Art
Our Thangka on Display at The British Library Exhibition in London
British Library art exhibition – Buddhism origins, traditions and contemporary life.
Since the first seven steps that prince Siddhartha Gautama walked right after his birth in a garden in Lumbini to his death in Kushinagar, Buddha’s life story and teachings inspired cultures all across Asia and Buddhism became one of the world’s biggest religions. The different approaches to the Buddhist philosophy in different countries created a rich diversity of traditions and lineages that vary tremendously from region to region.
Today the Buddhist principles of compassion and tolerance, the practice of meditation and mindfulness and the concept of enlightenment have crossed over into Western culture acquiring a global scale. However not so many people are aware of the vaste diversity of the cultural footprints that Buddha’s journey left around the world. The current exhibition on Buddhism at the British Library in London wants to be a showcase of this journey.
https://youtu.be/06EhjV8UQO8
Among delicate scriptures, illustrations painted on tree barks or leaves, silk scrolls of sutras and ancient objects, the show displays more then 120 artifacts from 20 countries and it covers a time span of 2,000 years.
We are happy and honored to announce that among these beautiful artworks you can admire the thangka painting of the Wheel of life painted by our master artist Buddha Lama and adorned with a silk brocade created by our dear tailor Susmi Tamang.
The British Library dedicated an entire wall to the thangka and it is on display until the 23 of February 2020 as centerpiece of the exhibition!
Both master Lama and Mrs. Tamang, our thangka school and all our team is deeply grateful to the lead curator of the exhibition Jana Igunma for commissioning the thangka, for her passion, kindness and care. Thank you also to all the staff of the British Library for such an amazing opportunity and for the generous contribution to the artists and artisans of our community.
Sadly it’s not possible for us to attend to this beautiful event however we are all following with excitement the articles, the twits and the photos that many visitors are posting on social media. Here some images:
The British Library also planned a series of events during the exhibition. People that are interested in the Buddhist teachings and practices can join different courses and classes on Mindfulness, Buddhist art, meditation, Zen calligraphy and much more.
You can find more info and the schedule of these events at the British Library official website.
If you are in London or you plan to visit the city during the coming holidays don’t miss the exhibition, it is open until 23 of February 2020.
More info at: British Library Buddhism Event.
Email: [email protected]
Contact number: +44 (0)1937 546060.
They offer 10% discount on groups of 10+ people or if you book online.
Namaste.
The Importance of Our Heritage: Changu Narayan Nepal 2020 Campaign
Many people visiting our village walk happily along the small old streets around the ancient decorated buildings, the forest, the temples and shrines and houses, some still damaged like our art school, but the reconstruction works continues and we hope they will be finished soon.
We sometimes forget the importance and the value behind the beauty that we are surrounded with during our daily life but we know, as most of the people coming to visit our village realize, that we live in a very special place.
In fact behind the history of the first rocks that were posed in Changu Narayan there are beautiful Hindu and Buddhist stories and legends that belongs to the whole humanity.
Nepal 2020
Nepal is preparing to host an important international EXPO in 2020. An event about the importance of the world cultural heritage. As Nepali we feel like we are all part of it as we all have worked hard to support our communities recovering since the earthquakes of 2015.
The struggle and the effort that the people of Nepal with the contribution of many coming from all around the world, working together to rebuild our small and slowly developing country, will be finally rewarded.
Our team and community of artists did what we could with the little we had, collaborated and worked together with our villagers and organizations like Kay Garnay for Nepal and other like minded businesses like Changu Farm House and many many people coming from all around the world, visiting our beautiful place.
Together we financed and co-managed projects to build shelters, provide warm clothes to rural villagers, organized cleanups and several other activities to improve the quality of life of our lovely community, and showed to the world the little explored beauties and treasures that our unique heritage temple village has to offer.
Traditional Art of Nepal
Six years ago, we started this website with the intend to open the doors of our thangka art school and workshops to the digital world.
At the time we were already hosting and providing meals to 12 young artists coming from remote villages of Kavre and Sindhupalchok. Sixteen all together living and practicing in the thangka painting school and gallery so people walking by could admire both the artworks and the artists.
