Where ever I travel, I always buy something that reminds me of that country, be it a hand carved chess set, a carpet, or a set of antique tea pots. When I look at them months later I always have a smile on my face as I remember the memories of that trip.
Kathmandu, Nepal is no different. There is just so much to buy, Tibetan furniture, antique prayer wheels, traditional hand made Tibetan carpets, richly decorated door panels depicting the Gods of Buddhism and Hindusim and thangkas. Deepak Chopra said that 'great art is a doorway to the divine', and thangkas are the embodiment of that sentiment.
The thangka is painted on white cotton, which after numerous applications of chalk and glue ends up looking like a white canvas. A thangka can be likened to a scroll painting, which can be found hanging in Buddhist monasteries and in Tibetain homes. Because a thangka can be rolled up, centuries ago it became increasingly popular for monks traveling from one village monastery to another to take their scroll painting with them. In Tibetan culture, the thangka serves as an important teaching tool. Thangka's differ in style and depiction of the Buddha in various stages along his path to enlightenment. Two of the most popular thangkas are the 'Life of Buddha' and 'Wheel of Life', although if truth be told, as beautiful as these thangkas are, the Buddha in his individual form is enough to blow your mind away. In traditional life, the Thangka is used to meditate upon.
When a thangka is done in its traditional form, a colorful layer of three brocades will surround the scroll painting of the divine. Then a bright yellow or orange silk curtain will appear over the painting. It is said that in most Buddhist homes, the curtain always covers the scroll painting, and when any member of the family is praying/meditating, the curtain is pulled over the painting to enable the devotee to be visually and mentally stimulated by the image before him.
Naturally Randy and I have gone over board - to say the least. After this last Sunday, between us we now own 7 Thangkas (the Mandala, Shakyamuni Buddha - depicting the Buddha at his moment of enlightenment; Palden Lhamo - the glorious goddess rides a horse through a sea of blood in a universe of flaming darkness; the Wheel of Life; the Amitabha Buddha - the Buddha of infinite light; and the White Tara - the Tara (similar to the western concept of an 'angel' sitting on the spheres of sun and moon supported by a blossoming lotus), neitherless to say more are on the way.
Enjoy the pictures and let me have your thoughts if you want a thangka.
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