Mahakala - The Protector of Dharma

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Mahakala is shown here in his four-armed incarnation. The three eyes signify his power to comprehend the past, present, and future. His crown is made up of five, mean-looking, smiling skulls. These are symbolic of the five poisonous delusions which plague our mortal existence. These are anger, desire, ignorance, jealousy, and pride. Surmounting each skull is a flaming pearl signifying our potential victory over them.

Many attributes, for example the realistic depiction of his exaggerated talons, suggest a delicacy of finish. He sits majestically on a corpse sprawled beneath his swarthy frame. Between the bared fangs is visible his tongue twisted in fury. In one of his right arms, Mahakala brandishes a flaming sword with vajra hilt. The corresponding left grips a trident. The primary left arm holds a skull cup full of blood, and with the main right hand, Mahakala partakes a portion of this gruesome feast.

Enormous kundalas (circular earrings), dangle from his equally prodigious earlobes and rest on the bulky shoulders. His bulging belly has a worthy navel, deep and wide.

The essential nature of Mahakala in the Tibetan pantheon can be gauged from the fact that he is worshipped as the Protector of The Tent. Because of the nomadic nature of the Tibetan people, much of their life is spent in arduous and hazardous travel, complicated by the generally hostile environment they live in. During their sojourns, they use the tent as a temporary abode, making it a very important part of their lives. He is also unquestionably the most vital Dharampala (protector of Dharma), since every monastery, no matter what the order, has a shrine devoted to this deity. Indeed, Mahakala's imposing demeanour is sufficient to intimidate any potential prospective enemy of the Dharma.

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.