Tara Mandala Community Building houses the Tara Mandala office, bookstore, dining hall, and kitchen. The expertise and artistry of so many came together to create this beautiful structure. The construction of the building was not only of benefit to the practitioners who use it, but also to the local environment. The entire building is made from local adobe bricks and beams that were sustainability harvested by draft horses from the land; its construction contributed to the ongoing effort of thinning the Ponderosa pine forests to reduce forest fire risks. Tibetan master craftsmen Lama Gyurme Rabgye and his brother Palden individually hand-painted and hand-carved the outside posts and the window and door lintels with ornate, colorful and traditional Tibetan designs using all-natural paint made of mineral pigments. A team of clay and limestone plasterers spent many hours plastering the outer and inner walls with materials and colors gathered from the land.
