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Masterpiece Dharmadhatu Mandala with Very Heavy Gold Work (Brocadeless Thangka)

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The term ‘dharmadhatu’ has an interesting import in Sanskrt. It refers to the realm where dharma lies at the very core (‘dhatu’). It is an important Mahayana Buddhism noumenon. The thangka that you see on this page is a visualisation of dharmadhatu. Most of it is wrought in gold, interspersed with acrylic gouache in crimson, green, and blue.

At the heart of the dharmadhatu mandala are nine Buddhist deities. Vairochana is at the very centre; the base of the thrones of the remaining deities are facing Him. Pure gold woven in perfectly straight curves frame the nine-deity mandala. Buddhist templetop structures in glittering emerald tones, for each of the four edges of the canvas.

Outside the circular boundary of the mandala are seated figures. These figures are contained with circular-shaped panels of varying sizes depending on their location across the surface area of the thangka. The background is a deep black colour, luxuriantly superimposed with gold work. The handiwork has done justice to the dharmadhatu mandala, which is a powerful visualisation tool.

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Item Code:	RTN416
Specifications:	Pure 24 Carat Gold,Gouache and acrylic colors on Cotton Canvas
Dimensions	39.5 inch Height X 48 inch Width
Weight:	400 gm

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.

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