The Mystery of the Missing Khatvanga (Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tshogyal in Yab Yum)

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Padmasambhava was an adept yogi, originally from Oddiyana (now the area of modern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan). He was invited to Tibet by the Indian monk Shantarakshita - who was living there at the time, and the Tibetan king Trisong Detsen. Later it was in collaboration with them that Padmasambhava founded the Samye monastery, and tamed many native deities binding them to the service of Buddhism. Padmasambhava trained many disciples by teaching and performing miracles. Indeed, he is rightly revered as the founder of esoteric Buddhism in Tibet, and a major spiritual ancestor of all Tibetan Buddhists in general.

Yeshe Tshogyal was born into a noble family and later resided at the court of Trisong Detsen. She met Padmasambhava during her sojourn there. In the time the two were together, Padmasambhava transmitted to her many important teachings especially those connected to the tutelary deity (yidam) Vajrakila. As well as writing a biography of Padmasambhava, she is said to have recorded many of his teachings which were concealed as 'terma,' - a sort of Dharma time capsule. After Padmasambhava left Tibet, she propagated the Dharma in the eastern regions of the country.

Here the great Padmasambhava is shown in intimate union with Yeshe Tshogyal. His right hand brandishes a vajra, while the left, resting on his lap, supports the vase of immortality. His consort meanwhile, holds aloft the skull-cup - her typical attribute. Padmasambhava's peaked cap is topped by a vajra.

An interesting fact of this artwork is the absence of the sceptre, known as khatvanga, which otheriwise forms an integral aspect of Padmasambhava's iconography. According to the biography of Yeshe Tshogyal, at one point the venerable Padmasambhava wanted to travel with her, without being seen, so he magically transformed her into his staff. Thus, whenever depicted alone, Padmasambhava carries his staff, and when in union with his consort, the latter is but a personification of the khatvanga.

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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.