Vikram Seth - II

[Jan.Dvorak at ff.cuni.cz]

According to Peter D Banos:
> 
> I would guess, based on the way maps are generally oriented, that it 
> means the upper left... 
>

This is one of the possibilities we've been thinking of. Or could it have 
some astrological connotations?

Here is the original text: 

"The fourth corner, the northwest corner, could contain two
golden numerals indicating the age of the recipient." (Vikram Seth, 
A Suitable Boy, p. 38)


> From D.Wujastyk at wellcome.ac.uk 10 96 Apr EDT 10:52:00
Date: 10 Apr 96 10:52:00 EDT
From: D.Wujastyk at wellcome.ac.uk
Subject: Sinhalese palm-leaf manuscript exhibition
Reply-To: D.Wujastyk at wellcome.ac.uk
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII


As part of the run-up to publishing its long-awaited catalogue of Sinhalese 
manuscripts by Mr K D Somadasa, the Library of the Wellcome Institute for 
the History of Medicine (183 Euston Road, London, tel: +44-171-611-8714, 
email: library at wellcome.ac.uk) has mounted a small exhibition of Sinhalese 
palm-leaf manuscripts in its main reading room.  This exhibition will be on 
display for approximately six weeks from now.

Queries to the Exhibitions Officer, Ken Arnold (k.arnold at wellcome.ac.uk). 

Dominik Wujastyk
Associate Curator, S. A. Collections.

--



The Palm Leaf Manuscript
===================

In South and South East Asia, palm tree leaves were the most widely used 
writing material from at least the seventh century A D.  Buddhist 
monasteries, where books were produced, often maintained a plantation of 
palm trees. Despite an adverse climate and other physical attacks, some palm 
leaf 
manuscripts have survived a thousand years and more, one in the Wellcome 
Collection, for example, having been transcribed during the eleventh 
century.

The Wellcome Institute Library holds over a thousand palm leaf manuscripts, 
468 of them in the Sinhalese collection. As with the other Oriental 
collections, medicine is the core subject; but many examples of Buddhist 
texts and tracts, as well as works on such unusual subjects as iron smelting 
and fireworks manufacture are also represented.

This exhibition illustrates the artistry of palm leaf inscription and 
different styles of Sinhalese calligraphy.  It also presents fine examples 
of lac work decorating the outside boards.  Details of the whole collection 
will shortly be published in the Catalogue of Sinhalese Manuscripts in the 
Library of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine compiled by K 
D Somadasa.


Captions
=======

Royal grant of land to Rambukvalle Ratanajoti. 1792
The grant was made to maintain the rituals of the Ganegala vihara, where the 
sacred Tooth Relic was then kept.  Written on copper, surrounded by a border 
of silver filigree, the royal signature Sri is embossed in gold to the left.
WS 1

Mahabhinikmana. Transcribed in the 18th century
This is a Sinhala poem on the Great Renunciation of Prince Siddhartha. The 
palm leaves are contained in fine lac worked wooden covers which show a 
traditional knot pattern.
WS 42

Saddharmalankaraye Kotas. 19th century
This is an abridged version of some popular stories, contained within lac 
painted covers in the yellow string knot pattern with gem chipped border.
WS 114

Composite manuscript containing four Buddhist texts: Bodhivamsaya 
Saddharmalankaraya (extracts), Kosalabimba, varnanava and Saddharmalankaraya 
(extracts). 1756
The boards containing the manuscript are painted both on the outside and 
inside.  The outside is decorated with yellow vine scroll and Katirimala 
floral motifs with petal borders along the bevelled edges.  The inside is 
decorated with an illustration of the eight great places of worship in Sri 
Lanka.
WS 105


Composite manuscript containing a Sinhalese paraphrase of the first sermon 
of the Buddha and the Pali word order of this sermon. Transcribed in the 
19th century
The manuscript is contained in exquisitely painted wooden covers both inside 
and out.  The outside shows the figure Nari-lata with scroll emanating from 
the figure, full and half lotuses, white flowers with petals and petal 
border.  The inside shows Prince Siddhartha leaving Princess Yasodhara and 
the new born Prince Rahula with subsequent incidents.
WS 143


Composite manuscript comprising three Buddhist texts.  Transcribed in the 
19th century
This manuscript is contained within two delicately incised brass covers.
WS 46


Composite manuscript comprising two texts Elu Umandava and Muva jatakaya: 
Nigrodha mrga jatakaya.  Transcribed c 1796
The work is contained within an excellent example of Kandyan lac work 
showing the string-knot motif at either end with a single vine scroll 
between the punched holes, and a flower round each hole, surrounded with a 
diamond-chip motif on bevelled edges.
WS 104


Pujavaliya . c 18th-century copy
The manuscript is contained within wooden covers painted with an elegant 
single floral scroll on one cover and an intricate twin floral scroll on the 
other  surrounded by a petal border along the bevelled edges.
WS  64


Composite manuscript comprising ten different texts. Transcribed in 1746
The work is held within elegantly painted covers with single yellow floral 
scroll and a face in the centre.
WS 51
Occult handbook entitled Yantra mantra potak copied in 19th century
A selection of magical diagrams and illustrations are displayed.
WS 44


Piruvana pot-vahanse: Catubhanavara pali. 1856
This work is a collection of Pali suttas or sermons recited on special 
occasions to ward off illness and danger.  It is transcribed in a clear well 
spaced skilled hand with punctuation marks painted with vermilion to be 
noticed at night during recitation of the text.
WS 8


Ginikeli sadana krama. Transcribed in the 19th century
The work describes methods of making fireworks.  The quantities in the 
formulae are given in astrological numerals and some of the chemicals used 
are given in abbreviated form. in a skilled small hand.
WS 388


Palm leaves and stylus
These are the writing implements of the palm leaf book.  The leaves were 
prepared by stripping the leaf from the central rib, boiling it clean and 
smoothing the surface with a shell.  It was then incised with a sharp metal 
stylus and rubbed with lampblack to make the incisions legible. A cord was 
strung through the leaves and wooden boards put at either end.


Daivajnamukhamandanam. 18th century
A Sanskrit astrological lexicon in slokas comprising an excellent example of 
palm leaf decoration. The first folio is copied in traditional style with 
the text between the two cord holes and two delicate creeper motifs on the 
left and right margins. Throughout the manuscript each line begins and ends 
with a kundali.
WS 363


Yogaratnakaraya: Varayogaratnakaraya. Transcribed during the 19th century
This is a medical work in Sinhala verse composed in 1665. This later 
transcription is in a neat expert round hand.
WS 10


Painting of a scribe carrying a palm leaf and stiletto. India. late-18th 
century
This reproduction is of part of a painting brought amongst a collection of 
others to England in 1796 by Admiral Peter Rainier on his retirement as 
Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy.
Courtesy of the British Library

  

--
NB For the foreseeable future, please address email to d.wujastyk at ucl.ac.uk, 
not to d.wujastyk at wellcome.ac.uk.