Thangkas are highly appreciated traditional Buddhist paintings that beautifully depict the life of the Buddha or Bodhisattva. Several artists from Tibet and the Indian subcontinent are experts at making these explicitly religious paintings on silk or cotton fabric. Thangka paintings are similar to Chinese scroll paintings in the sense that when not on display, they are kept rolled up and unframed and are affixed on a traditional textile background, further protected by a silk cover in front.

This curated collection of Thangka paintings depicting Yogini, a venerated female Tantric deity in Buddhism, is meant to transform your living or work space into a spiritual corner. These are extremely attractive to look at because of the use of vibrant colors. Thangkas are used for various purposes. The sincere followers of Buddhism hang them on the walls of their homes or monasteries for decoration and prayer purposes. They also use it as a guide to increase their absorption in their meditation practices. Thangka painting’s features are distinct, showcasing the miraculous culture of Buddhism. These are mostly rectangular in shape and their size ranges from small, to typically larger, to extremely large.

The paintings that you see on this page have been handmade by highly-skilled artists with great attention to detail, which makes them stand out from other ordinary traditional paintings. Yogini Thangka paintings depict the wrathful form of divine females worshiped in Tantric Buddhism as great spiritual teachers. In the Tantric pantheon, the female Buddha, Vajrayogini, is considered the Supreme deity. These paintings portray the deity as a young and beautiful female having disheveled flowing hair. She possesses a third eye set vertically on her forehead and carries various fearsome weapons in her hands. She is depicted as having a fierce or demonic look, multiple heads, and a fierce expression. Her head is often adorned with bone ornaments such as human skulls. Buddhist practitioners often meditate on these wrathful forms to increase their determination, conviction, and enthusiasm to achieve their spiritual goal as they have immense power to destroy all the obstacles coming on the path to enlightenment in the lives of the conditioned souls. Thus, the wrath within them is the manifestation of their compassion and mercy. This energy carries the power of transforming fallen souls into enlightened souls through spiritual wisdom.

Q. Who are Yoginis?

Yoginis are enlightened female deities in the Tantric pantheon. They represent different aspects or manifestations of energy such as compassion, mercy, wisdom, etc. The visual representations of Yoginis depict them as fierce beings who possess immense power to deliver mankind from the cycle of repeated birth and death through wisdom and detachment.

Q. What is the significance of Yogini Thangka in Buddhism?

Yogini Thangkas are traditional paintings that are used by Buddhist followers for carrying out their spiritual practices such as meditation. They concentrate their minds on the divine female figures to invoke the transcendental qualities in them. These paintings also serve as an important tool for preaching the principles of Buddhism to others.

Q. Can Yogini Thangkas be used as decorative items?

Yogini Thangkas are generally used as spiritual tools to advance on the path to enlightenment. However, due to their aesthetic appearance, many people use them as decorative items in their homes or workspace. Since these paintings hold great spiritual potency, wherever they are displayed, that place becomes sacred. Therefore, it is important to note that their sacredness should not be neglected even if you choose to use them decoratively.