Kalapa

In his third series for The Essay, composer Erland Cooper turns his attention once again to the mythical world. This time, he embarks on five imaginary journeys to cities. Accompanying him are writers, academics and storytellers who know all about these legendary locations. Each episode is scored by Erland's own music.

In this final episode, we travel north of the Himalayas, to the "earthly paradise" of Shambhala to explore its luminous heart: the capital city of Kalapa. It's a city of geometric perfection, a tantric mandala brought to life, set within a land shaped like a giant eight-petalled lotus. Whether viewed as a literal or spiritual refuge for Buddhist wisdom or the blueprint for James Hilton’s Shangri-La, Kalapa remains a powerful symbol.

Reader: Molly Gromadzki
Producer: Victoria Ferran
Exec producer: Susan Marling
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 3