The Theory and Practice of the Mandala: Ritual and Identity in the Kabir Panth

Abstract

Tucci proposed that the mandala could be seen through the perspective of Jungian psychology as having universal significance as a personal transformative psychological practice. A second and complementary approach to understanding the significance of mandala rituals is as key rituals in defining group identity. This will be illustrated here through descriptions of the ritual practices of the followers of Kabir, a North Indian religious movement in which forms of mandala practice play a critical role in defining group identity.