Khata

Traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism

This article is about the Tibetan scarf. For the khata cottages in Slavic-speaking countries, see izba.

Khata

A Tibetan khata

Chinese name
Chinese| 哈達
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| hādá
other Mandarin
Dungan| хада
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping| haa5 daat6
Tibetan name
Tibetan| ཁ་བཏགས་
| Transcriptions

Wylie| kha-btags
THL| khatak
Tibetan Pinyin| katak
Mongolian name
Mongolian Cyrillic| хадаг
Mongolian script| ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠭ
Nepali name
Nepali| खतक
khatak
Dzongkha name
Dzongkha| བཀབ་ནས
Buryat name
Buryat| хадаг
khadag
Tuvan name
Tuvan| кадак
kadak
Kyrgyz name
Kyrgyz| حاداق
хадак
hadak
13th Dalai Lama of Tibet (1932)

A khata /ˈkætə/ or khatag[1][a] is a traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism and in Tengriism.[5][better source needed] It is widely used by the Tibetan, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Ladakhi, Mongolian, Buryat, and Tuvan peoples on various occasions. It originated in Tibetan culture and is common in cultures and countries where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced or has strong influence.[citation needed] The practice of using khatas has influenced people of other communities too who are in close relation to these communities. It is predominantly used in Tibet, followed by other parts of the world. It is a symbol of honour and respect. It is used in Tibetan religious ceremony and in traditional dances, and is offered in monasteries and in temples.

In Nepal, a khata is used as a gift for various occasions like wedding, graduation, electoral victory, winning an award and several other major lifestones. Generally, the guests or invitees at the reception would put khata on the host of such parties. It is used by both Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal in that manner.

## History

[edit]

Tibetan people used to give animal skins as gifts because there was no silk in Tibet. According to the Bon historical record, people would put sheep wool around their necks during the time of the ninth king, Degong Jayshi, and head for some religious rituals. This tradition was passed down from that moment onwards. People began making scarves and using silk over time. So, the scarf replaced the plain sheep's wool and people put scarves on the neck and head.

## Uses and types

[edit]

The khata symbolizes purity and compassion and is worn or presented with incense at many ceremonial occasions, including births, weddings, funerals, graduations and the arrival or departure of guests. When given as a farewell gesture it symbolizes a safe journey. When given to arriving guests it symbolizes welcome. They were usually made of silk but now much more commonly cotton or polyester. Tibetan khatas are usually white, symbolising the pure heart of the giver,[6] though it is quite common to find yellow-gold khata as well. Tibetan, Nepali, and Bhutanese khatas feature the ashtamangala. There are also special multi-colored khatas. Mongolian khatas are usually blue, symbolizing the blue sky. In Mongolia, khatas are also often tied to ovoos, suvargas, or special trees and rocks.

Blue khatas tied to a stone stele at the former Manjusri Monastery, Mongolia, which was destroyed by Mongolian communists in 1937

## Explanatory notes

[edit]

1. ^ Tibetan: ཁ་བཏགས་; Dzongkha: དར་ dhar; Mongolian and Buryat: ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠭ хадаг, khadag [ˈχatəq]; Tuvan: кадак or хадак, kadak or hadak, [qɐˈtɐq] or [χɐˈtɐq]; Nepali: खतक khatak [ˈkʰʌt̪ʌk]; simplified Chinese: 哈达; traditional Chinese: 哈達; pinyin: hādá/hǎdá.[2][3][4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Das, Sarat Chandra (1902). Rockhill., William Woodville (ed.). Journey to Lhasa and Central Tibet. London: Royal Geographical Society. p. 32\. OCLC 557688339. "... handing him a scarf (khatag), I expressed the hope that we might meet next year."
2. ^ 现代汉语词典(第七版) [A Dictionary of Current Chinese (Seventh Edition).]. 北京. Beijing: 商务印书馆. The Commercial Press. 1 September 2016. p. 505\. ISBN 978-7-100-12450-8. "【哈达】 hǎdá"
3. ^ 现代汉语规范词典(第3版) [A Standard Dictionary of Current Chinese (Third Edition).]. 北京. Beijing: 外语教学与研究出版社. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. May 2014. p. 507\. ISBN 978-7-513-54562-4. "【哈达】 hǎdá"
4. ^ "教育部《重編國語辭典修訂本》2021".
5. ^ "The Eternal Blue Sky" (PDF). Hoop. 2014. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
6. ^ Staff. "Khata/Tibet "roof of the world"". Oracle ThinkQuest Education Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-04.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Khata / Haddak at Wikimedia Commons

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