Passage-1
The narration of stories through scrolls was a long and continuing tradition. In the 7th century CE, Banabhatt’s court biography Harsha-charita provides a vivid portrayal of the yama-patika in a bazaar surrounded by excited children. He narrates the retribution awaiting the sinners in the other world using a picture scroll.
In the classical Sanskrit playwrights’ repertoire, the device of using the protagonist as a picture storyteller was a popular manner of introducing audiences to the backdrop of the story. This dramatic conveyance provided structure and context to the events ahead, hence adding to the dramatic tension. From the celebrated Sanskrit playwright Bhasa’s 4th century classical drama Dutavakyam and continuing to Bhavabhuti’s 8th century CE Sanskrit play Uttara Ram Charitam, the trend continued until around the 10th century. This literary device is evidence of the picture-storytellers’ impact on society, cultural mores at large, and their staying power.
The development and spread of papermaking added a more personalized form through the introduction of illustrated texts. The intersection of art and the narrative tradition of storytelling reached a high apogee during the time of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. Akbar was brought up in a highly literate environment and was endowed with a brilliant intellect that was formally unlettered – his quest for knowledge was reflected in the enormous outpouring of illustrated manuscripts from the huge artistic studios he established. Their output was eclectic, mirroring the emperor's own interests. The tradition of oral recounting through illustrated pictures was an important part of their routine, as stated by his biographer Abul Fazl in Ain I Akbari.
Questions
What was the primary function of picture storytellers in classical Sanskrit plays according to the passage?
