Ganesha Dancing Against Moon

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Ganesha is the god of new beginnings. He is also known as Remover of Obstacles. Because of these, many believers pray to him and ask him for blessing before undertaking major life decisions or changes. His elephant head and association with the moon is perhaps one of the most known associations with Lord Ganesha, as evident in this thangka. A closer look at this piece shows Lord Ganesha in his iconic form, with an elephant head, rounded belly, and four hands. Legends say that he hurled his other tusk to the moon when the latter laughed at him after he lost footing and spilled his gut’s content. Zoom in on his elephant head and you’ll see a third eye (each of his three eyes represent sun, moon, and fire) and the Tripunda, the sacred mark of Shiva, his father. In this piece, he is also seen dancing, instead of the usual seated or standing position.

On one hand, he holds a noose (for Raga or attachment). Another hand holds an ax (symbol for anger or Krodha and the act of protecting others from bad thoughts). He also holds his broken tusk. Then another hand is in the Abhaya mudra (blessing of protection) while another is in Varada mudra (for granting boons). His trunk can be seen to be trained on the sweets he has on the hand in the Varada mudra. Another ever-present icon in the mouse by his foot, which is a symbol of Ganesha being able to overcome big or small obstacles. He also has a snake on his body to symbolize the snake he grabbed and used to tie around his belly when his gut was spilled. In this thangka, Lord Ganesha is in a standing position on a lotus platform. To come full circle with his association with the celestial body, he is drawn with the moon and the dark sky and stars for his backdrop. Pink lotus flowers are also seen on the side which symbolize him being a high deity as the pink flowers are reserved for major deities in the pantheon. The blue lotus near his head is also a sign of wisdom.

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Item Code:	TL85
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 11 inch X 13 inch Size with Brocade 21 inch X 33 inch

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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.

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