---
title: "Thangka Painting: Tibetan Buddhist Scroll Art"
description: "A thangka is a Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting of deities and mandalas on cotton or silk, governed by strict iconometry. Key for UPSC GS1 art and culture."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/thangka-painting"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- A thangka is a Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting on cotton or silk depicting deities, mandalas, or teachers, framed in brocade for ritual use and meditation.
- What distinguishes a thangka from a mandala?
- Why is iconometry central to thangka painting?
- Where is thangka painting practised within India?
- What protections exist for authentic thangka craft?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 2009, UNESCO inscribed the Regong (Regba) arts, including thangka painting practised by Tibetan communities in China's Qinghai province, on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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