“Peace is imbibed by the essence of balance and symmetry”
Which place do we manifest, while thinking about the peaceful Tibetan Buddhist culture? Probably for off-roading traveling enthusiasts, it will be Leh in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh. Ladakh is a much older region in Buddhism, than Dharamshala. When it comes to diving deep into the art and culture of Tibetan Buddhism, Dharmshala & McLeod Ganj were the go-to places for the meditational art I seek.
The majority of Delhiites with their curiosity for Tibetan Buddhism, undoubtedly must have visited the slice of Tibet in Delhi, Majnu ka Tila. Other than the Tibetan cuisine, Majnu ka Tila monastery when explored from an art and cultural element, is embraced with Thangka/Scroll paintings of Buddha hung in the interior spaces of the monasteries as part of Tibetan architectural elements. Apart from thangka, another impactful art form, as part of their prayer & ritual practice is the “Mandala”.
The Mandala I knew
Mandala, in general, originated from Hinduism and tangibly can be understood as a ‘Circle’. Many people post lockdown opted for self-exploration practices like yoga and meditational art therapies, ways of being in a balanced state of mind, and improved lifestyles. Hence, my purpose in the exploration of Mandala Art in Dharamshala was to see the similarities between a laymen’s free-form mandala artist and a Buddhist Monk’s prayer ritual on a Mandala. Being a Mandala Artist, I took the privilege of hearing from the monks about their angles on Mandala Art.
The Mandala I seek
The markets of McLeod Ganj
Lying within a tiny spread in the upper parts of Dharamshala is McLeod Ganj. A place for party bombers, Tibetan handicrafts, handloom, Tibetan souvenirs, traditional and modern fashion. My journey started with exploring the markets of McLeod Ganj for art shops. One of the most popular markets in McLeod Ganj is the Bhagsu Nag Market, known for its collection of Tibetan handicrafts, including singing bowls, prayer flags and thangka paintings, prayer wheels. The sound of Singing Bowls is used as an aid of healing in Tibetan culture.
McLeod Ganj Central Square has a few shops selling Mandala Art. The local shopkeepers selling the Mandala Art, own almost all types of Mandalas, from Mantra Mandalas to the most typical form of a Mandala in Buddhism, the Kalachakra Mandala. Some of them get these Mandalas imported from the Nepal region whereas some of them get their supply from the local artisans in McLeod Ganj.
What to expect from the shopkeepers? They won’t know everything, but they will try to explain anything they know when generally asked about the significance of the artworks. Some of these thoughtful and delightful shopkeepers are the Potala Handicraft Shop, Tamang Thangka Art, and Tibetan Handicraft Centre.
Dharamshala’s Spiritual Enclave
Dharamshala is home to a vibrant Tibetan community and opens its gates to the mesmerizing experience of the Norbulingka Institute and Gyuto Monastery. These places were parallel to my purpose of exploration.
Norbulingka Institute named after the Dalai Lama’s summer palace in Lhasa is a place of retreat for the Tibetan culture. We all at some point love, Dadi Maa’s old recipe of achaar, chacha ke haath ki ghiya barfi, lohri ki raakh par pighlayi hui Gur Haldi, deewar par banayi hui traditional paintings, and what we the people of India who are even remotely interested in the traditional ancestral habits and rituals do, is that we try to incorporate them in our modern culture. Similarly, this is the whole essence of Norbulingka. It is a self-sustaining institute preserving traditional Tibetan arts and crafts and also works extensively as an economic resource for Tibetan refugees.
Architectural elements of Norbulingka Complex
The architectural elements of Norbulingka are its intricate walls, exposed brickwork, symmetry proportion, and fresco walls. The whole complex is a vibrant blend. Moreover, the institute offers workshops including thangka painting, wood carving, applique work, tailoring, weaving, and screen printing.
Norbulingka Monastery
On my trail for the Mandala, I went straight to the students at the Institute and gathered from a student that according to Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is the deity’s dwelling place. The circle depicts the whole universe, within which are the deities, the guardian deities, animals, and natural elements of the earth. Well, that’s where our answer lies, A monk’s process of meditation begins with him imagining himself in the place of the deity understanding the nature of his surroundings while catching a bird’s eye view of the universe.
Students at Norbulingka Institute
That’s where my journey en route to Gyuto Monastery, a Tantric Buddhism learning center as well as a monastery. Gyuto Monastery can easily be distinguished by its earthly-colored built structure. Gyuto Monastery is home to monks of all ages. They are extremely joyful and well-balanced with their routine for the day. Whatever they do, they are highly disciplined. It felt satisfactory to watch them pray and learn in unison, and when it comes to eating, they all go rushing like a bunch of kids instead of luring themselves here and there.
I had a hard time catching any of them to get to talk to me, many of them do not even speak any other language than Tibetic. Just when an old monk, agreed to spare five minutes for me, holding his eating bowl in hand. The monk joyfully told me “Hamko pucho ye sab purana chiz ke baare me, hum bada log bata payega” and that’s when I got their perspective on meditating through the diagrammatic form, which is the “Mandalas”.
Gyuto Monastery, Dharamshala
They sit and as part of their prayer rituals, they understand each bit of a mandala, the third-dimensional mandala, the sand mandala. They study the meaning of the elements and the purpose of the deity, and since the elements hold within themselves the true meaning of their existence the mandala becomes an extraction of energies for them. They believe in the power of existence and impermanence.
Hence, based on my understanding, both perspectives do have different psychological meanings. But my purpose in bringing forth the meaning of the mandala is to support my fact that the Mandala can be a differentiating angle for anyone. For a layman, the repetition of symbols, and the compilation of geometric figures and patterns bring out the calming elements i.e., balance and symmetry. Just these elements, can improve our sense of thinking, and our understanding of our place in the universe, and it will build us spiritually. For the people interested in traditional arts and crafts, a religion’s culture has so much to offer. We can do our parts in exploring and incorporating such beautiful characters of different cultures.
Artistic Vibrancy
Roots Art Gallery, Dharamshala
An artist providing space to the local artisans in Dharamshala and several others is Roots Art Gallery, lying beside the Norbulingka Institute. The owner-cum-artist of the store helps them gain recognition for their art, by displaying their pieces. She promotes hand-crafted jewelry, mandala paintings, macramé work, craft work, coasters, badges, hand-made t-shirts, and so many attractive collectibles. The small store filled with diverse artworks is a must-visit for unconventional people.
