Mandala — The Ancient Indian Art Form That Has Truly Gone Global
Mandala means “circle” in Sanskrit. Some call it “magic circles” too. Basically mandala art grew up as part of the Buddhist devotional practice. They represent the Universe that is harmonious and ideal. The designs of mandala art are mostly symmetric with circles forming a majority of the designs. You would find organic forms in mandala too.
Thought to be dated back to 4th century, mandala art was practiced in Nepal, Tibet, India, Bhutan and Indonesia to name a few countries. It is thought that mandala art was popular amongst entire South East Asia. Buddhist monks traveled the Silk Road and took their art with them.
Mandalas find a significant position in Hinduism too. Many of the Vedic mantras are encrypted in the form of circles and mandala art. Rig Veda, the book that codifies Hindu rituals, mentions mandalas like Navagraha Mandala.
Mandala art is exotic and beautiful. It creates soothing patterns with circles forming the major part. The colours are harmoniously blended and all patterns exhibit symmetry and radial balance. Mandala is not bound to Buddhism or Hinduism now but can be widely used in a generic way to express inner peace. Organic forms like peacocks and other animals and birds are used in mandala art too. You would also find that mandala art is a popular is replicated in many a gift item like T shirts, key chains, coffee mugs and other trinkets.
During ancient times, mandala art is drawn on scrolls and prayer mats using mostly mineral pigments and natural dyes. They are symmetrical and use circles to denote the cosmos, but philosophers like Carl Jung; the famous analytical psychologist from Switzerland was aware of and used mandala art. Here is a direct quote…
“I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing … which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. … Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is: … the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well, is harmonious.
— Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, pp. 195–196.”
Jung felt that the desire to create mandalas heralds a period of intense personal growth and is a way to balance the psyche. Other analysts of Jung school of thought also echo these sentiments.
Mandala art is now practiced as a stress relieving and refreshing therapy combined with dance and other activities. There are clubs and societies for learning and practicing mandala art. Mandala art is very popular in United States too and communities like the Boulder Art Association host mandala art workshops to teach and encourage people to take up mandala art.
You can learn a lot about mandala art and its practice on the web. Take a trip and learn about mandala art and its benefits!