Our handmade Kalachakra Thangka painting portrays a complex deity that embodies the “Wheel of Time”. Kalachakra has 24 hands, two feet, one head and 4 faces. Each face is a different color, the main face is blue, the right face is red, the left face is white and the back face yellow. Each face also has three eyes.
Additionally, each of his 24 hands is holding a different item. The left hands of Kalachakra hold the four faced head of Brahma, ghanta bell, vajra chains, mirror, conch shell, lotus, jewel, lasso, bow, kapala, khatvanga and shield. In his right hands he holds the vajra, sword, curved knife, trident, 3 arrows, vajra hook, Damaru drum, hammer, wheel, spear, club and axe.
Also, his two main hands are locked in an embrace of his consort, Vishvamata. His consort Vishvamata has yellow skin, 4 faces and eight hands, each hand holding an object. The hair of Kalachakra is tied up in an ushnisha topknot, a symbol of ancient Hindu royalty. Both Kalachakra and Vishvamata are richly adorned with crown and jewels. The two legs of Kalachakra are standing on Kamadeva and Rudra. Additionally, Kalachakra is wearing a long green scarf and he wears a tiger skin around his waist.
The deity portrayed in our Kalachakra thangka painting is a representative of a large set of tantra practices. However, Kalachakra was also a set of spiritual exercises taught my the original Buddha. The objective is to realize time and timelessness in an absolute form of non-duality.
