Thangka

Thangka is a painted or embroidered Buddhist banner, which is hung in a monastery or a family altar and occasionally carried by monks in ceremonial processions. In Tibetan, the word "thang" means "flat", and thus the Thangka is a kind of painting done on flat surface, but which can be rolled up when not on display. The most common shape of a Thangka is the upright rectangular form.

Originally, thangka paintings became popular among traveling monks because the scroll paintings were easily rolled and transported from monastery to monastery. They also served as important teaching tools depicting the life of Buddha, various influential lamas, and other deities and bodhisattvas. To Buddhists, these Tibetan religious paintings offer a beautiful manifestation of the divine, being both visually and mentally stimulating.