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Super Large Eleven Headed Avalokiteshvara Mandala with Five Dhyani Buddhas - Tibetan Buddhist

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$671.25

$895

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Item Code:	TG70
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 30.2 inch X 41.2 inch Size with Brocade 44 inch X 72 inch

Handmade

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100% Made in India

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The most popular of the Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshwara's appearance is dripping with spiritual magnificence. His head has split into eleven to enable him to divide his attention better among His devotees, much like the significance of his thousand arms (varying iconographies of Avalokiteshwara) that are meant to attend to each being that is in need of His help. The pristine complexion and the composure of countenance radiate a penetrating sense of the divine, befitting the arena of enlightenment that surrounds Him.

In this unusual black thangka from the Exotic India collection, the artist has depicted the Avalokiteshwara mandala to heavenly perfection. The deified residence of the Bodhisattva is portrayed as a sprawling mansion that contains His retinue of Panchtathagatas and three Buddhist deities comprising of Manjushri, Amitabha, and Vajrapani (from left to right of the viewer). The celestial palace radiates outward amidst luxuriant bodies of cloud painted in characteristic Chinese style.

The colour black is symbolic of primordial darkness in Tibetan art, the precursor to life itself. Darkness leads to light, shadows become colours, which translate to sound, which further projects life. The technique of painting with sharp, gold lines against the highly potent backdrop of black adds to the mysticism of Tibetan art. Each thangka is worked upon by at least eight monks who have been in practise for no less than three years. Its aesthetic appeal lies in the pregnant symbolicism and the flawless curvature of each motif present in a single work of art.

The trinity at the bottom of the thangka are credited with putting together the form of Avalokiteshwara as portrayed in this piece. When the enormity of suffering in this loka (realm of existence) caused His head to explode, Amitabha, Vajrapani, and Manjushri got together to reassemble the distressed Bodhisattva's body. The Panchatathagata (five Tathagatas) - their names are Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Vairochana, Amitabha, and Amogasiddhi - are seated in a row at the top of the thangka, each caught in a divine trance. Unlike historical figures such as the Buddha himself and Buddhist masters such as the likes of Guru Rinpoche, these deities, meant to heal the mind and the soul, are symbolic of the multifacetedness of the enlightened consciousness.

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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