Win a Buddha Shakyamuni appliqué thangka from Norbulingka. Taking up to 5 weeks to be hand stitched by multiple artists the Buddha Shakyamuni appliqué thangka is composed of hundreds of individually embroidered pieces, each outlined by a border of horsehair wrapped in silk thread. This type of embroidery, called couching, is different from other methods in that the design is not embroidered directly onto the fabric, but rather, the cord of horsehair and silk is "couched" over the fabric to create the design. The artists at Norbulingka have brought the art of making appliqué thangkas back to its former glory, combining ancient tradition, fine workmanship and the best materials. Thangka applique is a technique of creating thangkas using not paint, but precious silk. Just like thangka paintings, thangka applique is a sacred art, and appliqués follow the iconography for Buddhist deities as laid down in Buddhist scripture.