The rock art of Chaturbhujnath Nala is still in its pristine condition. It presents varied aspects of life and cognitive development of hunter- foragers of pre-cattle domestication Stone Age (Period-I, Mesolithic) and early pastorals of the Neolithic- Chalcolithic and Historic Age (Period-Il) in Holocene Period. The figures vividly depict their understanding of the nature, challenges faced, inventions made and varied devices they developed to meet them, and above all their spirit to live a happy life in harmony with nature. However, the most important feature of the rock art of CBN is the presentation of a distinct picture of transition from hunting- food-gathering mode of life to cattle domestication, which started with hump less cattle (bull) in the late Mesolithic Age, sometimes in the mid Holocene period or a little bit early. The miniature form of figures, sometimes less than 10 mm in length and height, is one of the unique features of the early pastoral rock art of CBN. The artists efficiently picked up specific moments of the episode of life and nature which were capable of creating the entire incident in the mind of an observer.
The legacy of the creative traditions of CBN continues in the present pastorals and tribes of the region.
The book presents the rock art of Chaturbhujnath Nalas as a reflection of the celebration of life in perfect harmony with nature through time. It is the secret of achieving both the worlds of development and enjoying the meaningful and blissful life in its totality.
Prof. Kumar, the Indian representative of IFRAO, has organized many national and international conferences on rock art and chaired several symposia along with Prof. Robert G. Bednarik (Australia) in the IFRAO Congresses. He was invited as an Asian expert on rock art by UNESCO, France in 2008. For his outstanding contributions in rock art science and archaeology he was awarded with the prestigious Dr V.S. Wakankar National Award 2017-18 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh on 22ndMarch 2021.
He has over 110 research papers published in different national and international journals and 6 books devoted to rock art heritage and culture to his credit. He discovered many rock art sites, Stone Age sites, Chalcolithic sites and many fossil ostrich eggshell sites in Chambal valley and established the existence of ostrich in India in late Pleistocene Period.
Through the EIP Project, a joint venture by Indo-Australian scientists in the first two decades of twenty first century, he established the antiquity of the early Indian petro glyphs at Daraki-Chattan Cave to Lower Paleolithic for the first time in the world, three to ten times much older than the European rock art.
Chaturbhujnath Nala is one of the most important rock art sites of India. It is located near the Gandhisagar dam in Bhanpura region of Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh in a picturesque natural landscape, along a water stream of the same name which is a tributary of the Chambal River. Succession of shallow rockshelters in an arch form along its both sides a few hundred meters down the stream from the temple contain over 2500 compositions depicted on their walls and ceilings, generally in red hematite and ochre color obtained by rubbing Iron oxide nodules. Sometimes manganese black has been used in some bichrome paintings. White color is rarely used. This rock art site was brought to light by Shri Ramesh Kumar Pancholi in 1977. Subsequently, Dr Giriraj Kumar carried out detailed research on the rock art as well as the archaeology of this site in particular and surrounding creasy in general between 1978 to recent times.
Bhanpura region is rich in rock art and archaeological heritage belonging to the Stone Age and early Agro pastoral Age. The rock art of Chaturbhujnath Nala has been naturally preserved. This provides an insight into the varied life of hunter-foragers of pre-cattle domestication stage of Mesolithic period to the early pastorals onwards. While studying-this site regularly, since 1978, Dr Giriraj Kumar has also reported Lower Paleolithic factory sites, Middle Paleolithic artifacts and Mesolithic factory sites in the vicinity. The legacy of the creative traditions of Chaturbhujnath ala is alive through the rituals practiced by the tribes living there, in the decoration of their houses and celebration of their festivals. Dr Kumar has micro-documented the rock art of this site and carried out its analytical study scientifically. It is based on the evolutionary model of the cognitive and cultural development of the humans rather than the European diffusions model which has become defunct and irrelevant. Based on the outcome of these studies his book on Chaturbhujnath ala (comparing over 300 illustrations) is the first of its kind in India dedicated to a single site. I hope that this work will inspire other scholars to take up similar studies on the other significant Indian rock art sites.
Congratulations to Prof. (Dr) Giriraj Kumar for his hard work and sincere efforts in bringing out this significant work in printed form.
The anal after pouring its water in a big reservoir in front of the temple enters a deep gorge, then it takes a crescent like curve with richly painted long-low rockshelters with almost no or pseudo partitions. The charm of the site was so powerful that I immediately fell in love with it when I visited the site with my friend Shri Ramesh Kumar Pancholi in 1978, who was one of the three teachers who discovered the site in 1977. Since then onwards till present, I have been coming here for the study of rock art, archaeology and their ethnological perspectives in different seasons. Every time I visited the site, I used to feel a powerful energy, joy and spiritual blis of enjoying the life in harmony with nature.
