Newari Dancing Lord Shiva (Brocadeless Thangka)

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These elements in this Newari dancing Shiva Thangka are drawn from the traditional Hindu idiom of depicting Lord Shiva. Juxtaposed over this are attributes typical of Newari art such as the luxuriantly flowing green brocaded scarf, the tiara-like crown fashioned from skulls, the jeweled girdle worn over the tiger hide dhoti, the thin mustache, and the imposing aureole that provides a vivacious background to Nataraja Shiva.

Nestled in the knots of Shiva adorned with a crescent moon, a dark-skinned face of river-goddess Ganga facing the sky appears and from her mouth a stream of water emanates, forming a waterfall as it touches the ground, enhancing the vitality of this Newari dancing Shiva Thangka. In Lord Shiva’s right hand he holds a minuscule gem which can be identified as “Chintamani” or the wish-fulfilling jewel. In the Nepali tradition, the persona of Shiva is associated with Lokeshvara or Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (one who gazes upon the creation).

He salvages the souls of his followers from the sorrows of the world and fulfills their worldly and metaphysical wishes. The presence of Chintamani in this Lord Shiva Newari Thangka is the artist's way of visually retelling the close links between the powers of Lokeshvara and Shiva.

Lord of Dance, Nataraja’s prowess to bestow upon his devotees all the riches of the world is also marked in the background of the dancing Shiva, which includes a lush green tree covered in numerous gemmed necklaces (symbol of wealth), which in Newari Thangkas represents the “Kalpa-vriksha” (the mythical wish-granting tree in Hindu-Buddhist tradition).

Embodying the serene calm of Kathmandu valley and the dynamic movement of Shiva, this Newari Thangka of Dancing Shiva is the acclamation of creation and destruction which is heard in the thumps of Nrityanatha's (Lord of Nritya or dance) feet.

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.