Gahuli Floor Art of Gujarat

In Jainism, during festivals, major celebrations, initiations (diksha), and the entry of Guru Bhagwants into a city, a Gahuli is first drawn as a welcome gesture. This tradition is very ancient. At the time of the Tirthankar Paramatma’s diksha, the Ashta Mangal (eight auspicious symbols) were drawn. In a 400-year-old illustrated declaration letter by Shalivahan, granted by Jahangir, it is depicted that when Muni Vivekaharsh enters the city, laywomen are drawing Gahuli (swastika) and welcoming him.

Currently, in all types of religious activities and festivals, Gahuli (swastika or nandyavarta) is drawn with unbroken rice (akshat) as a symbol of good fortune to welcome the Guru Bhagwants. Gahuli is a local term used for drawing a swastika or nandyavarta with akshat. Various attractive designs of it are made.

The drawing of Gahuli (Nandavarta or Nandyavarta) is done for good fortune. Many auspicious occasions occur in human life. Everyone wishes for the successful and joyful completion of these religious and worldly celebrations without any obstacles. However, it is generally observed that many obstacles arise in good deeds. To destroy these obstacles and for the smooth completion of the work, there has been a tradition of performing an auspicious act (mangal) at the beginning of the task.

For auspicious occasions (mangala), propitious timings, remembrance of the Lord, prayers to one’s chosen deity, worship etc., are performed. In worldly affairs, a cow, a full pitcher (poornakalash), a full pot (poornakumbh), an unmarried young girl (kumarika), a maiden (kanya), etc., are considered auspicious. Therefore, seeing them is considered a sign of auspiciousness. At the same time, consuming substances like curd, jaggery, and coriander is also considered auspicious. The sole purpose of all these is the destruction of obstacles and the smooth, obstacle-free completion of work. The word ‘mangala’ itself means the destroyer of inauspiciousness. Mangala means an auspicious, holy, sinless, obstacle-destroying object or person. Such an object or person destroys obstacles, pleases the mind (chitt), ensures the success of desired tasks, and expands happiness and virtue (punya).

In Jainism, the Arihant परमात्मा (Supreme Soul) is considered the most excellent form of an auspicious being. Remembering the names of the Tirthankaras, the images of the Jina, the eight great signs (Ashta Pratiharya), the fourteen great dreams of the Tirthankara’s mother, the Bodhi tree, and various auspicious postures are considered auspicious forms. Auspicious signs can be of many types. In Jainism, eight shapes or compositions such as the Swastika are considered auspicious, and they are well-known as the Ashta-Mangal (eight auspicious signs).

According to Jain beliefs, the following eight are considered auspicious signs

1. Swastika,
2. Shrivatsa
3. Nandyavarta,
4. Vardhamanaka,
5. Bhadrasana (throne),
6. Kalasha (pot),
7. Matsya Yugal (pair of fish),
8. Darpan (mirror).

Although mention of such auspicious figures is also found in Buddhist and other religions, the earliest mention of the Ashta-Mangal is found in Agam texts such as the Aupapatika Sutra, Rayapaseniya Sutra, Jambudvipa Prajnapti, Bhagavati Sutra, Jnatadharmakatha, Jivajivabhigama Sutra, etc., as well as in texts like Angavijja, Shraddhadinakritya, Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra, and Dipakalpa, etc.

The tracing of Swastik and Nandyavart is done with akshat i.e., rice. Rice is white in color and does not sprout again when sown. According to Jainism, the soul is bright and also indicative of auspicious character. The devotee shravak (listener/layman) practices character, and the feeling of attaining permanent status like akshat comes to them. The four wings of the Swastik represent

1. Narak-gati (hellish realm)
2. Tiryanch-gati (animal realm)
3. Manushya-gati (human realm)
4. Dev-gati (celestial realm)

The complex shape of the Nandyavart represents the sorrows of the world. The devotee, freed from the sorrows of the four realms, prays to attain moksha i.e., Siddhashila (abode of the liberated souls) by following samyak-darshan (right faith), samyak-gyan (right knowledge) and samyak-charitra (right conduct). That is, by tracing the Swastik, our soul, by following right faith, knowledge and conduct, becomes free from the cycle of the four realms, reveals its true auspicious nature, and resides in Siddhashila, the eternal abode of happiness.

Nandyavart

Nandyavart or Nandyāvartah: Nandi janako āvartī yatra nandyāvartah.

Meaning, that in which there is the cycle (āvart) of joy and welfare, that is Nandyavart. That by which one attains limitless joy, by which one is freed from the tradition of sorrow in life and the cycle of happiness is created, that is Nandyavart.

Two forms of Nandyavart, ancient and modern, are obtained. The ancient Nandyavart is found marked in ancient Jain temples (jinālayas) like Mathura, and the modern Nandyavart in pilgrimage sites (tīrthas) like Kumbharia. The ancient Nandyavart has been compared to a great fish (mahāmatsya). The modern Nandyavart spreads in four directions. It has nine corners, which are said to bestow the nine treasures (nava-nidhi).

The Nandyavarta is a special type of swastika. In the Nandyavarta, the four wings of the swastika turn in the four directions and move outwards. This means that the world, which has four forms of motion, is full of cycles of existence. It is difficult to get out of it, for which a strong effort is necessary. For the living being (the seeker) to be free from the cyclical houses of the world, tremendous effort is required. This kind of feeling is conveyed by the depiction of the Nandyavarta.

In this way, the drawing of Nandyavart and Swastik leads to the creation of auspicious feelings, brings good fortune, and well-being. Even today in the Jain tradition, laymen and laywomen draw Nandyavart and Swastik for good fortune in welcoming Guru-Acharya in the Jinalaya (Jain temple), in special worship, etc.