Strategies for Visual Storytelling in the Janam Sakhi Manuscripts

These paintings originally belonged to three manuscripts of the life stories (Janam Sakhi) of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion.

The events described fall into two broad themes differing only in some details. The guru’s early life experiences include unusual and miraculous events that hint at his later enlightenment.
Stories from his later life describe encounters with religious leaders and influential individuals so impressed with his knowledge and personality that they became followers. As a whole, the stories in this religious teaching text glorify Guru Nanak.
The Janam Sakhi’s importance is contained in the details of the guru’s conversations, whose concepts are not easily translated into illustration. Paintings in such manuscripts therefore serve mainly as indexes to help orient the reader to where the text of each episode occurs. The pictures also enliven the text and increase the value of the book as a physical object.
Each painting in illustrated Janam Sakhi manuscripts shows a single event that includes Guru Nanak. The artist must not only focus attention on the guru. He must also make each episode recognizable
to the reader/viewer, while visually making connections among sections of the text. Finally, he must give the book variety. Here are some techniques used to accomplish these tasks:

Iconography

The guru is typically recognizable through traditional ways of showing his piety and glory. Shown as a bearded figure in threequarter profile, he wears a crownlike headdress, a yellow robe
(sometimes with a cloak draped over the shoulders), and a strand of beads. He also holds prayer beads, and often has a gold halo.

Framing, placement, and scale

Guru Nanak is typically placed in the center of the illustration. In the examples where he is placed to one side, to keep the focus on him the artist framed him either with landscape features such as a rock or with architectural elements such as a building, window, or arch. Occasionally, he is shown larger than other figures.

Composition and setting

In all such paintings, the picture space is divided into three sections. The key figures are typically arranged in the central section, while the upper and lower sections indicate the setting. Details of architecture and landscape provide a context for the each incident
and also give variety to the illustrations.