Thankas From Nepal

We feature elegant Tibetan style Thankas / Thangkas, from Nepal. These exquisite works depict scenes from Buddhist legends as well as Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Hindu deities from Tibet and Nepal. They are hand-painted on cotton paper and feature silk brocades woven by hand. Many of them feature unbelievable detail, such as gold painted into the images, and they can take up to two months to complete.

Click on an image below to see a larger image and details about each piece.
Ganesha Thanka or Thangka

We used to carry a larger collection of Thankas / Thangkas, but we felt that they didn't have the quality and detail that we liked. The artwork above features detail that you won't find in most other contemporary pieces.

Thankas / Thangkas have a fascinating history. They were first developed by the nomadic peoples of Tibet and Mongolia, so that they would have portable Buddhist images. When they moved from place to place, they could then set up the Thankas to designate a temporary place of worship. When they moved on, they could then roll up the Thankas and take them to the next location.

In more modern times, they have been used by temples for decorations and for facilitating meditation, and by common people who are interested in forwarding their spiritual quest, giving them as presents, and using them as aides to prayer and meditation.