THANGKA PAINTING
Aishwaryashree BD/16/902 National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kangra
National Institute of Fashion Technology, KANGRA Fashion Communication 2016 - 2020
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The mind is everything. What you think you become. Gautama Buddha
Source: Google Images
Study and survey of the Craft and Documentation By Aishwaryashree Centre name: Kangra Copy right @National Institute of Fashion Technology, Year 2016-20. All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form by means of electronics, mechanical, photo copying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from National Institute Fashion Technology, except by a review/reader who wishes to quote brief passage in connection on with a paper review/essay written for inclusion in a periodical, newspaper or broadcast. Faculty guide /mentor : Ms. Maulshree Sinha
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The success and final outcome of this project required a lot of guidance and assistance from many people and I am extremely privileged to have got this all along the completion of my project. All that I have done is only due to such supervision and assistance. I respect and thank Ms. Maulshree Sinha, for providing me an opportunity to do the project work in Dharamsala and giving me support and guidance which made me complete the project duly. I would like to mention The Norbulingka Institute for their encouragement and more over for their support and guidance till the completion of my project work. I heartily thank my friends and family for their unconditional support.
PREFACE Craft Cluster is an introduction to the handicraft industry to give an insight to the students of the traditional craft. It blends their class- room and traditional knowledge and aims at providing the knowl- edge of the design and manufacturing process followed since ages. Cluster is an important part of a student’s life where they get to know more about traditional skills. It helps to understand the limitations and criteria for designing a product and its promotions so that it can sell itself in the market for a longer period of time. This document contains research about the Thangka Paintings done in thedistrict of Himachal Pradesh. It also inherits information about the cluster we visted, techniques they use, raw material used, current status of craft and artists involed.
CONTENTS
1. TIBET...............................................................................1 2. History..............................................................................3 3. Geography........................................................................5 4. Demographics..................................................................7 5. Religion.............................................................................9 6. Fierce Deities..................................................................11 7. Cluster..............................................................................13 8. Methodology...................................................................15 9. Products...........................................................................23 10. Innovations and Challenges.......................................25 11. Artisan Profile..............................................................27 12. Bibliography.................................................................30
TIBET 1
Tibet developed a distinct culture due to its geographic and climatic conditions. While influenced by neighboring cultures from China, India, and Nepal, the Himalayan region’s remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinct local influences, and stimulated the development of its distinct culture. Tibetan Buddhism has exerted a particularly strong influence on Tibetan culture since its introduction in the seventh century. Buddhist missionaries who came mainly from India, Nepal and China introduced arts and customs from India and China. Art, literature, and music all contain elements of the prevailing Buddhist beliefs, and Buddhism itself has adopted a unique form in Tibet, influenced by the BÜn tradition and other local beliefs. Several works on astronomy, astrology and medicine were translated from Sanskrit and Classical Chinese. The general appliances of civilization have come from China, among many things and skill imported were the making of butter, cheese, barley-beer, pottery, watermills and the national beverage, butter tea. Tibet’s specific geographic and climatic conditions have encouraged reliance on pastoralism, as well as the development of a different cuisine from surrounding regions, which fits the needs of the human body in these high altitudes.
Image Source: Google Images
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HISTORY
1240 — 1247
602 -1904
Mongols invaded in 1240 and 1244. In 1247, Mongol prince Godan Khan met Tibetan lama Sakya Pandita. Sakya yielded Tibet and Khan converted to Buddism with Sakya as his spiritual advisor
The central Tibetan states were united when Namri Songsten became the first king of Tibet. Lhasa was appointed capital and this imperial age continued until 842 when King Langdarma was assassinated.
IMPERIAL AGE
MONGOL INVASIONS
PEACE TREATY
821
This was signed after 200 years of conflict over border regions. It established Tibet as independent with its own inviolable territory: “Tibetans shall be happy in Tibet and Chinese shall be happy in China.”
MONGOLIAN YUAN DYNASTY Kublai Khan developed a priest-patron relationship with the Sakya Lama. Tibet retained some autonomy and enjoyed religious authority throughout the Mongolian empire. It remained adminstratively separate from the conquered Chinese provinces.
