Journeying with a Mandala

curls, loops, swirls, bodhisattvas, stories

etched with fine flowing sand

in colours of virtues

slip with purpose from funnels and tubes.

Fingers search for control

hard-found in a rambling mind

learn lessons in impermanence

engaging senses five

Till a venerated object of beauty

resonates as a prayer on the floor

Incense lit, is worshipped,

then brushed together and destroyed

with meditative focus, as when made.

Offered to Buddha, surrendered to water

the Mandala flows

spreading its blessings around.

Anita Satyajit is a Hyderabad-based freelance writer whose poems have been published in Kritya and Muse India.

Write to lounge@livemint.com

Milestone Alert!
Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!