Tibetan Buddhist Vajrapani

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Name: Tibetan Buddhist Vajrapani
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TY46
Price: 595.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$595

In Mahayana Buddhism, Vajrapani is said to be one of the original bodhisattvas on their tradition. Vajrapani, from the Sanskrit word for thunderbolt (vajra) and "in the hand" (pani), is the protector of the Buddha. Eventually, Vajrapani was known to be a representation of the Buddha's power. Vajrapanani, along with Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara, all symbolize the Buddha’s virtues. The latter two represent the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion, while Vajrapani represents all of the Buddha’s power.

Vajrapani is associated with the Hindu god Indra, as the latter is also a god of thunder. In this thangka, he is depicted with blue skin and eight hands. On one hand, he holds his vajra, which he used to rock the mountains and this tool is associated with Indra (lightning and hardness of diamonds). He also has the wheel of the dharma that symbolizes knowledge. His central pair of hands are in a mudra. The victory banner on his lower right hand represents success. Meanwhile, on his right side, one hand holds a ritual bell. The knot on his other hands represents endless harmony. Meanwhile, the flaming swords are symbolic of cutting duality and ignorance. The flames on his halo and aura match well with his act of dancing, representing transformation. He also has three faces which are all wrathful akin to the yaksha. This is to instill fear for a person to lose his dogmatism or as a representation of Vajrapani being free from hatred. He also wears a crown of skulls to complete this aesthetic.

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Item Code:	TY46
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 17.0 inch X 24.0 inch Size with Brocade 32.0 inch X 49.0 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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