Amulet box / ga'u

This is a circular ga’u or container for an amulet. It holds a moulded and painted clay tablet known as a tsa tsa impressed with the figure of a black Dharmapala, probably Malakhala. Dharmapala means “guardian of the [Buddhist] teachings”, they are powerful, protective deities that – spiritually speaking – stop Buddhist practitioners from venturing onto dangerous paths. With a yellow cotton tie the silver embossed ga’u is attached to another square cloth case that contains a tightly folded khatag or white silk scarf, commonly used by Tibetans as offerings or given as tokens of respect and welcome.