These Paintings Warn You: As You Sow, So Shall You Reap!

The Story of Indian Karni-Bharni Paintings

Karni-Bharni Painting depicting 3 of the 7 Jain hells from the manuscript of Samghayanarayana, India, 17th century. Source- Wikimedia Commons

Karni-Bharni is a compound word. It means ‘reap as you sow’ in Hindi. Karni is translated to deeds, and Bharni is return in Hindi. This is the philosophy of Karma, which every Indian is aware of, but I am referring to a painting tradition here. This painting tradition originated in the 15th…