"Torma" (Incense Burner)

This vessel, called a "Torma," is made of silver with a coral, turquoise, and enamel inlay. It was used to present offerings of rice in complex Buddhist rituals and ceremonies that took place in Tibet and other areas in the Himalayas. The Newari craftsmen were charged with creating these kinds of silver objects and decorating them with coral and turquoise gemstones to meet the requirements of Vajrayâna Buddhism. The vessel is shaped to symbolize Mount Kailash, the mythical home of the Buddhist deities, and the top is crowned with a piece in the shape of a flame which seems to portray an image of Buddha.