Oldest ‘vijnaptipatra’ from Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: What the city of Ahmedabad looked like at the end of 18th century? A paper scroll, written and painted in Vikram Samvat 1853 (1796 CE), can perhaps provide a glimpse. The ‘vijnaptipatra,’ or invitation to a Jain monk to spend four months of monsoon (Chaturmaas), at the LD Museum is considered to be one of the oldest records of a Jaina document with the mention of the name Ahmedabad.

The rare scroll is part of an exhaustive exhibition ‘Jaina Vastrapata: Sacred Paintings on Cloth’ hosted by the museum. The scroll is addressed to Muni Vijayalakshmisuri at Marwar and depicts a clearly urbanized scene complete with market and landmarks.
The figure of a sadhu is believed to be a depiction of the legend of Baba Maneknath. Prof Ratan Parimoo , director of the LD Museum, said that it’s one of the oldest depictions of the urban centre of Ahmedabad in a distinct Gujarati style.