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Goddess Durga Riding on Lion

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Name: Goddess Durga Riding on Lion
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TY78
Price: 135.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$135

Durga is a goddess of war. She is also called the warrior manifestation of Parvati, a goddess of the holy Tridevi. As a deity associated with war and combat, most narratives about Durga are about her fight and bout against evil. At the same time, this fierce element of her character is also balanced with being associated as the “mother of the universe”. She is revered as a fierce mother-protector who protects the oppressed. Her iconic form is usually depicted on a lion, as also seen in this artistic thangka.

Her multi-limbed appearance defined her iconography and made her appear always battle-ready. Like Shiva, her consort, Durga is also said to be three-eyed. Zoom on her face and this detail are also evident. The painting also artfully showcased the weapons on her eight hands. The conch shell is on the hand that rests on her leg which is a symbol of the OM, or the sound of the universe. On another hand is a pair of bow and arrow which symbolizes energy. The thunderbolt is Durga's sign of conviction. She also holds a pre-bloom lotus that gives light to success as a certainty but not a finality, to pursue spirituality in this murky world. The painting also shows her holding the Sudarshan Chakra, a disk that she spins the signifies how she can control the evil and righteousness in the world. And true to her name as a goddess of war, she is also portrayed wielding a sword for the sharpness of knowledge and the trident that symbolizes inactivity, activity, and non-activity. Finally, the lion represents power and determination, and Durga riding the animal is a powerful message to the world that she has mastered these very qualities.

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Item Code:	TY78
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 10.5 inch X 13 inch Size with Brocade 21 inch X 32 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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