Tibetan Buddhist Nepalese Prayer Wheel

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From the smallest to the largest, the prayer wheel always consists of a hollow cylindrical body, usually of metal, engraved with mystic emblems or prayers. It is penetrated along its axis by a rod provided with a handle, if portable, or with two clips if it is fixed to a stand.

Enclosed in the chos-kor are sacred texts or invocations (mantra), written on paper or parchment. The cylinder of the wheel is rotated in the same direction as the sun, and each turn is the equivalent of a reading of the prayers enclosed within.

According to the faithful, this attests to the flight of the prayers thus scattered to the four winds. The portable prayer wheel is fitted with a ball at the end of a small chain fixed midway along the metal body; with a flick of the wrist, the person carrying the wheel sets its twirling rhythm.

Many materials can be shaped to form the body of this singular instrument, not only coarse metal, but also more precious alloys, sometimes even enhanced with mother of pearl, coral or turquoise. Thus certain prayer wheels are genuine works of art.

Tibetans also have a custom of erecting prayer flags, mounted in garlands, on the roofs of their houses, or in the case of nomadic shepherds, on top of their tents. Prayer flags ornament the bridges that straddle torrential streams and they accumulate at mountain passes. These beneficial formulas are printed on small pieces of cloth in the five basic colors (yellow, white, red, green and blue), which stand for the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), the five senses, and the five wisdoms. Prayer flags are a means of spreading the good word to all beings, both in populated regions and in the vastness of deserted spaces. But their function is also to attract good luck, to preserve health by warding off disease, the evil eye, demons and evil spells, and finally, to manifest one’s gratitude for a wish fulfilled or an unexpected beneficial occurence.

Near monasteries, prayer flags become victory banners. Mounted on tall poles, they indicate places worthy of attention. They mark the location of sacred caves, and the high points of mountain passes, where the traveler may thank the gods for their protection.

At sowing time, these small colored cloths are placed on the foreheads of farm animals, to ensure good harvests. The yaks that accompany pilgrims also wear them, which serves as a signal that they are not to be sacrificed but should be allowed to die a natural death.

In the middle of the most common model of prayer flag stands the Lungta, or wind-horse, the bearer of the precious Wish-fulfilling Jewel. It can be inscribed with the name of the person for whom the wind-borne wishes are intended. The remaining space is filled with sacred or magical formulas, and the four corners usually contain a tiger, a lion, a dragon and the mythical bird, the garuda. All these animals are symbolic of power and energy. A victory pole can be mounted or garlands of prayer banners assembled for ceremonial occasions: the presence of monks then confers a sacred character on the act, which becomes commensurately more beneficial by being part of a ritual.

How are Nepalese copper statues made?

Nepalese statues and sculptures are best known for their unique small religious figures and ritual paraphernalia for over two thousand years. These are mainly cast in copper alloy. Nepal draws influences from the artistic styles of Buddhism and Hinduism, and therefore the sculptors of the country specialize in making the icons of both these religions. Over the years, Nepalese sculptures evolved into their own distinctive iconography. Some characteristic features of these sculptures that differ from other pieces are exaggerated physical postures, youthful and sensual features, languid eyes, wider faces having serene expressions, and ornate flourishes. The Buddhist deity icons of Nepal have tremendous demand in countries such as China and Tibet for ritual purposes in their temples and monasteries.

Nepalese statues and sculptures have a high copper content and therefore develop a slightly reddish patina on the surface as they age. However, the most unique feature of Nepalese copper statues is their decorative detailing. The pieces are heavily gilded and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones. This embellishment protects them from getting tarnished. The traditional lost-wax method for casting Nepalese copper statues remains the most practiced technique in Nepal for many centuries. This process involves many steps and requires skilled artists.

The first step in lost-wax sculpting is to make a wax replica of the desired Buddhist deity to be cast in copper. This replica is created by hand and therefore needs excellent artistic skills otherwise fine features will be lacking.

Once the wax replica is made, it is then coated with a special mixture of clay with a brush. This layer of clay is hardened when left to dry. A small hole is made on the base of the wax mould so that the wax flows away when it is heated.

At this stage, a hollow mould in the shape of the deity is obtained.

This is the time to pour liquid copper into the hollow mould which is then allowed to cool and harden inside a container of cold water. When the liquid metal has hardened, the mould is removed and the statue within is revealed.

The artist works on the details of the statue using various tools. It is then polished to get a shiny and lustrous surface.

Now comes the most important part of Nepalese art which is gold gilding. This is done by the traditional fire gilding method. A mixture of mercury and 18K gold is applied on the surface of the statue and heat is applied using a flame torch. The result is that mercury evaporates along with impurities, leaving a pure 24K gold finish.

The lost-wax method of sculpting is the most preferred technique

for artists to cast a metallic statue having intricate details. Since Nepalese copper sculptures require extraneous effort for giving a majestic look by adding special embellishments, it takes several weeks to complete one masterpiece. A 24K gold gilded copper sculpture retains its brilliant luster for many years and appears as like before. Nepalese sculptures continue to remain one of the finest specimens of the art of the East that have a strong aesthetic appeal that other sculptures cannot match.