Dakini Ngan Ne Ma

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Dance is an ancient and instinctive expression of the life force, and probably predates drawing and painting as a form of creative activity. It is a form of magic: the dancer becomes amplified into a being endowed with supra-normal powers, and her personality is transformed. Dance is also an act of creation. It brings about a new situation and summons into the dancer a new and higher personality.

The word dakini is translated as women who dance in the sky or interpretable as women who revel in the freedom of emptiness. Here too, the dakini Ngan ne ma, believed to possess the "great magical talent of subduing the enemies of Dharma by performing her special dance of compassion that transforms the antagonists," dances her grotesque dance in the air, where howling wolves and growling lions float in attendance amidst smoke-filled curls. Leaping coils of fire enframe her like a halo.

The diminutive short bodice is unable to retrain her hag-like pendulous and prodigious breasts, which tumble out adding to her gruesome persona. A long necklace of severed heads, each of which grins ironically, hangs down her buxom, yet supple form. She stretches a human skin behind her back like a cape. The long-flowing hair, manifestly wrathful visage, and the awesome gesture of hostile triumph are all evidence' of her fury.

Contemplation of the dakini icon makes one conscious that their essential trait is dynamism. As with all Buddhist imagery this too has to be interpreted in an allegorical manner. The vigorous restlessness of the dakini is nothing but the cyclical and rhythmic vibrancy of Mother Nature herself. According to Iris Stewart, noted scholar of feminine spirituality "The rhythms that make up a woman's body are the same rhythms that make up the dance of the Universe; when we feel the two as one, we know we are a part of nature." As the seasons change, as the cosmos vibrates with resounding resonance, giving rise to the energetic and active intensity that characterizes the harmonies making up our existence, so does a woman, the quintessential microcosm of the creative aspect of the universe, rejuvenate herself through her monthly cycle of periods.

The dakini dances her vigorous dance in the void or emptiness characterized by the sky. While doing so her hands spread out, engaged in various incessant and peppy dance gestures. Thus she maps out her own space and domain, and carves out her own sacred mandala. Asserting, that though she confirms her identification with the male of the species she is not be taken for granted nor imposed upon, the blazing fires behind her ever ready to consume the enemies of the Dharma.

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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.