The amazing art of sand mandala creation

A mandala (Sanskrit मण्डल, maṇḍala – literally "circle") is a spiritual and ritual symbol in the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism representing the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point.

According to Buddhist scripture, mandalas constructed from sand transmit positive energies to the environment and to the people who view them.

The Sand Mandala is practiced by Tibetan Buddhist monks. Mandala means “circle” in Sanskrit, a clue to the deep symbolism of its creation.

The Sand Mandala represents the Universe.

After creation, it is destroyed in a ceremony, in which the sand is collected and released back into nature.

The ritual of destruction of a sand mandala is also highly ceremonial. The sand is collected in a jar which is then wrapped in silk and transported to a river or any place with moving water, where it is released back into nature.

This symbolizes the ephemerality of life and the world.