Art with a purpose

Artist Shan Jain uses mandalas as art therapy

All art begins with a dot and when the dots are connected the line appears. It is the artist who makes the line his own and embarks on a personal creative journey. Bindu, also known as dapsa or avayava in Sanskrit, is the point around which the mandala is created representing the universe. In its most simplistic form, mandalas are circles contained within a square and are arranged into sections organised around a single central point called the bindu. The term ‘bindu’ instantly brings to the mind celebrated artist S.H. Raza, since it was the centre of his life and work. In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, mandalas are objects of meditation to aid spiritual development. The belief is that by entering the mandala and moving towards the centre, one is guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering into one of bliss.