The rock art of Chaturbhujnath ala is still in its pristine condition except natural deterioration and a little human vandalism in some cases. It presents varied aspects of life and cognitive development of hunter-foragers of pre-cattle domestication Stone Age (Period-I) and early pastorals of the Neolithic-Chalcolithic and Historic Age (Period-II). It also presents the human perception of reality and philosophy of life developed accordingly in different stages of human cognitive and cultural development. The figures vividly depict their understanding of the nature, challenges faced, inventions made and varied devices they created to meet them, and above all their spirit to live a happy life in harmony with nature. However, the most important feature of the rock art of Chaturbhujnath ala is the presentation of a distinct picture of transition from hunting-food- gathering mode of life to cattle domestication, which started with hump less cattle (bull) in the late Mesolithic Age, sometimes in the mid Holocene period or a little bit early. The miniature form of figures, sometimes less than 10 mm in length and height, is one of the unique features of the early pastoral rock art of Chaturbhujnath Nala.
The rock art compositions show that the artists were keen observers of the play of the nature and role of humans in it. They deeply observed the natural phenomenon and life cycle going on in it, and their own life as a part of it. They expressed their observations and feelings in an effective and powerful way in the form of creations of rock art compositions. For that they efficiently picked up specific moments of the episodes of life and nature, composed and presented them in rock art artistically in such a way that the visitor can visualize the whole incident happening in front of him and feel the thrill, excitement, fear and joy in a powerful way. The legacy of the creative traditions of Chaturbhujnath Nala continues in the present pastoral communities and tribes of the region. It is reflected in the construction and decoration of their houses, celebration of festivals, religious functions and affection with their animal stocks. Thus, their art echoes their integrity with nature and deep affection with their animals. It also reflects their joy, enthusiasm and folk gaiety.
The rock art of Chaturbhujnath Nala, in the form of over 2500 compositions, appears like a long play of the human life and its environment of different ages depicted on the walls and ceilings of the rockshelters, and the site had been a stage where it was played in an appealing and powerful way. It is a celebration of life in harmony with nature, full of energy, spirit and social gaiety. It is a blissful experience to feel it happening.
. Bhanpura region in district Mandsaur, Madhya Prade h, in India, is rich in rock art and archaeological heritage belonging to the Stone Age and early Agro- Pastoral Age. The region lying in river Chambal valley has been a cradle land of the activities and creativity with a vibrant, colorful and dynamic culture throughout the human history (Kumar 1983). It was because of its geology and typical geomorphologic features that make it rich in natural resources essential for supporting the human and animal life. Flat stone surface on the plateau, deep gorges and mushroom like boulders rich in rockshelters formed the suitable canvas for expression of human creativity in the form of rock art, while the vast plateau- grassland and rich fertile fields have been highly suitable for pastoral and agro- pastoral life. Chaturbhujnath ala rock art heritage site, located in river Chambal valley in Gandhisagar Wildlife sanctuary, is a pride of the region and that of India.
It is the longest Stone Age rock art gallery in the world.
The river Chambal, at present is a tributary of the Yamuna river in Central India. However, it was a major river of the greater Genetic drainage system in ancient times which is evident from the findings of the Stone Age artifacts and fossils from its sediments. It is not the case with Yamuna river. Because of the tectonic movement river Yamuna changed its course in later Vedic period and joined river Chambal near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh before meeting with the holy river Ganga at Prayagraj.
The perennial Chambal is a legendary river and finds mention in ancient scriptures. The epic, Sanskrit narrative, Mahabharata refers to the Chambal river as the Charmanyavati or Charmanwati: originating from the blood of thousands of animals sacrificed by King Rantideva. Charmanwati was the southern boundary of Panchala Kingdom. King Drupada ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bank of river Charmanwati. In the Mahabharata, the Chambal area was a part of Shakuni's kingdom. The infamous dice game whereby Shakuni won the Kingdom of the Pandavas' for his nephew Duryodhana was played hereabouts (1: 140). After the attempted disrobing of Draupadi (the daughter of Drupada) she cursed the river. The legends of its curse by Draupadi and its bloody 'unholy' origins due to King Rantideva have helped the river Chambal in disguise to survive unpolluted by man, and its many animal inhabitants to thrive relatively untouched. Thus, the Chambal remains one of India's most pristine rivers.
Chaturbhujnath Nala (CBN)
Chaturbhujnath ala (PI. 1 and fig. 1) is located at 24° 42.86' Nand 75° 40.20'E in Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary on Bhanpura-Candhisagar Plateau in Bhanpura tehsil of district Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh in India (fig. 2-5). Gandhisagar Wildlife sanctuary was notified and developed in 1974 and more area was added in 1983. It is spreading in 368.62 km" area in the forest of Rampur-Bhanpura Plateau. It nurtures numerous wild. flora and fauna. Chaturbhujnath Nala rock art site is protected by Archaeological Survey of India.
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