THANGAK PAINTINGS

Thangak paintings are Buddhist canvas paintings made of gold and other natural colors, depicting Buddhist deities, scenes or mandalas. However, there may be paintings several feet long designed to be displayed on the walls of a monastery or as part of a religious festival. Thangka is commonly used for a number of different functions, images of gods can be used as teaching aids to describe the life (or lives) of Buddha, to represent historical events related to important lamas, or to tell myths involving other deities. Thangka are used as a centerpiece in meditation rituals and worshiper's' rituals.