Display of Large Tangka

Large tangka are usually displayed once per year as part of a ritual or festival. They can weigh hundreds of pounds and are hung on the sides of buildings or on hillsides. These tangkas are believed to have the power to expunge bad karma and liberate viewers from negative rebirths; accordingly, people will travel great distances to attend their display. Traditionally, these elaborate objects were made by monks trained in the arts of embroidery and appliqué. Common compositions are Buddha Śakyamuni (Śakya Thubpa); future Buddha Maitreya (Jampa); Amitabha (Öpakmé), Buddha of the Land of Bliss (Dewachen); Amitayus (Tsepakmé), Buddha of Immeasurable Life; Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), and lineage specific masters and deities.