Twelve Tibetan monks from the Gaden Jangtse Monastery in India were putting the finishing touches on the “Sand Mandala of Wisdom” in the Nott Memorial after hundreds of visitors – schoolchildren to seniors – checked in on their progress this week. Many watched the progress live via the College's website at http://www.union.edu/monkcam/.
The monks will dismantle the mandala during a colorful closing ceremony on Friday, April 15, 4 p.m. that will include chanting, music and elaborate costumes. They will travel to Union's boathouse pier on the Mohawk River to release the sand. Buses will be available for those who would like to accompany the monks.
Their visit also included the construction of a butter sculpture, talks on politics in Tibet, a philosophical debate, meditation lessons and a multi-tonal chanting concert.
The original Gaden Jangtse Monastery was established in 1409, and at one point was India's second largest monastery with 7,000 monks. Little of the original monastery remains after the 1959 Communist invasion of Tibet. The monastery was re-established in South India, and now serves about 3,000 monks.
The monks' visit to Union is funded through a Freeman Foundation grant of the East Asian Studies Department.