A narrative thangka illustrating the story of the Delok Sangye Chözom [Early 21st century]

A narrative thangka illustrating the story of the Delok Sangye Chözom (Wylie Sangs rgyas chos 'dzom ). A delok (Wylie 'das log) is an individual, most commonly female, who apparently dies, descends to the lower realms of existence, especially the realms of hell, witnesses the sufferings of the dead and then returns to warn the living of what potentially awaits. Size including the cloth surround 152 x 93 cm. Image (melong) size 104 x 71cm. Sangye Chözom, a female delok, came from Bhutan, but from a region close to the border with Tawang. This is the first of a pair of thangkas describing the story of Sangye Chözom and depicting the judgement of the dead and the sufferings of those in the realms of hell.. Creation dates: Early 21st Century. Custodial history: A modern thangka recently copied from an old thangka belonging to a different (female) Lama Manipa household in the area. Extent and format of original material: One narrative scroll painting / thangka. Owner(s) of original material: Tsering Dondup.