'Welcome to Bhutan. This is the Thangka Conservation and Restoration Centre...'
Our boss Eddie-Ephraim Jose introduces us and shows the tourists around. It is not a tourist destination as yet but word still gets around for those who are interested in art, most especially in Buddhist art. So far we have had most visits from people who live in Hong Kong, China and Singapore.
I work with 4 monks, though there were more...most of them left because they got married, were not well enough to continue working those long hours at the Centre or were sent elsewhere by the Dratsang(monk body).
These four are Lopen Tashi(the oldest and most mature one from our group), Lopen Tenzin(who's slightly deaf but is the most talkative one), Lopen Sonam(who smiles at everything) and Lopen Dawa(who's quite thoughtful and sensitive).
And there's me, the only female working member of the group, supposedly to manage the monks and also learn on the job.
This is my 2nd week here at the Centre and so far I've learnt how to roll thangkas, how to document them via photographs, listing and how to handle them as we move them around. I've learnt how to clean the dirt off the thangka and to 'consolidate' it, which means we have to put this wax-like substance made from fish flakes which look like yellow gelatin and can only be obtained from Japan.
Its long hours, its a lot of fun but also demands much patience and thought and care. It is very good for my Buddhist practice of the being aware of the present and of discipline.
I understand now why Eddie chose monks-this job is something where people involved in it are thoughtful, graceful, meticulous, careful, caring, passionate, patient and have rather a fair degree of self-discipline. All of which traits the monks have and which a lay person might have difficulty with.
Its tough at times but thoroughly enjoying this work!!
Our boss Eddie-Ephraim Jose introduces us and shows the tourists around. It is not a tourist destination as yet but word still gets around for those who are interested in art, most especially in Buddhist art. So far we have had most visits from people who live in Hong Kong, China and Singapore.
I work with 4 monks, though there were more...most of them left because they got married, were not well enough to continue working those long hours at the Centre or were sent elsewhere by the Dratsang(monk body).
These four are Lopen Tashi(the oldest and most mature one from our group), Lopen Tenzin(who's slightly deaf but is the most talkative one), Lopen Sonam(who smiles at everything) and Lopen Dawa(who's quite thoughtful and sensitive).
And there's me, the only female working member of the group, supposedly to manage the monks and also learn on the job.
This is my 2nd week here at the Centre and so far I've learnt how to roll thangkas, how to document them via photographs, listing and how to handle them as we move them around. I've learnt how to clean the dirt off the thangka and to 'consolidate' it, which means we have to put this wax-like substance made from fish flakes which look like yellow gelatin and can only be obtained from Japan.
Its long hours, its a lot of fun but also demands much patience and thought and care. It is very good for my Buddhist practice of the being aware of the present and of discipline.
I understand now why Eddie chose monks-this job is something where people involved in it are thoughtful, graceful, meticulous, careful, caring, passionate, patient and have rather a fair degree of self-discipline. All of which traits the monks have and which a lay person might have difficulty with.
Its tough at times but thoroughly enjoying this work!!
