Amitabha Foundation - US
About Masks

Masks are used in Hinduism, Buddhism, and by the tribal groups of the Himalayas. Their primary function is for use in religious and theatrical dance. Tribal groups use masks in shamanistic healing and exorcism rituals.
The Masks of Nepal
Nepal is rich in hand craved wooden materials. Mask is one of them. There are various categories of mask found in Nepal according to different culture and religion. The main types are listed below:
Ethnic
Folk
Cultural
Religious
Deity
Demons
Ghosts
Shaman
Ritual
Exorcist
Bhairav
Ethnicity, Mask Possession, and Mask Dances
The Spatial Distribution of Ethnic Communities in Nepal is Gurung, Pahadi Castes Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Dalit, Kiranti, Rai, Limbu Newar Other Castes Tamang Bhotia, Sherpa, .
Himalayan Masks From The Land Of Mountain
Himalayan masks are used in Hinduism, Buddhism, by the tribal group of Mountain and Himalayan Region of Nepal. Masks are generally used for reaching the altered state of the consciousness called Shamanism and for exorcism practice.
These handcrafted masks represent the unique culture and traditions of the people residing in the Himalayan people. Walking along the Art Galleries around Thamel, Kathmandu, one can find the wide variety of the Himalayan masks. These masks are originally made by .
The Chronicles of Pimbahal: History, Mystery and Enchantment
The stories have baffled the local residents of Lalitpur for quite a long time and the mystery doesn’t cease to intrigue the researchers either.
Heritage of the Kathmandu valley
Kathmandu valley is laden with heritage sites and monuments cloaked in history, stories and folklore. It is also a land of priests who practice tantra, gurus with magical powers, witch doctors and fortune tellers. It is a sacred place that blends history with the ethereal.
Renowned for .
Representation of Dragons in Tibetan Culture
Tibet has the largest tradition of Dragon which dates back more than 7000 years. Dragons are not just mythical stories or just some curiosities. They are part of Tibetan life and culture. The symbols of dragons are everywhere from the beginning of Tibetan history and the importance is still up until today.
In Tibet, Dragon is considered as one of the dignities. There is a total of four dignities. Tiger, snow lion, and the Garuda .
The origin of the Graphic Arts of Buddhism
Buddhist art is the artistic implementations that are perused by Buddhism. It includes art media which idolize Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and other forms of remarkable Buddhist figures, both ancient and mythical.
Buddhist art explains the scenes from the lives of all of the mandalas and other graphic that helps to practice as well as physical objects connected with Buddhist practice, such as vajras, bells, stupas and Buddhist temple designs.
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BCE, and .
Tibetan Calendar and Festivals
There are different Tibetan Festivals which are celebrated in Tibet. Tibet is rich in culture and tradition. All people enjoy festivals together to maintain harmony and love among one another.
Buddhist Calendar in South Asia
The Buddhist calendar is a set of lunisolar calendars primarily used in mainland Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand as well as in Sri Lanka for religious and official occasions.
While the calendars share a common lineage, they also .
6 Places to Buy Thangka and Mandala Paintings Online
This article compares the top websites that are providing Thangka and Mandala Paintings Online. The article will compare the websites on the basis of price, quality, place where the painting is painted, artist, etc by providing detailed information about the websites vision, mission, and goals.
What are the best websites to buy Thangka and Mandala online?
Thangka and Mandala is a traditional and religious art used for meditation, decoration, to pray and so on. Thangka is a Tibetan Buddhist painting .
The divine living goddess in Nepal – Kumari
Nepal is a land of real divinity. Nepal is the land of living goddesses known as Kumari. The practice Kumari dates back to centuries, probably from the Malla Kingdom. The spirit of goddesses Taleju Vawani has been residing in form of pre-pubescent virgin girls.
Kumari - A brief introduction
Kumari is derived from the Sanskrit word Kaumarya which means princess. Kumari is worshipped both by Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal. Most of the traditional kumari in Kathmandu .
The leading micro businesses in Nepal
There has been an expansion of micro-sized industries in past decade and they have played the vital role in Nepal's economy. One of the prevalent and famous micro-business in Nepal is the cottage industry. It is easy to set up these as people with limited skills can easily start a micro business from their own home. Cottage industry normally produces handmade products which can attract a lot of tourists. Although the history of handicrafts goes back .
Different types of Himalayan handcrafted items
Handcrafts are the specialty of the Himalayan people. They spend most time of their day making different types of handcrafted products out of stone, wood, wools, paintings and many more.
Stone Crafts
Stone Crafts in Nepal dates back to at least two thousand years. Different earpieces, armlets, bracelets, anklets, styles of halos, folds of garments, manners of the sash, and many others are the distinguishing features that classify the variety of art forms found in stone sculptures.
Bamboo .