Katas

The well know Tibetan custom of presenting katas, aka, offering scarves, to spiritual teachers, lamas, Rinpoches, holy people, monks, nuns and spiritual friends as the offering is a gentle custom, performed with a kata. This is given when greeting, or after a ceremony often with a white offering scarf. The kata is an auspicious symbol. It lends a positive note to the start of any enterprise or relationship and indicates the good intentions of the person offering it.

Katas are offered to sacred religious or spiritual images, such as statues of the Buddha, a framed picture, around mantra images, to lamas and government officials prior to requesting their help in the form of prayers or other services. The offering of the scarves indicates that the request is not spoiled by corrupt thoughts or ulterior motives.

Offering scarves also are excellent wedding party gifts where you offer them to all of the guests. Additionally, offering scarves can be presented to one another during the end of the wedding ceremony as an act of blessing.

There are eight types of katas: Three sizes of elaborate dzod tak, which is a silk scarf with auspicious designs woven into it, the Mongolian scarf, which is bright blue, the ashi kata, which is plain silk, the subshi, which is loosely woven cotton, the sothar and the khachi.

There are also instances of using the offering scarves on inauspicious occasions. One of these the tying of an offering scarf around the neck of a corpse. It is said that once, when a wealthy man suddenly died, his servant, not knowing what else to do tied his cow's woolen halter around the corpse's neck and that this later became a tradition. It is also customary to tie a kata around the neck of a deceased lama, as a sign of petitioning his quick return and the unmistaken recognition of his reincarnation.

Our offering scarves are traditional or saffron, in either the 4-5'long or 7' long size with the eight auspicious symbols and mantra on them.