Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 58 minutes ago

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Bask in the beauty of a masterpiece of Himalayan art. This month’s Masterpiece Minute podcast introduces a 12th-century illustrated copy of the Pancharaksha, or Five Protections, a work composed of five hymns addressed to five Buddhist protective goddesses. Each goddess is painted in a different color, with specific gestures, anatomical features, and various objects held in their numerous hands.

Hear the reason for the long-lasting popularity of the Pancharaksha in the Himalayan country of Nepal and what makes this Museum’s copy of the manuscript unique.

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