Thangkas were made to travel, since monks carried them rolled up from village to village, but they still need care when you move house. Never fold one. Take it down gently, lay it flat on a clean table and roll it loosely from the bottom rod upward, with the painted side facing in. Place a sheet of acid-free tissue or soft cotton cloth over the paint first so the layers do not rub against each other.

Once rolled, tie it with a soft ribbon, not tape or rubber bands, and put it in a cloth bag or a hard tube so it cannot be crushed in the truck. Buy authentic thangka painting from sellers who ship it rolled this way, because a painting that arrives folded or tightly wound may already have cracks in the pigment.

At the new home, let it rest a day in the room before unrolling, then hang it and give the canvas a few days to settle flat on its own.