Circumambulation reinforces the con

Circumambulation reinforces the connection of the natural and built environment and draws connections to the celestial world, since circulatory paths in India are often represented by the maṇḍala. Physically moving though the geometric pattern symbolizes a cosmic journey. The panchakroshi route at Varanasi moves pilgrims through 108 shrines spaced in a mathematical pattern which embeds the geography of the site into the psyche of the pilgrim. The 108 shrines also represent a cosmic circuit based on 12 zodiac signs and the nine planets of Hindu mythology (Singh & Fukunaga, 2010).