sand mandala

Sand mandala, made of multicoloured sand consolidated on a block board. A medicinal mandala with a central motif of crossed dorjes and books under a victory banner or parasol with clouds around. This is surrounded by eight Buddhas in a circle, which are in turn surrounded by auspicious symbols, including arrows, swords, flowers, vase etc. in a square.

This is surrounded by another square of animals and birds, inside walls; the inner wall has a scroll and flower decorated with a chopper at each corner, and the outer wall has white dots on a black ground decor. In the gates are: top (N) a stupa or reliquary; bottom (S) a lute; left (W) a sword; right (E) a victory parasol. Between the walls are the eight auspicious symbols plus others (16 in all), with vases flanking the gates and parasols at each corner. The outermost wall has plain yellow panels with compartments. Each gate has a pagoda roof topped with the Wheel of the Law and two deer.

All of the decoration is set on a dark blue ground. It was made by monks.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
1991.95
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
in frame: 1873 mm x 1875 mm x 80 mm; overall (excluding frame): 1823 mm x 1830 mm; overall: 62 kg
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
wood; sand; pigment
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
LOCATION
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Collection Information

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