Information about Art and crafts of Himachal Pradesh

The trans-Himalayan region of Kinnaur and Lahul and Spiti is the meeting place of Indo-Aryan and
Mongoloid races and cultures. But a strange circulatory process of culture is in evidence there. Originally
Buddhism, though mixed with Tantrik rites, was carried from India to Tibet, from where combining the
Tibetan observances (some of Bon religion) and demonology, it percolated back to the trans-Himalayan
belt.

Its historical illustration is found in the eighth century Tibetan visit of the Indian Guru, Padma Sambhava,
who founded Buddhism there, and two centuries later in the stay of Tibetan scholar Rin-Chan-Sang-Po in

Lahul Spiti and Kinnaur areas where he founded important monasteries which still command the faith of
the people.

Rin-Chan-Sang-Po was one of the youngmen chosen by Ye-She-O, who had renounced the Tibetan throne
and taken to the religious order, to be sent to India for Buddhist studies. He visited India three times and
lived here for 17 years. Most of his time was spent in the Sutlej valley area of Kinnaur and in Spiti, where he
is said to have built 108 viharas, most of which were with the help of 32 Kashmiri Buddhist artists headed by
Bidhaka. The important monasteries associated with him are Tabo (the Ajanta of the Himalayas), Kanam,
Gamur and Dhankar.

Tabo is situated in lower Spiti on the bank of Spiti river. In the temple there are varied inscriptions, one of
them historical, telling about the foundation of the monastery about 980 years ago and about the people
connected with that event. The temple buildings are surrounded by a high mud wall. The centre of interest
is the main temple in which is installed the central divinity, a four-fold white stucco image of Vairochana,
below which are placed two images of Rin-Chan-Sang-Po.

Four other Buddhas, each flanked by four Bodhisattvas are set against the side walls. Against the walls of
entry are set four feminine divinities and just inside the doorway two fierce male ones.

Around the walls beneath the images of Vairochana's circle of divinities there are a series of frescos. Those
along the left wall tell the story of the Bodhisattva prince, Nov-Sang, while those to the right depict the
story of Sakya Muni.

Lha-kun near Dhankar is another important monastery. Of the original nine temples built during Rin-Chan-
Sang-Po's time, eight were destroyed by-the Mongols in the thirteenth century and only one remains now.

In the centre of this temple is a wooden Buddha on a wooden altar. A copper and silver butter lamp burns
below. There are five panels of exquisite work showing Buddha and other scenes, the subjects of which are
not very clear.

Kee, the largest monastery in Spiti, is situated, between Khiber and Kaza on the left bank of Spiti river. It has
the appearance of a hill fort. The monastery was probably built early in the eleventh century. It was invaded
several times but its fort-like position saved it up to the eighteenth century. But during the Dogra invasion of
1834, the monastery suffered heavily from fire. The movables were, how-, ever, saved by the timely flight of
the monks, who carried them to the interior hills.
The upper buildings house five gompas and a large kitchen besides other rooms. The gom-pas are the focal
points of the monastery. Each of them is dominated by a statue of the Buddha, looking compassionately on
his prostrate worshippers. On either side of the statue, there are rows of wooden pigeon holes where
Tibetan scriptures and commentaries are kept. Walls and books are half covered by Thanka (scroll
paintings), the oldest and the most beautiful of all Kee's relics.

In the central hall there are two stucco idols, one of Yum-Chenmo (goddess Tara) and the other of Shyan
ras-gzings (Avalokiteshvara). There are several other statues in the library opposite the temple.

The monasteries in Spiti represent three different sects of Lamaism. Kee belongs to the GuIngpa sect, the
Kaza monastery to the Sa-Skya-pa sect, while the Pin monastery belongs to the Dr-ug-pa sect. These
monasteries are extensive buildings standing on high ground,

away from the villages. In the centre are the public rooms, temples, refectories and store rooms. Around
them are clustered the separate cells in which the monks live. In the storerooms are kept, besides public
property, the dresses, weapons and masks, drums, cymbals, robes and hair-dresses used by monks in
religious plays, dances and other ceremonies.

In Kanam (Kinnaur) there are seven big and small monasteries, built by Rin-Chan-Sang-Po. The principal
gompa is situated at top of the village. There are about 25 rooms in the monastery, which contain copies of
Kanjur and Tanjur, the great encyclopedia of Lamaism. The image of the Buddha in the shrine is of gilt
bronze with blue hair of the pinhead type.

