Newari Chand Bhairava Kaumari (Brocadeless Thangka)

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Bordered by several mythical animals such as dragons, snakes, and Chepu (Buddhist counterpart of Hindu Kiritimukha or face of glory) at the top this brocadeless Chanda-Bhairava Kaumari Thangka carries the devotee to the mystical realm of Shiva and Shakti. True to his name, Bhairava reveals himself as a dreadful and otherworldly being - his unkempt tresses flowing and paralleled by a halo of fire, an unbelievably ornate crown with snakes, skulls, and a miniature Bhairava head in its embellishments.

The intricacy of the artist is apparent in the jewelry of the heavenly duo- in Bhairava’s gold necklace that has the Kirtimukha motif on it and in Kaumari’s necklaces that have a lotus flower and snakes engraved on them. The body of Bhairava is dark blue-hued with three bulging eyes, fiery eyebrows and mustache, sharp fangs and nails, the garland of severed heads, and the serpent in his hand hissing fire, adding to his ferocious aura.

With his upward gaze, Bhairava releases fire in his breath that vanishes death, represented in this Newari Thangka by the tiny skulls caught in his firey whirlwind exhales. In his right hand, Bhairava carries a Danda (staff) and with his left hand, he makes the esoteric gesture known as “Bindu-Mudra” ( a gesture made during ritual blood offerings to the deity in Tantric worship).

His gigantic form shields and provides a contrasting backdrop to the red-hued body of Kaumari who elegantly holds a skull cup filled with blood in one hand and makes the Bindu Mudra with the other. Kaumari too wears the distinctively Nepalese five-pronged crown along with, gem-studded ornaments and a blouse with square patterns.

She endearingly looks at her consort Chanda-Bhairava, empowering his cosmic tasks with her dynamic presence. The use of watercolor on paper in this Chanda-Bhairava Kaumari Thangka has given the artist the freedom to express the celestial togetherness of Bhairava and Kaumari using different tones, layers, and techniques which have infused this Newari Thangka with the astral inseparability of Purusha and Prakriti.

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.