Articles

Hand-painted Guhyasamaja thangka in a white frame between two plants: the blue deity with his consort, three figures above and two smaller deities below

Guhyasamaja Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Guhyasamaja, the 'Assembly of Secrets': a blue, three-faced, six-armed deity in union with his consort....
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Hand-painted Nairatmya thangka on a dark blue wall: the blue goddess dances in a ring of flames

Nairatmya Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Nairatmya, 'she who has no self', is the blue dancing consort of Hevajra and a...
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Hand-painted Namgyalma thangka in a white frame on a wooden sideboard: the white three-faced, eight-armed goddess on a lotus

Namgyalma (Ushnishavijaya) Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Namgyalma, the white goddess of long life with three faces and eight arms: what she...
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Hand-painted Laxmi thangka in a black frame with a white mat: the four-armed goddess sits on a pink lotus

Laxmi Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Laxmi, Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune, honoured in Nepal at Tihar: her lotus,...
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Hand-painted Kali thangka in black and gold, framed on a white wall: the blue goddess stands on Shiva

Kali Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Kali, the dark, fierce Hindu goddess who stands on Shiva: her garland of heads, her...
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Hand-painted Durga thangka above a grey sofa: the many-armed goddess rides a tiger

Durga Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Durga, the many-armed Hindu warrior goddess on a lion or tiger and the heart of...
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Hand-painted thangka of Shiva and Parvati as one figure, half blue and half gold, with a bull and a lion, framed on a white wall

Shiva and Parvati Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Shiva, worshipped in Nepal as Pashupati: his moon, third eye and trident, Shiva and Parvati,...
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Hand-painted Acala thangka in a dark frame above a bedroom sideboard: the blue deity sits in flames holding a sword

Acala Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Acala, the Immovable (Fudo Myoo in Japan), is a wrathful protector with an upright sword,...
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Hand-painted Vaishravana thangka in a white frame on a blue wall: the yellow guardian king rides a white snow lion

Vaishravana Thangkas: Meaning and Symbols

Vaishravana, guardian king of the north, is a protector and a wealth deity. His snow...
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Close-up of a hand-painted White Tara thangka: her face, halo and raised hand in fine gold-coloured line work

How to Choose a Thangka: A Practical Guide

Subject, quality, size and where to hang it: four questions for choosing a thangka.
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A 95 × 131 cm Wheel of Life thangka shown to scale on a living-room wall above a sofa about 210 cm wide

Thangka Size Guide: Which Size Suits Your Wall?

How we measure, which sizes suit which walls, and what framing or brocade adds.
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The Hidden Language of Thangka: What Every Symbol Really Means

The Hidden Language of Thangka: What Every Symbol Really Means

Thangka paintings are far more than stunning examples of Tibetan art—they’re visual scriptures packed with...
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