1271- 1354
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Tibetan history, as it has been recorded, is particularly focused on the history of Buddhism in Tibet. This is partly due to the pivotal role this religion has played in the development of Tibetan and Mongol cultures and partly because almost all native historians of the country were Buddhist monks.
1368-1644
The Mongol empire in China fell to the ethnic Han Chinese. Tibet had broken from the Mongols prior to this and did not pay tribute to Ming emperors. Chinese scholars argue that lamas accepted titles and this is evidence of China’s sovereignty at this time.
MING DYNASTY
1644-1912
This was a period of great change and instability within Tibet and across the region, with the Qing dynasty’s influence extending into Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Nepal and India.
MANCHURIAN QING DYNASTY
BRITISH INVASION
DALAI LAMA LINEAGE
1578
Mongol ruler Altan Khan bestowed the title Dalai Lama on Sonam Gyatso, leader of the Gelugpa school of Buddhism. In return, the Dalai Lama proclaimed Altan Khan to be a reincarnation of Kublai Khan, which gave legitmacy to his rule.
The British expedition was a temporary invasion by British Indian forces under the support of the Tibet Frontier Commission. Their mission was to establish diplomatic relations and resolve the dispute over the border between Tibet and India. In August 1904, the expedition stretched to Gyantse and reached Lhasa. The British mission ended in 1904.
1904
Image Source: Google Images
GEOGRAPHY
Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of southwest China, the Tibet Autonomous Region has an area of 1,220,000 square meters, 12.8% of the total area of China. It borders the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and east Qinghai in north side and borders Yunnan Province and southeast Sichuan in south side. Close to the south and west Tibet lie Burma, India, Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal. Tibet Autonomous Region has very complex topography with an average elevation of more than 4000 meters. It can be divided into three geography parts: the North-Tibet Plateau in the west, the south Tibet Valley and the Henduan Ranges in the east. The North-Tibet Plateau takes up 2/3 of the total area of Tibet including the area among the Kunlun Mountain, Kangdese Mountain, Tonglha Mountain and Nyainqentanglha Mountain. The south part is mainly consisting of valleys between Kangdese Mountains and Himalayas where the Yarlung Zangbo River passes. The east part of which is made up of high mountains and big valleys lying from north to south is the main section of Henduan Ranges.
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DEMOGRAPHICS
Historically, the population of Tibet consisted of primarily ethnic Tibetans and some other ethnic groups. According to tradition the original ancestors of the Tibetan people, as represented by the six red bands in the Tibetan flag, are: the Se, Mu, Dong, Tong, Dru and Ra. Other traditional ethnic groups with significant population or with the majority of the ethnic group residing in Tibet (excluding a disputed area with India) include Bai people, Blang, Bonan, Dongxiang, Han, Hui people, Lhoba, Lisu people, Miao, Mongols, Monguor (Tu people), Menba (Monpa), Mosuo, Nakhi, Qiang, Nu people, Pumi, Salar, and Yi people. The proportion of the non-Tibetan population in Tibet is disputed. On the one hand, the Central Tibetan Administration of the Dalai Lama accuses China of actively swamping Tibet with migrants in order to alter Tibet’s demographic makeup. On the other hand, according to the 2010 Chinese census ethnic Tibetans comprise 90% of a total population of 3 million in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Exact population numbers probably depend on how temporary migrants are counted.
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RELIGION
The main religion in Tibet has been Buddhism since its outspread in the 8th century AD. The historical region of Tibet (the areas inhabited by ethnic Tibetans) is nowadays mostly comprised by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and partly by the provinces of Qinghai and Sichuan. Before the arrival of Buddhism, the main religion among Tibetans was an indigenous shamanic and animistic religion, Bon, which now comprises a sizeable minority and which would later influence the formation of Tibetan Buddhism. According to estimates from the International Religious Freedom Report of 2012, most of Tibetans (who comprise 91% of the population of the Tibet Autonomous Region) are bound by Tibetan Buddhism, while a minority of 400,000 people are bound to the native Bon or folk religions which share the image of Confucius with Chinese religion, though in a different light. According to some reports, the government of China has been promoting the Bon religion linking it with Confucianism. There are four mosques in the Tibet Autonomous Region with approximately 4,000 to 5,000 Muslim adherents,although a 2010 Chinese survey found a higher proportion of 0.4%.There is a Catholic church with 700 parishioners, which is located in the traditionally Catholic community of Yanjing in the east of the region.