The Pooh monastery, also built in the eleventh century, has a stucco statue of a seated Buddha and two
images of his disciples, Sariputra and Maudgallyana. In front of these are two images of Buddharattana
Avalokiteshvara, one each in stucco and in wood. There are also various illustrated Ti-betan manuscripts.

In Lahul the most famous and the largest monastery is that of Guru Ghantal which stands on a mountain
above the point of confluence of the Chandra and the Bhaga. It is said to have been founded by Padma
Sambhava in the eighth century. It has a wooden structure with pyramidal roofs. It has the idols of the
Buddha, lacquered Padma Sambhava and Brajeshwari Devi. It has also very fine wood carvings. However,
the most popular monastery is that of Kardong opposite Keylong on the other side of the Bhaga. The
monastery was founded some 960 years ago but it was renovated in 1912 by Lama Norbu.

Another remarkable type of building that is found in the Lamaistic region of trans-Himalayas is a Chorten or
Chaitya. It is derived from the stupa and was introduced in the high hills when Mahayana was fostering new
ideas. The basic structure is a square foundation over which is a dome; then there are steps leading to a
parasol which is topped by the 'twin symbol' uniting the sun and the moon. These are commonly found
near sacred places. The original function of these buildings was to house relics of the Buddha or great
teachers but now they can shelter any sacred objects. They are believed to bestow great merit on those
who commission them. Also Visit - Himachal Pradesh Tours
Woodwork in Lahul and Spiti and Kinnaur was influenced by architectural construction. It attained a very
high standard in the eleventh and the twelfth centuries when most of the important monasteries were
built. Initially it was the work of craftsmen brought from Kashmir. They adopted the wooden framework
which required skilled joinery.

Tabo, Guru Ghantal and other monasteries and even old houses have the finest of carvings on beams and
panels. The temples in the big monasteries are full of every kind of wood sculpture with religious and
secular themes and rich carvings. These works have accumulated with the passage of time and they cannot
be dated. Carved wooden book-covers, magic darts, Irl low folding tables called 'Chogtse' at which people
sit cross-legged while having tea are some other extraordinarily beautiful items of wood work.

Initially most of the metal sculpture was imported from the plains but in the eleventh and twelfth centuries,
these areas developed their own style under the guidance of Kashmiri artists who were brought to build
monasteries and decorate them. Later numerous images of ashtadhatu (an alloy of eight metals) were cast.
Most powerful representations have been achieved by the artists in the depiction of terrifying deities,
either prepared to face the assault of demonical forces or performing a dance after exterminating them.
These images represent the vast pantheon of the Mahayana and the Vajrayana.

Teapots are adorned with bands of richly chiselled silver. Mixing of metals is a speciality of the Spitian and
Kinnauri smiths. The spout of the teapot issues from the jaws of a sea monster while the handle is shaped
like a dragon. Utensils and ornaments made in these areas exhibit a high sense of art and beauty. Prayer
bell, the Vajra (Dorje) and the magic dagger (Pur-Bu) are among the other important items that are
decorated.

Paintings in this area are religious and express the faith and ideals of the people. This art was also
introduced here in the eleventh and twelfth centuries by the Kashmiri artists, who had drunk deep at the
fountain of Indian classical art of the times. As time passed the local apprentices introduced a certain formal
rigidity in that style. The monasteries are full of murals and paintings on cloths in the ancient style of
Kashmir. Thousands of paintings poured in when the Buddhist missionaries and pilgrims from the plains,
Kashmir, Tibet and even other neighboring areas brought with them the Thankas. These are hung in
temples but as their name indicates they were rolled up and carried by travellers to provide protection from
evil spirits. These scroll paintings are also used by minstrels to illustrate the episodes they describe.

After the achievement of statehood for the Pradesh, the government started taking greater interest in the
preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of Himachal. Also Visit: Shimla Manali Tour Packages

A Department of Language and Culture was set up to co-ordinate activities regarding culture and language
which were earlier being looked after by various agencies.

A state Museum was established at Shimla where numerous paintings, sculptures, coins and woodcarvings
are on display. Besides, the Bhuri Singh Museum, established at Chamba in 1948, was modernized and
housed in a new building. The State Archives also came into being which has collected over 10,000
documents. It employs techniques of micro-filming and lamination. Maharaja Sansar Chand Art Gallery is
under construction at Dharamsala.

A chair for creative writing has been established in the Department of Language and Culture, which is also
preparing a Pahari-Hindi dictionary. A Department of Archaeology has been set up to look after historical
monuments in the State.

For more Information about Art and crafts of Himachal Pradesh contact Swan tours one of the
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