In Tibetan Buddhism, the word "mandala" means circle—but it is far more than a shape. It is a microcosm of the cosmos, a visual map of the cosmos and the human soul. Monks spend days, even weeks, crafting intricate sand mandalas: painstakingly placing colored grains of sand into symmetrical patterns, from a central lotus to swirling outer layers. Every curve, every color, every line tells a story of balance, harmony, and the interconnectedness of all things.