KWAAPA DYA:
MoNA Collection
3 x 4 ft
Acrylic on Canvas
2024
About the Art
Patan Durbar Square houses many historic Baha and Bahi (traditional Buddhist Monastric courtyards ) which includes many deities of Vajrayana Buddhist pantheon. One of them is Rudra Varna Mahavihara also known as Oku Baha by Newar Community. The main deity in the main shrine of these Mahavihara is known as Kwapa Dya. In the Rudra Varna Mahavihara, the Kwaapa Dya is Akshobhya Buddha or Sakyamuni Buddha. Kwapa Dya is consistently depicted as a non-tantric deity, often in the form of the Buddhas or a principal Bodhisattvas.
Vihar was built by Lichhavi King Shiva Deva in 6th century A.D. Thus, the Bihara is named Shiva Deva Sanskarita. The king became Buddhist monk in this Bihara and after some days as per his teacher’s guidance he lived as a house hold monk and spent good part of each day in meditation before the Image of the Buddha he had installed in the main shrine of Bihar. His sons and grandsons carried on the tradition. 400 years later, this Bihara was renovated by King Rudra Deva. Since then the name of this Bihara became “Shiva Deva Sanskarita Shree Rudra Varna Mahabihara”
