Explained: What is Mandala in art? | Explained News,The Indian Express

Residents of Liverpool are marvelling over a mandala the size of one and a half football pitches in length created by artist James Brunt with materials such as leaves and rocks.

Mandala patterns are a centuries-old motif that are used to depict the cosmos, and have been adapted by artists the world over, each of whom have added their own interpretation and painted it as their own. While the scale has always differed, residents of Liverpool, UK, are now marvelling over a mandala the size of one and a half football pitches in length created by artist James Brunt at the Halewood Park Triangle with materials such as leaves and rocks. The piece of land art will be visible for the next couple of weeks, following which the natural elements will wither.

We look at the history of mandala in art, its meanings and modern advent.

Literally meaning “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit, mandala is defined by a geometric configuration that usually incorporates the circular shape in some form. While it can also be created in the shape of a square, a mandala pattern is essentially interconnected. It is believed to be rooted in Buddhism, appearing in the first century BC in India. Over the next couple centuries, Buddhist missionaries travelling along the silk road took it to other regions. By the sixth century, mandalas have been recorded in China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Tibet. In Hinduism, the mandala imagery first appeared in Rig Veda (1500 – 500 BCE).

The meaning of the motif

It is believed that by entering the mandala and moving towards its center, one is guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering to that of joy. A traditional Buddhist mandala, a circular painting drawn with coloured sand, aided in meditation, with the main objective of aiding its creator to discover their true self. In Hinduism, a mandala or yantra is in the shape of a square with a circle at its center.

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