Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

Description: With this thang ka one can categorically identify ’Jig rten mgon po, also known as ’Bri gung rin chen dpal or ’Jig rten gsum mgon (1143-1217), as the principal subject of a thang ka due to the fact that the inscription is written on the reverse of the canvas. Initially studied by the present writer prior to its inclusion in the exhibition “Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure,” the full text of the inscription, an edited transcription and translation are here published for the first time. The identification is made possible by the fact that ’Jig rten mgon po’s name is found in the Tibetan and Sanskrit inscriptions on the reverse of the painting. The identification of this thang ka sheds light on the history and identification of contemporary bla ma portraits in mural paintings in Alchi, Ladakh. (Than Garson 2005-09-22)