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FIERCE DEITIES
TANTRIC DEITIES
YIDAMS In Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana, Yidams are divine forms of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The tantric practitioner is initiated into the mandala of a particular chosen deity and practices complex sadhanas (meditations) on the deity for the purpose of personal transformation.This Deity Yoga practice is central to tantric forms of Buddhism such as Tibetan Buddhism. Yidams can be peaceful, fierce and “semi-fierce” (having both fierce and peaceful aspects). Fierce deities can be divided into male and female categories.
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WISDOM KINGS In East Asian Buddhism, Wisdom Kings (Sanskrit vidyarāja), are seen as divine manifestations of the Buddhas, who act as protectors, messengers and defenders of the Buddhist Dharma. In East Asian Vajrayana and Chinese Esoteric Buddhism the five wisdom kings are manifestations of the Five Tathagatas, Acala, Vajrayaksa, Vajrabhairava, Kundali, Trailokyavijaya,
In Buddhism, fierce deities are the fierce, wrathful or forceful forms of enlightened Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas (divine beings). Because of their power to destroy the obstacles to enlightenment, they are also termed krodha-vighnantaka, “fierce destroyers of obstacles”. Fierce deities are a notable feature of the iconography of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism and are a major element of thagka paintings. These types of deities first appeared in India during the late 6th century with its main source being the Yaksha imagery and became a central feature of Indian Tantric Buddhism by the late 10th or early 11th century.
THE PROTECTORS The Protectors or Dharmapāla (Dharma protectors), are powerful beings, often Devas or Bodhisattvas who protect the Buddhist religion and community from inner and outer threats and obstacles to their practice. A Dharmapala can also be a Garuda, Nāga, Yaksha, Gandharva, or Asura. Other categories of Protectors include the Lokapālas or “Four Heavenly Kings” and Ketrapālas or “Protectors of the Region”.
YAMA, the god of death MAHAKALA, the Great Black One YAMANTAKA, the conqueror of death KUBERA, the god of wealth HAYAGRIVA, the Horse-necked one PALDEN LHAMO, female protectress of Tibet WHITE BRAHMA or Tshangs pa BEGTSE, a war god
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CLUSTER
: STRUCTURE The cluster is able to form 30 artisans , 20 trainee and is supported by Norbulingka Institute.The mobilization gains momentum day by day. Its market segmentation involves local, national as well as International markets.
SUPPORTING INSTITUTION Norbulingka Institute
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METHODOLOGY
RAW MATERIAL
Varieties of tools and raw materials are used for making this traditional art. 1. Cotton cloth 2. Thread (for fastening the canvas to the frame) 3. Mineral colors: Carbon Black (Tib: nagtsa): Black Cinnabar (Tib: chog lama): vermillion color Lapis Lazuli: Blue Lac Red (Tib: gyatso) Malachite Green (Tib: pangma): Green color Minium Orange (Tib: litri): Orange color Orpiment Yellow (Tib: ba la): Yellow color Yellow and Red Ochre (Tib; ngang pa and tsag) Gold (Tib: ser) - powdered gold, stored as drops Silver (Tib: ngul dul) - Powdered silver, also stored as drops 4. Leather Glue 5. Silk Brocade cloth 6. Distemper Powder 7. Tools: Wooden frame Pencils Compass Scale Brushes (of different sizes)
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PROCESS The process of making a Thangka painting involves three steps; preparation of the canvas, drawing and colouring/painting.
