Chemchok Heruka with Consort (Tibetan Buddhist)

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Name: Chemchok Heruka with Consort (Tibetan Buddhist)
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TJ06
Price: 225.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$225

In Tibetan Buddhism, Chemchok Heruka is most notably known to be the focal divinity in the Fifty-eight Wrathful Deities mandala where he is the furious aspect of Samantabhadra. These 58 deities are said to be wrathful deities one can meet in death and rebirth. He is also known as the Mahottara Heruka. Meanwhile, in the Guhyagarbha Tantra, he is the main deity among the herukas of the Eight Commandments of Accomplishments (Nyingmapa lineage) in Tibet. Take a closer look at the thangka and notice that he is depicted with nine heads, all wrathful. Eighteen arms and eight legs can also be seen in the painting.

Following terton tradition (or a person who was a follower of Padmasambhava, the founder of 8th-century Nyingmapa), deities such as Chemchok Heruka may take on varying forms depending on the needs of the times. The wings remain consistent in most depictions, as seen in this one behind the arms. On his waist is a skin of the tiger. Another notable element in this thangka is his consort Namshyalma in a union position. This yab-yum (lit. father-mother) is a symbol of union of a diety and his consort, the union of strength and wisdom of the male and female. She holds a skull cap and the hands on her right side represent the manifestations of eight bodhisattvas (gaurima), while the ones on her left are the manifestations of eight female bodhisattvas (singhama). In addition, the skull caps also appear to have blood, as heruka in Tibetan translates to darg tung (blood drinker). Zoom in near the lower part of the thangka and there are groups of colored spheres each packed with offerings for the deities. The larger bowls appear to be skulls that represent elements of the senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thinking). This symbolizes an offering of senses to the wrathful deities as symbols of their beings in exchange for blessings.

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Item Code:	TJ06
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 11.5 inch X 15.5 inch Size with Brocade 22 inch X 36 inch

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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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