Paubha

Paubha painting showing Vishnu Mandala (15th century).
Waumha Tara (Green Tara)

A paubhā (Devanagari: पौभा) is a traditional religious painting made by the Newar people of Nepal.[1] Paubhas depict deities, mandalas or monuments, and are used to help the practitioners in meditation. The Tibetan equivalent is known as Thangka.[2][3] The main difference between Thangka and Paubha is that Thangka is exclusive to Buddhist art, while paubha is used in both Hindu and Buddhist art traditions by the Newar community.[4]

The traditional painters of paubhas are the Chitrakar caste who are known as Pun (पुं) in Nepal Bhasa.[5]

  1. ^ Chitrakar, Madan (2012). "Paubha Art". Nepali Art. Kathmandu: Teba-Chi Studies Centre. pp. 35–52. ISBN 978-9937-2-4933-1.
  2. ^ Shakya, Min Bahadur (2011). "Paubha Paintings". Arts of Nepal. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. ^ Macdonald, A.W. and Stahl, Anne Vergati (1979) Newar Art: Nepalese Art during the Malla Period. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House.
  4. ^ Acharya, Baburam (1997). Cultural Traditions of Nepal. Kathmandu, Nepal: Kasthamandap printing press.
  5. ^ Chitrakar, Madan (2000) Tej Bahadur Chitrakar: Icon of a Transition. Kathmandu: Teba-Chi (TBC) Studies Centre. ISBN 99933-879-7-5. Page 17.