It is reported that in the year after Buddha Shakyamuni attained Enlightenment, he was asked by King Chandrabhadra of Shambhala to teach the Kalachakra Tantra. The Buddha manifested himself in the form of the Kalachakra meditational deity and gave the full teachings and initiation of this tantra. The Kalachakra teaching was then transmitted through a lineage of seven kings and 25 propagators.
Kalachakra mandala is the “Palace of Purity” with more than seven hundred deities residing inside, represented by various signs and symbols. The entrances of the palace nearest to the center are said to be cittacakra(mind-wheels), and the middle entrances are said to be vakcakra(voice-wheels). Outside the gates of vakcakra are figures of various animals, including a corpse, and marigold-like lotus flower.They include a deer,buffalo,ram peacock,elephant,mongoose ,bull,Makara,mouse,and the Garuda.They are the vehicles of various divinities of the Hindu pantheon.
The outermost gates belong to the third circle called kayacakra(body-wheels). There are four gates and four chariots one in each gate. You can see boars drawing a chariot at the eastern gate, horses drawing the chariot at the southern gate, elephants at the western gate, and lions drawing the chariot at the northern gate.
Kalachakra Mandala is one of the most complicated forms of Tibetan mandalas which is used as a device for meditation and which is worshipped for the betterment of all the sentient beings. It also represents the cosmos system which consists of the five major elements of life. Namely – Fire, Earth, Water, Air, and Space.