Nainde had gone to the nearby village temple and he would stay over there for a couple of days. It was at this temple that I first met him. It was at my specific request that he consented to come back to his house with me.

Artist’s dwelling

There is evidence in Jeevan Nainde’s village, Nilagama itself, to indicate the continuity of this linkage. In this village, right above the artist’s modest dwelling is a rock temple of Nilagama which bears inscriptions belonging to the early Anuradhapura period. The inscription No. 880 is very significant in the sense that it bears the name Vela. The inscription, Gamika vela jhita Damaya lene sagasa” - the cave of Dhamma, the daughter of this village councillor Vela (is offered) to the Sangha.

According to tradition, a famous artist of Nilagama was known as Velappu. This throws some light on the claim that Jeevan Nainde belongs to the family of painters coming down the ages from Anuradhapura period. That the inscription quoted above belongs to the early Anuradhapura period is evident from its language.

Archaeological interest

Further, Jeevan Nainde’s claim is supported by the Kadaim Pota of Matale. This book refers to Nilagama thus: Bodhi Pattalame Moolachariya Nilagama hirakara hitiyaya - “Bodhi Pattalame Moolachariya got married and settled down at Nilagama”.

At Jeevan Nainde’s house, I saw an old book which gives the history of Dambulla Rock Temple which is famous for its paintings.

Also I saw a sannasa - a deed given by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe to one of his ancestors. This sannasa had been checked and dated by the British Government Agent of Kandy during the British Raj, on 29 May 1857.

Jeevan Nainde is in possession of several other articles of archaeological interest such as a diamond with which statues are given a polish, a golden forehead band (nalalpota), a golden vessel and a stick used for the solemn and sacred task of colouring the eyes of the statue of the Enlightened One (netrapooja).

These articles have come down the ages and are the property of the Nilagama painter.

He does not use imported paints. He makes his own colours with locally available materials.

He makes white with makulu (white clay), yellow with gokatu gum, blue with nilipila leaves, black with the soot of dummala and koholle and red with sadilingum stones. The process of making paints has come down the generations to him.

Jeevan Nainde is the father of three sons and one daughter. Only one son - Jinasena - has taken to painting. Recently I saw both father and son being employed by the Cultural Ministry (The Cultural Triangle Project) to restore some damaged paintings at Dambulla Rock Temple.

The foregoing facts throws some light on the claim of Jeevan Nainde as one of the descendants of the eighteen families that accompanied the Bo-sapling from Gaya to Anuradhapura. However, the evidence given above, while being suggestive, is not conclusive. Hence, further research is necessary.

To be continued