Mandala

Voices for the Himalayan
Nor’s Mandala is a new platform exploring the visual cultures of South Asia — from the art of India to the living Himalayan traditions of Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet. A companion to Nor’s Nusantara, it extends the journey from the seas to the mountains, from maritime Southeast Asia to the cultural highlands of the Subcontinent.

Through podcasts and filmmaking, Nor’s Mandala takes a distinctive approach to art — treating it as a living philosophy, a lens through which to contemplate how humanity has long sought order, meaning, and compassion in a fractured world. The series presents the visual cultures of South Asia such as the Himalayan cultural sphere, not as distant or esoteric relics, but as living systems of thought — visual theologies that continue to offer new ways of seeing, being, and belonging.

BHUTAN'S US$100 BILLION PLAN WITH NOR WANG & PRIME MINISTER TSHERING TOBGAY

In this launch episode, Inside Bhutan’s US$100 billion plan to build ‘happy’ Singapore-inspired economic hub. Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay reveals the masterplan for the Gelephu Mindfulness City a massive $100 billion development set to transform Bhutan into a global economic hub. We discuss the 'One Country, Two Systems' model, the new currency, and how they plan to fund this futuristic vision. Nor Wang led a delegation of Singaporean journalists and film maker for a exclusive private audience with His Excellency Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. Their discussion focused on culture and the landmark Gelephu Mindfulness City project.

THE YOGA OF NIGUMA & GLOBAL PEACE IN BHUTAN WITH NOR WANG & H.E KALU RINPOCHE

In this episode of the Nor’s Mandala podcast, we sit down with Kalu Rinpoche at the Global Peace Prayer Festival in Bhutan. Known as the "Millennial Rinpoche," he shares his unique perspective on bridging ancient Tibetan Buddhist traditions with a modern, global audience. We dive deep into his new book, The Yoga of Niguma, exploring the "divine feminine" lineage of Niguma—the elder sister of Naropa—and how these ancient physical practices can help address contemporary struggles like anxiety, loneliness, and emotional health.

VISUALISING PEACE WITH NOR WANG & CHOTEN DORJI

In this episode of Nor’s Mandala, we are honored to speak with Venerable Choten Dorji, Secretary of Administration and Development Affairs for the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan. Recorded during the first-ever Global Peace Prayer Festival in Bhutan, we explore the profound intersection of Bhutanese art, sacred architecture, and Buddhist ritual. As the world faces increasing division, Bhutan’s "non-sectarian" approach brings together spiritual masters from various traditions—Mahayana, Vajrayana, and beyond—to create a collective force for universal peace and happiness.

DRA GYAK PUM JOM: The Sound of Prayers – Official Teaser Trailer

DRA GYAK PUM JOM: The Sound of Prayers [2026] A Collaborative Vision by Choy Ka Fai and Nor’s Mandal captured in the Kingdom of Bhutan for its first Global Peace Prayer Moving beyond traditional boundaries of ethnographic documentation, The Sound of Prayers documents ancient choreography of Cham Dance Ritual, re-read through the lens of contemporary visual anthropology. 

The film serves as an initiation into four specific notations of Cham ritual dance that govern the tantric psyche; 

• DRA: The "enemy inside us"

• GYAK: The "distraction in prayers"

• PUM: The "combination" of inner enemy and distraction 

• JOM: The "intention to destroy"