In Chennai, Southern India, women rise before dawn. It is their quiet time with the universe, free from the hectic schedule about to begin with the rising of the sun. They clean the front yards of their homes and draw geometrical rice powdered patterns on the ground leading to the entrances of their home. It's a traditional Indian ritual meant to create a sacred space as one enters the home. The beauty of the designs is supposed to capture any bad energy that might enter the home. For over 2,000 years mothers have passed this tradition and knowledge to their daughters. It is different in other parts of India, and here in the West, it's commonly associated with Buddhism and the designs we know as mandalas. Read More