Preparation Of Canvas 1.The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame and the sides are sewn to the frame with a cord that allows tension to be adjusted. 2.Leather glue is heated in water till it melts. 3.This melted glue is mixed with distemper powder and water to form a liquid paste. 4.This paste is applied properly on both sides of the canvas and let to dry in the sunlight. 5.The surface of the canvas is then polished with a smooth stone or rim of a glass tumbler, until the underlying texture of the canvas is no longer apparent, i.e. the distemper and glue paste is no longer on the surface and all the pores of the canvas are filled.
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Using pencil, compass and a scale, geometric markings are made on the backside of the canvas to define points for the drawing on the front side. The artist uses a thread dipped in color to find the centre point of the canvas to start the measurements. Once the centre point of the canvas is located, a circle is drawn on the centre, and arcs are cut on it to segment its circumference. The points on which the arcs cut on the circumference are used to divide the canvas into half and to mark points for the border.
Drawing
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Colouring / Painting 1.Mineral color powder is then mixed with glue binder to form a paste of required consistency. 2.The drawing is then colored. First the distant areas are colored like sky and background, and then the main figure is colored. 3.The completed painting is taken to only the tailors who mount the work on silk brocade to complete the scroll painting of Tibetan Thangka.
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THEMES
MANDALAS
PEACEFUL DEITIES
LIFE OF BUDDHA
WHEEL OF LIFE HEAVEN HUMANITY REALM ASURAS PRETAS ANIMAL REALM HELL
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WRATHFUL GODS
STYLES There are six styles in Thangka paintings and each style has its own significance: • Minti style: More importance is given to the use of blue and green colors. • Chanti style: Light colors or pastel colors are used more. • Kamgatti style: Sketch based painting • China getti style: Painting through cosmic design • Gotti style: Floral designs are made without making the outline floral • Khamtti style: Paintings are made using the place name as base 22
PRODUCTS
Thangka scrolls still remain the most popular product being made with this technique. However there are a few variations available in the market like painted furniture. One can find wall paintings in Buddhist temples, which are closely associated with the art thangka painting sincetime immemorial. Thangka paintings are done with strict set of rules which are predefined, thus there is a very less scope of experimentation and innovation. One aspect which differentiates thangka from other crafts and art practices is that thangkas were not for aesthetic or daily utilitarian purposes, thangkas instead are an aid for meditation or a symbol of good karma. This is why a large amount of thangkas being made are still commissioned. In past, commissioning of thangka would build a spiritual relation between the person who has commissioned a thangka, the artist, the lama (under whose guidance the artist works) and the deity. The contents of the thangka are according to the customers’ demand. One small but quite notable change that has occurred is that a few thangka paintings now are not being mounted on the silk brocade cloth, instead are framed with wood and glass. Such thangkas are for commercial purposes.
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Innovations and Challenges
Innovations and changes in thangka painting have been made only in terms of tools and materials and otherwise the practice and process is same as it was years back. Along with pigment colors, acrylic colors and poster colors are also used. With the help of blow dryers and room heaters, ideal situations are created during unlikely weather for paintings to be painted efficiently. This helps the artist to paint thangkas all year round. Thangka paintings have admirers all over the world, be it for its aesthetic beauty or for spiritual purposes. A lot of thangkas are being commissioned from all over the world, and several are bought through various online portals which sell authentic paintings. Because thangka paintings have large amount of admirers, there are printed versions of thangkas available in the market which are bought by people all over the world. These thangkas lack authenticity. Also a lot people are aware about the existence of the art but not well aware about its making process like many other arts and crafts. Thus, the tremendous effort going into making of thangkas get unnoticed. Thangkas are not being portrayed as a commercial art, and that is where its beauty lies in, the relationship between a thangka and its painter is deep and spiritual. The story of thangka paintings need to be told and thus, awareness is the important challenge that thangkaart is facing.
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Artisan Profile
1.Name of the Artisan:
Jamyang Dorjee
2.Address:
Norbulingka Institute PO Sidhpur Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
3.Mobile No/ Phone No:
+918679173443
4.Profile of the artisan:
Master Artisan
5.Has the Artisan won any award?
