The Kalachakra Mandala with the Five Dhyani Buddhas

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Following this is a thin circular band of vajras which indicates the transition to the world of knowledge. This represents the element of space.

The red and black circles represent the elements of fire and wind respectively. This whole area is known as the cemetery grounds. The ten wheels include one red wheel in each of the four cardinal directions, one white wheel at each corner, and an additional two red wheels, one each in the east and west. Seated on a lotus flower at the center of each wheel is a fierce female deity embraced by a male naga god, each represented by a dot. In each cemetery are inscribed the eleven seed syllables in Sanskrit.

The next circle is the water element circle containing wave-like ripples, and two mythical animals, each pulling a chariot. On each chariot sits a pair of wrathful, protective deities. This is a symbol of the perpetual flux of the manifest world. 'Crossing the stream,' is frequently used as a symbol of passing through the world of illusion to attain Nirvana.

Following this is the earth element ring filled with interlocking crosses representing the earth's stability.

Finally, the meditator enters into the mandala. The central chamber is a circle containing a vajra (symbolized by a dot). There is an orange dot at the left which symbolizes Kalachakra and his consort Vishvamata. Around the circle are eight lotus petals, on which dots stand for the eight shakti goddesses, signifying the compassionate energies of the enlightened heart.

At the top of the painting can be seen the five Dhyani Buddhas, each carefully delineated according to their respective iconographies as laid down in ancient texts. Thus starting anti-clockwise we have the yellow Ratnasambhava displaying the varada mudra; blue Akshobhya in the bhumisparsha mudra; red Amitabha in the dhyana mudra; white Vairochana in the Dharmachakra mudra and finally the green Amoghasiddhi in the Abhaya mudra.

This thangka was created in the Lama Thanka painting school at Bhaktapur, Kathmandu. The artist is Shri Ram Bahadur Lama.

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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.