The Solitary Hero

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There are many forms of Vajrabhairava. This painting is of Vajrabhairava Ekavira, Ekavira meaning "solitary hero", the only form who does not embrace a consort. The deity is also called Yamantaka Ekavira. He has nine faces, as mentioned above, three on each side of the main head and one above it, each with three eyes. The main head is that of a fierce buffalo with horns, imitating but even fiercer than the head of Yama, the lord of death. The small, topmost head is of Manjushri a wearing a crown of jewels. The eight other heads are wearing skull crown, and their hair rises upward, signifying the deity's enlightenment. He wears bone ornaments and the necklace of freshly cut heads. He also wears necklace of jewels with a wheel like ornament on his chest, which is not visible, as it is covered by his main hands. He has thirty-four arms, sixteen on each side plus two main arms that hold skull-bowl and chopper. His remaining hands are holding Tantra symbols.

He has sixteen legs, eight on each side. Lying under his bent right legs are one human male and seven animals that are, in turn, stepping on four heavenly gods. Under his outstretched left legs, eight birds are also stepping on four devas. He has a potbelly, naked body, and the member is in erection.

The teaching and practice of Vajrabhairava were popularized and started by the Mahasiddha Lalitavajra in eastern India around sixth century A.D. He found the sadhana in the Manjushri Root Tantra taught by Shakyamuni and the teachings were supposedly revealed to him by the dakini Dorje Rolangma, who became the consort of Vajrabhairava. It is said that from Lalitavajra, the teachings and practice passed on to several Indian scholars, then to Lama Bharo, a Nepalese Buddhist; and then to Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drags, a Tibetan lama who translated the sadhanas into Tibetan and wrote many commentaries. The practice of Vajrabhairava was very important to Tsong Khapa, who was believed to be a manifestation of Manjushri, and Vajrabhairava teachings are particularly strong among the Gelupas.

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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.