Description (Physical description)
Gursha. Gelug-pa hat, yellow with an orange edge trim. The brim is turned up and the top is pointed. The hat folds flat when not worn.
Event Date 25/7/2022
Author: Flo Sutton

Context (Production / use)
There is another Mongolian Lama's hat in the MAA collection, 1974.20. context for this object reads:

"Lamas' hats in the Tibetan Buddhist church served to distinguish roughly the different sects: red hats are common to all sects in Tibet except the Ge-lug-pa, yellow hats are worn by the Ge-lug-pa, and black hats belong to yet other sects. This hat comes from Khalkha, Mongolia, from the Ge-lug-pa sect of Lamaism. A felt hat with a crest is worn by all lamas, who take it off when going into the temple and throw it over their left shoulders, holding it by the tails which hang downin front. The tails are stitched to look like the covers of a book, so the lama grasping the tails as it were has a grasp of the scriptures. The pile of the cap represents the thousands of animals in the world which the lama is drawing to salvation. The crest represents the doctrinal insight of the wearer. As he rises by taking a degree in divinity his crest in elevated by an extra stitch. In Tibetan this hat is called ' rTse-zwa sgro-lugs' . This kind of hat is used for going to religious services; other hats are worn when out riding, at wrangling disputations, etc. Date of manufacture unknown."
Event Date 25/7/2022
Author: Flo Sutton

Context (Acquisition Details)
This object record has been made retrospectively as the object has been on display since its arrival at MAA, and no acquisition or object entry records have been found.

Jane Coatesworth contacted MAA on 5/1/2007 by phone to ask whether the museum could take some items left by a deceased friend. She sent a follow-up email saying:

'We are keen to find an appropriate home for a basket of things collected by a deceased friend during travels in Ladakh. The basket is currently in Stapleford.'



Event Date 25/7/2022
Author: Flo Sutton

Context (Display)
Exhibited: on display in the Mongolia case (39), Maudslay Hall, from 2008 until June 2022. The smaller of two Gelug-pa hats on display. Label for MN0282.1-2 read:
"10. Gelug-pa hats
Worn by monks from the Gelug-pa or 'yellow hat' sect across Inner Asia. The smaller one, Gursha, is for everyday wear outside the monastery. The larger crescent-like Shamu is worn during debating sessions, or at meetings.
Ladakh, India
Thanks to Lobsang Yongdan for information about the hats."
Event Date 25/7/2022
Author: Flo Sutton