Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ

Our Guru Sree Madhvacharya has explained in his Tantrasara that “ಪೂಜ್ಯಶ್ಚ್ಹ ಭಾಗವನ್ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜಾ ಮಂಡಲೇ”. In English “Poojyascha Bhagavan
nityam chakraabjamandale”.  Worshiping the Almighty Lord with  Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ as a pedestal or peetha is very rewarding.

So, what is the meaning of Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ?

• Chakra means wheel
• Abja means Lotus in Sanskrit and
• Mandala is the frame work

I had learnt to draw this when I came to the US several years back from my Brother-in-law Balaji’s ( my sister Suma’s husband) grandmother who was here in the US.

However, due to several reasons this rangoli had completely skipped my mind and I forgot drawing this. During the Shravana Masa, my Little Niece Shwetha, you all know her right? The one who drew our beloved Raghavendra Swamigalu had drawn this for Sree Anantha Padmanabha Vrata. My Sister showed it to me when I visited her house for the festival.

You can see the picture Shwetha has drawn in the picture below, I have a red/yellow arrow pointing to the same. There are two, one exactly below the table, and the other can’t be seen since the God is on top of the rangoli.

I came back home and started searching the drawing online, to find none. Accidentally I opened the “ಸಾಧನ ದೀಪಿಕಾ  or Sadhana Deepika” book I had, and there it was the Rangoli. It is customary to draw this while performing pooje, and than place the Lord or any God you are performing pooje on top of this rangoli.

I will post a step by step instruction on how to draw this Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ soon. For the time being attached below are images of the same.

1. This image is from my “ಸಾಧನ ದೀಪಿಕಾ  or Sadhana Deepika” book.

2. This image is from SBAT temple. Details of the temple can be found here. Scroll down in the page, and you will see several images.  http://sbat.org/Poojas_Homas.html.