No
6.Crafts practiced by the artisan:
Thangka Painting and Mandala Drawing
7.Since when is the artisan practicing the craft:
Since 1995 till now
8.Region of Work:
Sidhpur, Dharamshala
9.Full-time /Part-time:
Full Time
10.Sex:
Male
11.Are family members involved in the craft?
Yes, Relative- Aunt
12.Production based challenges:
1. Difficulty in Raw material procurement 2. High production cost 3. Frequent inability to meet orders 4. Rejection of Orders 5. Inability to meet quality standards/ quality issues
13.Major marketing channels:
14.What are the challenges that they face in selling their products
1.Exhibitions 2.Retail Stores 3.Wholesale buyers 4.Online Online Store 5.Export Threat from machine
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INTERVIEW How did you learn to paint in the Thangka style? I started studying when I was 7 years old under my father. I learned from my uncle also. I’m 30 now, but I’m still learning. I never had the chance to learn from my grandfather because I was too young when he passed away. I come from a mixed family of lama lineage. My father is Tibetan and my mother is Nepali. Among my siblings, I have one younger brother who is 22 now. He has 14 years of experience and we could say that he is a master painter. For perspective, my uncle has 35 years of experience. He is a highly advanced master and an amazing teacher. How is the skill passed down? Is it passed down within a family? Or can anyone go to a school and learn? In fact, it’s very rare thing to see a thangka school in Himachal. Most people learn from family elders. But there is no rule saying that someone without family ties to the art can’t learn to paint in the thangka style. Anyone can choose to be an artist. They don’t have to come from a lama family. What is unique about thangka? Thanka is extremely difficult from a technical point of view. On top of this, there are many levels of meaning in one painting, which is meant to have a strong balance of artistic vision and feeling, but also deep spiritual meaning. Many people today have lost their sense of connection to the spirit of life. Yet, if someone learns more about the real meaning of a mandala or becomes interested in some Buddhist deity, one painting can change their life. Of course, I’m not talking about money or something material. But coming into contact and understanding the real meaning of the art can change peoples’ feelings and ways of thinking. How are Thangka paintings used within Buddhism? The mandala, for example, is a representation of the universe, as well as samsara (the cycle of birth, life and death as conceived by Buddhism). All beings are in it together in a mandala. We are all living, suffering, being reborn. Through meditating on a mandala, and by visualization as well, we can achieve specific results. It’s a high spiritual practice.
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Other thangka paintings, such as those showing the life of Buddha or the Goddess Tara, inspire believers. But these types of paintings are not used directly for meditation practice in the same way as mandalas. People have different intentions and desires, which is why there are various deities in Tibetan Buddhism. For example, the Goddess Tara is a female manifestation of Buddha nature. But she is not higher or lower than any other deity. Each one just serves a different purpose. So it is with the various types of thangka too. What is the state of the Thangka painting world today? As a whole, artists are really struggling today. It’s due to a combination of things. What are your thoughts on the future of thangka? I think if things remain as they are now, artists will continue to struggle. The reality is that when an artist finishes one painting, if they cannot sell it in a local market, they may have to think about how they will eat for a time. Most artists are from poor backgrounds. So they either go back to working on a farm or manage to sell some paintings. I understand this situation very well, as I worked on my family’s farm as a child. Many families work roughly six months of the year on a farm. That provides food for about half the year. For the other half, people have to either go work in a city or go work abroad. But for those who do sell paintings, I’ll give an example. Say one painting takes 25 days to finish. It would likely sell for around $80-100. For a really big painting, the most expensive could sell for as much as $15,000. I have only one painting like that. As much as I’d like to have more, I can’t have them made because of the huge investment that it takes. (Laughs) I think the key to thangka’s survival will be financial support. People cannot afford to hold exhibitions overseas. I’m still unable to do that kind of work. But in the future, I hope to make the kinds of connections that will allow me to do that. That would also allow me to explain the work that our school is doing and potentially get even more support.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Websites www.norbulingka.org www.googleimages.com www.pinterest.com
Books Sacred Buddhist Painting Book by Anjan Chakraverty
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