On the Lookout for Distressed Souls

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He is shown here standing on a disk placed on a lotus throne. The complexion of his body is light yellow. The thousand arms form an aura behind him, and the first eight hands hold particular symbols or attributes, the remaining making the gesture of charity (Varada). Among the first eight hands, the principal hands are in prayer (anjali) position. The upper right hand is counting a rosary, the middle one a wheel and the lower one is in varada mudra and also holding an arrow. The upper left hand has a lotus flower, the middle one bow and arrow, and the lower one a water jar. The eleven heads are arranged in five series from below upwards of 3,3,2,2, and 1. The topmost head is that of Amitabha, the spiritual father of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The first three heads are yellow in complexion, while the second three heads are in red colour. The first two heads from the bottom are in deep brown and the next two heads are in blue colour. The topmost head of Amitabha is in red colour. The eleven heads symbolize the 'Synthesis of space': the four directions, the four intermediate points, the zenith and nadir. The heads of third and fourth rows are wrathful which symbolize dominant action.

All the heads, except that of Amitabha, wears a crown. Avalokiteshvara is adorned with the usual ornaments of a Bodhisattva. Moreover, he is wearing flowing silk scarves around his shoulders and there is an antelope skin over his left shoulder, with the animal's head on his left breast. The draped two coloured silk skirt and its covering are impressive.

The rim of the aureole is encircled with leaves, flowers, wrathful figures, mythological animals and a Garuda with outstretched wings at the top. On the top corners are two Shakyapa lamas and at the bottom are Hayagriva (on proper right), Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (Centre) and Sridevi or Dpal-Ldan-Lha-mo (on proper left).

The legend describing the origin of the eleven heads of Avalokiteshvara says that he had promised his spiritual father, Amitabha, the god of eternal light, that he would never give up practicing tender loving compassion and would not reach enlightenment himself until all beings had reached nirvana. Although Avalokiteshvara tried for many years to help all living things, he saw no decrease in their suffering within samsara, the wheel of existence, and he gave up his promise in despair. Immediately his head split into a thousand pieces. Amitabha then consolidated them into ten heads and put his own head on the top. He told Avalokiteshvara not to renounce his promise and that there was still another way to accomplish his goal. The thousand hands with thousand eyes radiate around him, symbolizing that Avalokiteshvara is ever on the lookout for those in distress.

This description by Dr. Shailendra Kumar Verma, Ph.D. His doctorate thesis being on the "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (from its inception to 8th century A.D)."

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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.