This once-in-a-lifetime experience, a week-long visit by Tibetan monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery, began with an opening ceremony Monday in the atrium of Wilson Hall.

In the opening ceremony, the monks marched into the atrium, chanting and playing traditional musical instruments such as drums, cymbals, bells and horns. After a ceremonial dance, the monks began the painstaking task of tracing out the shape for their sand mandala construction.

When completed, the mandala sand painting covered the entire surface of a large, square table. The finished mandala measured about five feet by five feet. The monks used long silver funnels called chakpur, which they scraped to apply the vibrant colored grains of sand to the mandala design, beginning at the very center and working outwards. The final product included almost 18 different colors.

The mandala includes many geometric shapes and ancient spiritual symbols, and the mandala itself is meant to serve as a tool to re-consecrate the earth. The destruction of the mandala is meant to represent the impermanence of life. Some of the sand is distributed to audience members at the closing ceremony and the rest is deposited into a body of water where the sand is carried out to the ocean to spread peace and healing.

“The sounds of the scraping reminded me of the sounds that occur when nutmeg is being grated,” O’Mara said. “I’d encourage everyone to get as close to as much of it as time and circumstances permit.”

The idea to bring the Tibetan monks to W&L began even before the construction of Wilson Hall was complete.

“We originally contacted the Mystical Arts of Tibet two years ago in anticipation of the opening of Wilson Hall,” said Susan Wager, assistant to the director of Lenfest Center. “Their arrival on to campus, the Tibet photo exhibit, the mandala painting opening and closing ceremony, and their performance solidifies the Lenfest Center for the Arts.”

In addition to the sand mandala construction, there will be a photo exhibition and musical performance on Thursday night. The monks also met with with more than 100 students from the local high school on Wednesday afternoon.

“Their work is extraordinary, plus it combines the elements of Music Art, Theatre and Dance - perfect for the opening Year of Celebration for the Lenfest Center of the Arts,” said Rob Mish, director of the Lenfest Center.

After the sand mandala construction was finished on Thursday, a closing ceremony took place during which the grains of sand were swept up and taken down to Woods Creek, where they were poured into the water and will eventually be carried out to sea.