Tara 21 is an endeavour to showcase the art of Bhutanese thangkas, a craft which is slowly disappearing. Curators Arjun Sawhney and Tania lefebvre reveal the avatars of a goddess to S Balan
Golden Tara has a nectar vase, she increases longevity and protection whereas Yellow Tara has the infinite knot for inner and outer balance, timely seasons and harvests. White Tara has an umbrella to protect from nightmares, conflict, violence, disputes and curses. The exhibition Tara: 21 Avatars of the Goddess displays all the avatars of the female Bodhisattva, or the enlightened one seeking Buddhahood. Each Tara symbolises different purposes and radiates special energy. Portrayed by Master Buddhist artist Zeiko, it’s an effort to showcase the art of Bhutanese thangkas which is slowly declining.
Tara, conceived as a tantric meditation deity, is worshipped both in Buddhism and in Shaktism as one of the ten Mahavidyas. Thangkas serve as important teaching tool unfolding the life of the Buddha, various influential lamas and other deities and Bodhisattvas. The art of Bhutanese thangkas exemplifies legends, stories and deities from Mahayana Buddhism. Curated by Arjun Sawhney, Tania lefebvre and Sharan Apparao, the exhibition is progressing at The lodhi Hotel.
Elaborating on the Bhutanese thangka style, Arjun Sawhney and Tania lefebvre said: “The composition of a thangka, as with the majority of Buddhist art, is highly geometric. Arms, legs, eyes, nostrils, ears, and various ritual implements are all laid out on a systematic grid of angles and intersecting lines. The process seems very methodical but often requires deep understanding of the symbolism involved to capture the spirit of it. Thangkas often overflow with symbolism and allusion. Because the art is explicitly religious, all symbols and allusions must be in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. Thangkas are created using paints from minerals such as gold and silver lining and natural pigments.”
On the relevance of relating the concept to Indian aesthetics, the curators said that Buddhism is a derivative of Hinduism. The connections between the two religions are depicted clearly once we compare the female deities. The goddess has resemblance to the Indian female deities, especially the hand postures, facial expressions, figures and the detailing.
When we wondered why Tara was chosen as the theme of the paintings, Tania said the project took off simply because it was unusual and had found a lot of patronage among art lovers. There are blue, black and even red Tara in the paintings. Do the colours imply different emotions of the goddess or actionsIJ “She is symbolised as great protector, wish fulfiller and supreme enlightened being who emanated from the compassionate tear of the Chenrig Ze or the Buddha of compassion, so that all sentient beings are liberated from suffering. Uttering her name and seeing her face bless one with immense positive energy,” the curators said.
Zeiko, from Punakha village in Bhutan, has studied religion to have a deeper understanding of his art works, as religion and art are closely connected to each other. The exhibition will conclude on December 10.