To understand what was our starting point please watch this beautiful video that Crystal Bell realized after visiting our art school.
Thangka: A Journey of Discovery
When the website was online we were a little concerned also because our English was not good but we had many great people helping and we were so exited even to receive and read a message coming from a visitor admiring our art on the screen of their computer.
When the first order arrived we were full of joy.
After two years the website started growing in traffic as we received more and more orders. It was very challenging but we where doing our best and thanks to the success we were able to host 6 young students more.
The Earthquakes of 2015
It is difficult to describe how deep was the shock that the earthquakes of 2015 provoked in all of us. The magnitude of this event is present in our lives still today.
It was Saturday morning, the rest day of the week in Nepal so most of the people were outside or doing puja and school is off as well.
In the drama we were lucky somehow. The death toll could have been worse.
Sadly we had few deaths in our village but way less than other villages nearby like Sankhu, or Bhaktapur the main city at the foothill of Changunarayan.
After dealing with the emergency and the confusion and fears of the first days we slowly adapted to the new reality.
It took us almost 6 weeks to be back online.
During this time we collaborated with many people helping of our community and villages around and thanks to volunteers and even friends that sent their messages through the website we also co-funded a local NGO.
However there were no tourists anymore and selling online was our last resource, also to gather money to finance the volunteering projects.
Plus the art school partially collapsed and the rest of the structure was severely damaged. The owner of the building had his house damaged as well so he could only afford to fix his own house. Also our families had damages or loss of structures so we were living in a difficult condition while the tremors of the aftershocks accompanied our daily life for more than one year since that Saturday.
During the monsoon season we placed few good orders so managed to find accommodation for the artists and helped building shelters for homeless families and elders.
The Long Winter
While the cold season was approaching we started collecting warm clothes and other donations in form of stationary items for school kids, water filters and whatever could help.
After the first few deliveries to Sindhupalchok the news came out that the import of all good coming from India where blocked at the border. We don’t want to enter in the political merit of the blockade but the consequences of this block were suddenly evident.
No gasoline, no cooking gas, even less electricity and higher prices basically for everything.
That winter was one of the longest winter we ever felt.
Bistari Bistari
Nepal is still today a country with many issues and many people lack basic needs however we have proven to have a strong temperament as we keep smiling at life.
We sincerely hope that the coming EXPO and campaign #VisitNepal2020 will help not only people coming to enjoy the beauty of our country but also to promote projects for a sustainable development of Nepal.
Here a short interview to our master artist Kamal Bhujel realized by an amazing organization called Girls Empowered by Travels that operates in Nepal.
Gratitude
The construction works of the art school started only last year and it should be completed soon.
We again want to thank you all the warm-hearthed people that that kept our hope high and helped us during these difficult years: our amazing customers, all the volunteers, the donors, the photographers and video makers, web designers and people that, bistari bistari (“slowly slowly” in Nepali language), contributed and keep working for what we believe are beautiful and important things in life.
Blessings.
To learn more about the historical importance of Changu Narayan check these beautiful videos:
Changunarayan Heritage Videos
A Walk Around Changunarayan Temple
A video shot in Changu by Chris Love after the Earthquakes
Changu Narayan Heritage: Global Treasure Video
A Video of the Oldest Hindu Temple in Nepal with Murchunga (Nepali mouth harp) Music Intro
If you would like to support #VisitChangu2020 please share this post and subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
Namaste.
A Unique Look at Alchi Monastery: Treasure of the Himalayas
Alchi: Treasure of the Himalayas © Peter van Ham 2019 / Hirmer.
Considered one of the best preserved Buddhist monastery and temple complex in the Himalayas, Alchi Dukhan lies at 3,500 metres in Ladakh, India.
The monastery is symbol of the spiritual heritage of Kashmir and Western Tibet with thousands of rare and outstanding paintings, murals and sculptures dating back to 11th century.
Only recently His Holiness the Dalai Lama authorized the publication of the artworks inside the majestic temple.
