Hiding in plain sight near Kathmandu’s government center is a giant mandala that has become a central location for political protest. Every day, thousands of commuters drive past an outsized tribute to Nepal’s rich Buddhist heritage. Lying in a traffic circle near Singha Durbar, the Nepali government palace, the recessed mandala is difficult to observe from street level while trying to negotiate the heavy traffic. However, it has played a central role in the civic life of the city. Constructed in 2001, the mandala was part of a larger Kathmandu…
