Introduction

Design Resource

Tibetan Wood Painting – Himachal Pradesh

Thangka the Nepalese Art

Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Divyadarshan C. S. and Vijay G.

Introduction

The word “Thangka” can also be pronounced as tangka, thanka or tanka. Thangka style of painting is different from other contemporary and traditional style of painting. Thangka contains images, which are painted or embroidered and which are generally attached over a textile base.

Thangka is a well-known Nepalese art, which was taken to Tibet by Princess Bhrikuti Devi of Nepal married to Songtsän Gampo who was the ruler of Tibet. Thangkas generally requires a cotton or silk base to paint upon, the cotton which is used for painting. Thangka is said to be woven by a vigin, which is mentioned in old writings of Manjusrimulakalpa which is written around 300 AC. These strict regulations are carried out in very few places in India and Tibet, where in the artist/painter works on Thangka to make his/her everyday living. Thangka art are generally made with religious and planetary calculation. Once made, Thangka is stored in airless trunks. Some special Thangka are taken out from the storage depending on the lunar cycle, it is unrolled and kept in a dry and smoky shrine hall, which is rolled and kept back in the storage. Extreme care is taken while handling the Thangka.

Colors like white, black, red, orange and blue are commonly used in Thangka. Color like green indicates activity, white shows peacefulness and unassailable compassion. Many time feminine drawing are shown in green or white. Thangka and its material (colors and brushes) are totally made by hand (manually). In the parts of north east, Thangka art could be found in small workshop having about 20 artists, where in the female artist are more in number.

Over the period of about 1000 years, Thangka has undergone many influences. Some of the known influence are:

• Mahayana Buddhist Influence.
• Tantric Influence.
• Bon Influence.

Wooden painting is also such an influence, using Thangka style, wooden article are painted. These products have high demand in the market. These wooden painting has been given the modern touch by the adoption in usage of plastic syringe. Usage of pure gold on the outline of the painting holds the traditional touch.

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Tibetan Wood Painting – Himachal Pradesh