21 Taras of Tara Walk
One of the newly installed 21 Tara plaques along Tara Walk in Kechara Forest Retreat. Click to enlarge.
One of the most iconic areas of Kechara Forest Retreat is the majestic statue of Green Tara, situated at the start of Tara Walk. The holy Mother Tara was invited here in 2016 and H.E. Tsem Rinpoche consecrated and blessed the statue so that anyone who pays homage to her will gain healing of body and mind, protection and long life, and will have their wishes fulfilled.
At that time Rinpoche’s vision was to have images of the 21 Taras along Tara Walk which circles the bottom of Medicine Buddha Hill, atop which sits the wrathful statue of Manjushri Nagarakshasa. A couple of years ago, one of Rinpoche’s long-time students offered a complete set of 21 Tara statues, each 3ft high and made of stone. However, Rinpoche thought that they would look out of place if enthroned along Tara Walk as they were too big. So, Rinpoche asked one of his Ladrang (household) students to oversee the design and creation of stone plaques depicting all 21 Taras, to be placed there instead.
The sacred statue of Green Tara at the start of Tara Walk
Recently, this project was completed through a lot of hard work and the kindness of sponsors. From research to sourcing and finally completion, the project took three months – from October 2020 to January 2021. The phase that took the longest time was actually the research and design, to ensure that each form of Tara adhered to the correct iconography. Production of the plaques, which are made from granite stone, communication with the carvers, transportation, installation and consecration went very smoothly without a hitch. The size, material and locations of the plaques are all in exact accordance with the instructions given by Rinpoche.
The 21 Taras according to the Suryagupta lineage. Click to enlarge.
The practice of the 21 Taras arises from the 21 Praises of Tara. This text is actually tantric in nature and was taught by the Buddha Samantabhadra, exhorting Tara in her different forms, one for each verse of the praise.
Based on this text, there are different lineages of the 21 Tara practice, coming from Suryagupta, Dipamkara Atisha, Longchen Rabjampa and Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa. These lineages do not share the same iconographic forms. The most iconographically complex of these lineages is the Suryagupta lineage. Each lineage also has differing mantras and sadhanas associated with each Tara.
The tradition that Rinpoche chose for the 21 Tara plaques is the Dipamkara Atisha lineage. In this tradition, all the Taras are depicted in the same manner – a single face, in seated posture, with two arms. The outstretched right arm holds a vase. The variations between each Tara are the colour of her body and vase, and her facial expression. There are three expressions depicted – peaceful, semi-wrathful and wrathful. In other traditions, each of the Taras has her own unique iconography.
Atisha with his heart disciple, Dromtonpa. Click on image to enlarge.
Another point which sets the Dipamkara Atisha tradition apart from the others is that the initiations for each of the 21 Taras are bestowed in a single ceremony, whereas in other traditions, the initiations are given separately.
The tradition of the 21 Taras does not include the more popular depictions of Green Tara and White Tara, which have their own lineages of practice. Hence in Kechara Forest Retreat, there are actually 22 forms of Tara – the main statue of Green Tara and the 21 Tara plaques along Tara Walk.
So, the next time you are in Kechara Forest Retreat, make sure you visit Tara Walk where you will be able to make aspirational prayers and create a strong connection with Mother Tara.
Installing the plaques around Tara Walk
Installing the plaques around Tara Walk
One of the 21 Tara plaques
Pastors leading the consecration ceremony for the 21 Tara Plaques
Pastors leading the consecration ceremony for the 21 Tara Plaques
Pastors leading the consecration ceremony for the 21 Tara Plaques
Blessing the Tara plaques during the consecration ceremony
Blessing the Tara plaques during the consecration ceremony
Blessing the Tara plaques during the consecration ceremony
Blessing the Tara plaques during the consecration ceremony
Blessing the Tara plaques during the consecration ceremony
The plaques span the entire length of Tara Walk, as envisioned by Tsem Rinpoche
Prayers to Tara
The following prayers do not require initiation in order to practise. You can download and recite them daily to create a strong connection with the divine mother Tara.
- Praises to the 21 Taras (PDF)
- A Gem to Increase Life and Wisdom, A Praise of White Tara (PDF)
- A Song of Longing for Tara, the Infallible (PDF)
- The Sadhana of the Heroic Red Tara (PDF)
Thangkas of Tara
Here are some beautiful thangkas of Mother Tara in her various forms, together with the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. The images are provided in high-resolution so you can download and print them out. They are wonderful additions to your altar. Making offerings to Tara every day is a great way to create a connection with her and helps bring her divine energies into your life.
For more interesting information:
- Atisha Dipamkara Shrijñana: The Reviver of Buddhism in Tibet
- Holy Mother Tara comes to KFR!
- Nageshvaraja and Loma Gyoma arrives to KFR!
- Manjushri Nagarakshasa comes to KFR!
- Cittamani Tara
- The Miraculous White Tara of the Majapahit Empire
- Suryagupta’s 21 Taras
- Homage to the Supreme Mother Tara
- Heroic Red Tara (Suryagupta Lineage)
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
So blessing seeing all those beautiful Tara at Kechara . Walking through the Tara walk feeling the calmness as if we are walking into the wilderness of a forest . One will surely feels it , all due the kindness of our Lama Tsem Rinpoche , sponsors and those involved in this meritorious project.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing with folded hands.
Am so blessed and happy to see this new 21 Taras project at Tara Walk in KFR. Really can’t wait to visit Tara Walk in the near future. Too bad i didn’t get the chance to sponsor this project as Tara is my favourite Buddha. Thank you Rinpoche and everyone for this wonderful sharing . 🙏😍🌈
So looking forward see all the 21 Taras. We are just so fortunate to have KFR as every area is blessed and have many holy statues for us pray, circumambulate and connect with all the Buddhas. Thank you Rinpoche, Kechara team and all kind sponsors.
Tara is one of the most beloved deities in Vajrayana Buddhism, particularly by Tibetans. Mother Tara is also a very popular practice among the Tibetans. Due to her enlightened compassion Tara manifests in innumerable forms to benefit sentient beings of which there are pacifying, increasing, overpowering and wrathful.
Having images of the 21 Taras installed along Tara Walk in Kechara Forest Retreat is indeed a wonderful idea. Thanks to our Guru, Tsem Rinpoche who had envisioned these. With the kindness of sponsors and the hard work of those involved these could only happened. All was done in exact accordance with the instructions given by Rinpoche. It would be wonderful and blissful for visitors walking along Tara Walk .
Looking forward to visit, seeing it and walking along this beautiful Tara Walk which is one of the most iconic areas of Kechara Forest Retreat. Those plaques of 21 Taras span the entire length of Tara Walk, so beautiful indeed. Merely looking at it is a blessing.
Thank you Rinpoche for this with folded hands and thanks to all involved in this amazing project.
Looking forward to visit one day!