Description :The gha’u mostly, are designed round, square and traditional torana shaped with a detachable back, and are made of beaten bronze or silver. Highly decorated with auspicious symbols, gha’u is frontally conceived. The front centre of the gha’u usually has a prabhatorana or aura-shaped opening or window in which images of a deity may be displayed; behind this its interior is packed with small sacred objects.
The gha’u, as a protective amulet, is mostly worn by the people in the context of their mobility when the stationary shrine may not be necessary. That is to say those who live a nomadic life of shifting from one place to another, those traders who traverse through a vast area with their caravan of mules did carry a movable shrine which is represented here by gha’u.. In the famous statue of unity which is installed at M.G.Marg, Gangtok, Khye-Bhumsa is wearing a torana shaped gha’u in the left side with a belt across the shoulder. According to belief, gha’u as a protective amulet, is worn concealed in the clothing and should not be handled by another person, particularly some-one of the opposite sexes.
In recent times, the gha’u has increasingly become a visible article of jewelry and is nowadays commonly worn around the neck. But this does not portray the popular use of gha’u as a deity’s altar. This display of jewelry gha’u which is worn around the neck is used by women as an ornamental object for any important occasion. Gha’u which has a sacred representation is worn by men across the shoulder.
Source :Sikkim State Archives
Type :Ornament
Received From :Sikkim State Archives
DC Field
Value
dc.coverage.spatial
Sikkim
dc.date.accessioned
2019-10-31T14:53:43Z
dc.date.available
2019-10-31T14:53:43Z
dc.description
The gha’u mostly, are designed round, square and traditional torana shaped with a detachable back, and are made of beaten bronze or silver. Highly decorated with auspicious symbols, gha’u is frontally conceived. The front centre of the gha’u usually has a prabhatorana or aura-shaped opening or window in which images of a deity may be displayed; behind this its interior is packed with small sacred objects.
The gha’u, as a protective amulet, is mostly worn by the people in the context of their mobility when the stationary shrine may not be necessary. That is to say those who live a nomadic life of shifting from one place to another, those traders who traverse through a vast area with their caravan of mules did carry a movable shrine which is represented here by gha’u.. In the famous statue of unity which is installed at M.G.Marg, Gangtok, Khye-Bhumsa is wearing a torana shaped gha’u in the left side with a belt across the shoulder. According to belief, gha’u as a protective amulet, is worn concealed in the clothing and should not be handled by another person, particularly some-one of the opposite sexes.
In recent times, the gha’u has increasingly become a visible article of jewelry and is nowadays commonly worn around the neck. But this does not portray the popular use of gha’u as a deity’s altar. This display of jewelry gha’u which is worn around the neck is used by women as an ornamental object for any important occasion. Gha’u which has a sacred representation is worn by men across the shoulder.
Government of India
