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What is Khata? Khata is ceremonial silk fabrics of the Mongolian and Tibetan people and is also an essential good of social activities. Khata varies in length, generally from two to four feet, and also sometimes more than a foot long.
What’s the meaning of Khata? Traditionally, giving Khata is a common and noble ritual in Tibetan buddhist temples, as well as in Mongolian and Tibetan communities. In the modern Tibetan area, hada is already an auspicious thing to show respect.
Most Hadas are white, symbolizing purity, auspiciousness and prosperity. Besides white color, there are colors of blue and yellow. There are also colorful Khatas with the colors of blue, white, yellow, green and red, too. Blue refers to sky, white is the white clouds, green is the river water, red is the space of protective deities, yellow symbolizes the earth. Colorful Khata is only used in certain circumstances.
What’s the cultural symbol of Khata? Offering Khata is a good tradition of the Tibetan people. People have regarded it as the supreme etiquette throughout the generations. Though not as valuable as gold, it is more revered than gold. Because it symbolizes a heart of gold, representing the most sincere feelings, the best wishes and the highest respect. Its meaning expresses friendship, harmony, kindness and well-being.
Khata is supreme in people's heart. It is the concrete materialization of people's pure heart and simple emotion.
According to material, Khata has three types: commonly cotton textiles Khata, known as the "Suxi", less than a meter long; midrange Khata made of generally silk, called "A Xi", about two meters long; advanced silk for political or religious senior figures, which is one of the highest grade, known as the "Langcui", more than 3 meters long.
In the past time, there are certain etiquettes of using Khata in different occasions. At normal working days, officials at all levels had to wear Khata according to their identity or name. Private and civil society use Khata more casually with less stringent rules. Best friend among friends and relatives are also used Neiku Khata.
Etiquettes of Presenting Khata:
When presenting Khata to a renowned Buddha, you must bend over and bend your head to 90 degrees. You must hold Buddha in both hands over your head and offer it to the throne of the living Buddha.
Offering Khata to elder or superior or common Buddha, you should raise the Khata over your head, the body slightly forward, and hold the Khata in both hand before the elder’s seat or his foot.
For the people of the same generations and subordinates, you can just tie the Khata on their neck or put on their hands.
For younger generations or subordinates, you can place Khata just on their shoulders.
Using Khata’s occasions is quite a few. On weddings or funerals, for greeting and gifts, and expressing thank, which all use Khata in Tibet. Depending on different occasions, Khata is folded in different ways.
Today, in people's social interaction, the use of Khata is more extensive than the past time. It is beyond reproach. But it is worth notice that some abuse, resulting in a form of social etiquette becoming a little vulgarization.
Khata is the "gift scarf" in Tibet. It was the first Tibetan religious devotion to the gods in ritual worship as a precious offering. It is also the gifts exchanging between monks or presenting the Buddha. With the social and economic development, it is not only the offering of religion, but also the most common gift in Tibetan people's lives.
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