The great escape! We ditched Mcleodganj's chaos for Kandbari's chill vibes and landed at Dr. Sarika's place –stumbling upon a treasure trove of Thangka art I would say! Upasna from Wah Lodge played the matchmaker, introducing us to this hidden gem. Now, we were trading mobile phones for paintbrushes and soaking up the serene vibes.This museum was a window to the 2,300 years old journey of the tradition of Buddhist paintings and the evolution of art through ages and geographies.
Dr Sarika honed her skills at Norbulingka Institute in Dharamshala and created the Museum with 45 Masterpiece Paintings depicting this journey of Buddhist Paintings after a deep research of the Ancient Styles of Ajanta Caves, Tabo and Alchi Monastery.
At the workshop sitting amidst mountains, we discovered the ancient art of painting on handmade cloth with mineral colours and learnt the timeless techniques. For the first time I used the divider – a simple tool that revealed the precision of perfection, while I drew the serene face of Buddha, circle by gentle circle. In that meditative moment, I was with the divine, but ofcourse with my paint stained fingers.
However, what got my attention was the Thangka of Dharamsala Tara announcing the Arrival of this art to the Indian Soil. The painting depicting story of Tara's return appeared like of mystique and longing.
I was so enamoured with the thought how, lost to the sands of time, it found its way back to home, though with a new Tibetan name " Thangka" which literally means "thing that one unrolls". Teachings of Gautam Buddha, unrolled through Dalai Lama rekindling a connection that transcended borders, seeking to reclaim its cultural legacy. Talk about packing light, I hear that all that Dalai lama carried on his shoulders while seeking asssylum in India was a thangka of Palden Lhamo. By carrying this sacred artwork, may be he was also seeking guidance and blessings on his own spiritual journey, I wondered.
Hmmm..believe it or not I was compelled to ponder. Life's a wild goose chase, isn't it? We're running, striving, pushing – trying to reach that elusive 'somewhere.' But in the chaos, do we forget the cosmic GPS that's always on? Are we over-riding the divine's navigation system with our own flawed maps? The Bhagavad Gita whispers secrets of surrender, of being grounded in faith, and trusting the universe's blueprint. Maybe it's time to pause, and let the divine take the wheel. After all, who needs Google Maps when you have karma's guiding light?"
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