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February 12 - Thangka Paintings

Thangka Paintings
Thangka painting is a centuries old Tibetan tradition which is in danger of being lost. It evolved between the 7th and 12th centuries. Its origins lay in Indian religious art, but it was also influenced by Nepalese, Chinese, and Kashmiri styles. The paintings are executed on canvas, and mounted in silk brocade. A properly executed thangka displays meticulous details, made with paint made from grinded colored stones, and decorated with real gold. It takes a minimum of three months to make an average size painting.

Sarika Singh and her husband, members of the Dharamshala Rotary Club, started one of the only three schools of Thangka painting that focuses on the real traditional craftsmanship. To become an accomplished Thangka painter, at least ten years training is required under the constant supervision of a master. The school provides accommodation and spending money to the students.

I visited the school today and had lunch with Sarika. I took lots of pictures, but also video, and I will work on a short segment about Thangka paintings.

Prayer Wheels
All around the monastery and local Buddhist temples you can find "prayer wheels". These are filled with "Mantras". By turning the wheels (clockwise), one earns merit equal to the recitation of the mantras filled inside the wheels. They also have small portable prayer wheels, with a handle, and with a weighted string attached to the wheel so that you can turn it with a simple wrist movement.

They have a half mile path around the monastery and the residence of the Dalai Lama, with many prayer wheels. You are supposed to take it clockwise so that you can rotate the prayer wheel that are all inside the path. But I only knew where the path ended, so I had to take it once counterclockwise to find out where it started. I hope by doing so I did not attract the anger of the Gods...