THE TIBETAN METALCRAFT TRAINING CENTRE

Tibetan art has expressly religious function, for it is used to reveal and inspire the visualizations of Buddhist meditational practice. The art is formalized and detailed, predetermined in design according to certain religious scriptures, and requires a great deal of skill to execute.

Our country abounded in such religious artifacts, but very little has survived the mass destruction of the monasteries carried out by the Chinese. And few genuine Tibetan artists were able to escapes to India, so that their specialized art forms are threatened with extinction. To prevent this, we opened a Tibetan Metal craft Training Center in 1978 at Transit School in Dharamsala. Mr. Tsedhong Penpa Dorjee was appointed its Head in view of his experience and skill in metal craft work. Twenty students were enrolled for the course, which takes nine years to complete. The students learn initially how to draw a variety of religious symbols and images and then to sculpture these in precious metals. The work is intricate, exact and demanding, but at the end of the course these students will be entitled to think of themselves as highly skilled craftsmen.

The total budget for the first three years of training is Rs 318020, a large part of which is expenditure on the metals and gems needed for the work. The Indian Government most generously donated Rs 200000 of this budget and we have raised the rest through appeals to the sponsors abroad. We are fast coming to the time when this sum will be exhausted while the apprentices still have six more years of study ahead of them, so we are in great need of further support for the Center. As it is the only institution of its kind at present in exile, we would also like to see it expanded to include training programs for more crafts and trades.