Working in extremely challenging conditions, particularly in the narrow, almost unreachable second and third stories of the Sumtsek, the photographer Peter van Ham collected images of these time-less masterpieces in a memorable book – Alchi: Treasure of the Himalayas.
Pages of the book Alchi: Treasures of the Himalaya by Peter van Ham and Amy Heller.
This unique photographic book, written in collaboration with Tibetan scholar Amy Heller, contains also a foreword by the Dalai Lama.
Following some of the images that have been released for the pleasure of the eyes of passionate admirers of Tibetan culture and art.
A rare depiction of Buddha Maitreya.
Beautiful Dharmapala protector of Alchi monastery.
Representation of the perils from which Goddess Tara saves and protects – Alchi’s Sumtsek panel painting.
Painting of Buddha Amitayus at Alchi temple complex.
Beautiful 11th century mandala. We increased the brightness of the photo to admire the beautiful details.
“One of the finest art books ever produced.” – David Shulman New York Review Daily.
Click on the book cover to purchase this amazing book.
Namaste.
The Sacred Symbolism Of The Kalachakra Mandala
His Holiness the Dalai Lama composing a Kalachakra Mandala during a ritual.
The Kalachakra mandala is definitely one of the most eye-catching thangka painting and appreciated for the symbolic elements that compose it and the visual representation of important teachings of traditional Tibetan Buddhism.
However, as explained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, many mistaken interpretations have circulated among people who viewed the Kalachakra mandala simply as a work of art.
The Kalacakra tantra is considered the most advanced practice of Vajrayana tradition. This complex system of teachings was originated in India and incorporated into Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
The Dalai Lama himself attends to a series of rituals called “Kalachakra empowerment initiation” and the creation of the Kalachakra mandala is used as a visual textbook for Buddhist practitioners.
The Kalacakra initiation is based on the concepts of time (kala) and cycles (chakra) and, before approaching these rituals, the disciple should have acquired knowledge of the three principal aspects of the Mahayana doctrine: Samsara, Bodhichitta and emptiness.
In this article we will not examine in depth the philosophical aspects of the Tantric initiation but we will focus on explaining the significance of the symbols depicted in the mandala.
First of all it is important to know how to display the Kalachakra mandala correctly. Notice the four different colors of the main inner elements (red, yellow/orange, white and black). The mandala must be oriented with the black side facing down.
The outer ring is called wisdom circle or protective ring. It is decorated with golden flames and the combination of these colors create a rainbow that symbolize the five aspects of the primordial wisdom and the five Dhyani Buddhas.
After the space ring there are four inner rings representing the four main elements: air, fire, water, and earth.
The central part of the mandala had 3 distinct inner layers called body, speech and mind mandalas.
The geometric structure is the projection of a majestic palace with four gates and five floors.
Inside the Body Mandala are represented with syllables and symbols a total of 536 deities. Twelve animals are depicted inside the main gates and protecting the outer walls, representing the months of the year.
The Body Mandala surrounds the Speech Mandala that has the same geometry and inside of which are represented 36 offering goddesses and 80 Yoginis.
The most inner part is called the mind Mandala that occupy the last three floors of the palace and homes 80 deities.
The lotus flower at the center is the symbol of the Buddha mind.
There are several design of thangka paintings of the Kalachakra mandala. In the most complex artworks two deities are depicted in the center of the mandala instead of the lotus flower.
These important deities are Kalachakra and Vishvamata depicted in Yab-Yum: the divine Tantric union that symbolize the cyclic nature of time. This is why the Kalachakra Mandala is also called the “time wheel”.
The Kalachakra Mandala is also represented with one of the most important and well known symbol of the Tibetan Tantric tradition: the Sanskrit seed syllables of the Kalachakra system known as “the mighty ten stacked syllables”.
Each syllable that compose the mantra has a different color and they are represented all interconnected on top of a lotus flower and surrounded by a ring of fire.
To meditate on the mandala and recite the Kalachakra mantra bring peace of mind and benefits for all sentient beings.
The powerful Kalachakra mantra is spelled: Om Ham Ksha Ma La Va Ra Ya Sva Ha.
Namaste.
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