Jamyang Dorjee and Art of Calligraphy in Sikkim

Calligraphy, the art of writing has many names in India. Called su-lekhan (su meaning beautiful and lekhan meaning writing), khushan visi, su-lipi, sulekh kala,in Hindi, khushkhati, khush nafisi, kitaabat, suloos, and khattaati in Arabic, Persian or Urdu, they all refer to the beautiful art of writing.

These find a true partner in handmade paper especially when the texture does not soak in too much ink from a pen.

Brushwork, writing with bamboo pens, or even a simple sketch pen gives highly aesthetic and beautiful results when a calligrapher’s sure and thoughtful flourish lights up the paper.

The calligraphy of Japan, China and Korea where a few black brush strokes bring magical art to rich cream-coloured paper.

India’s calligraphy flourished during Mughal times, when Persian calligraphers wrote manuscripts illustrated and illuminated by Hindu painters or vice versa.

Paper making happened in many parts of India at that time, in spite of having 22 official languages, 13 scripts and over 700 identified dialects, Independent India has never been known internationally for its calligraphy.

It has many forms of classical and folk art, but although artistic sensibilities of its creative communities are high and widespread, they never extended to calligraphy.

Perhaps this was largely because the communities that painted or crafted did not value or feel the need for being literate. The skills of writing were left to those upper classes that served temples, kings or governments.

Calligraphers who continued valiantly were all Muslim, as the value of writing was originally attributed to the fact that the Prophet Mohammad’s sacred words needed to be written beautifully, so all holy sayings were inscribed lovingly and artistically on whatever surface was chosen.

Calligraphers practicing in multiple Indian scripts are few, but, in the 21st century, there are a growing number, demonstrating, displaying and selling their art works in galleries, schools and at prestigious international events.

The papers acquired from hosiery waste, elephant and rhinoceros dung and the argeli plant were given to four prominent calligraphers of India, Jamyang Dorjee, Rajeev Kumar, Qamar Dagar and Irshad Farooqi, and Sanjhi paper artist Ram Soni, to enhance the visual and tactile experience of exploring handmade paper with their art.

In the small town of Rabongla in South Sikkim an impressively large Buddha Park is its main attraction.

With the lower ranges of Mt Kanchenjunga as a backdrop, the golden statue of Buddha towers over the consciousness of the area, changing colours and moods according to the weather and time of day.

Old sacred Tibetan/Bhoti scripts, printed with wooden blocks are used by monks when chanting their daily prayers at the monastery.

Jamyang Dorjee, who lives in Rabongla, is an expert calligrapher with a special style of his own.

He holds the Guinness World Record for having created the longest handwritten scroll which is 165 feet long. It was done on 120 sheets of handmade paper gifted by a friend who made the paper himself.

The central form of Lord Buddha is depicted in miniature calligraphy at the centre, while concentric circles in expanding sizes of calligraphy form the sacred mantra. This is a signature style that informs many of Dorjee’s works.

The complete heart sutra, hridaya sutra, of Buddha is done in the stufchung calligraphy method. The textural ‘imperfections’ add to the charm of organically made paper.

Detail of Jamyang Dorjee’s pens and brushes, fine handmade paper, and Tibetan calligraphy.

This finest textured argeli-based handmade paper is used in most of Jamyang Dorjee’s calligraphic works. The writing instrument depends on the quality of the paper.

He uses a separate tool for each one.

This alphabet is in the uchen method of Tibetan calligraphy.

Writing the word ‘tonpa’ in the umed style of calligraphy.

A complete mani mandala in the umed method of calligraphy. The calligrapher has put his signature seal in red on the right.

Sikkim calligrapher Jamyang Dorjee, who is a resident of Rabongla, holds classes for elder citizens of the Tibetan diaspora while visiting his sons in New York every summer. He examines his work before he leaves.

Read more about calligraphy here:
-Rajeev Kumar
-Qamar Dagar
-Irshad Farooqui