Alright, let me just say this upfront: I watched Mandala Murders thinking I was in for a standard crime thriller with maybe some creepy undertones. What I got instead? A head-swirling, blood-stained trip through cults, legacy, cosmic wish-making machines, and karmic domino effects. I wasn’t ready. You probably weren’t either.
So yeah, if you’re here wondering what actually happened in that bonkers final episode, why the ritual failed, and who the real killer is—you’re in the right place. I’m breaking it all down like we’re chatting over coffee. No jargon. Just me, mildly losing my mind over this show, and trying to help you understand it too.
First Things First: What Even Is Yast?
So let’s start with the big weird word they kept dropping: Yast. From what we gather, Yast is this supernatural cosmic being. Not quite a god, not quite a ghost. More like a… universal energy force that can manifest through ritual and sacrifice. The cult believes that if you build the perfect mandala using human body parts and activate this steampunk-looking blood machine (aka the Aayast Yantra), Yast will be reborn.
Honestly? It’s kinda like Frankenstein meets Hindu mysticism meets psychological horror. And I’m weirdly into it.
So… Who Are the Aayastis?
The cult at the center of this whole mess is called the Aayast Mandal, made up of people who believe in restoring cosmic order by awakening Yast. They sacrifice people in a super-specific order, based on body parts and symbolic geometry. This is why all the murders are weirdly surgical and symmetrical.
Oh, and they don’t just kill randomly. Victims are chosen because their body part (leg, hand, eye, etc.) has some kind of symbolic or karmic meaning. Like, each victim is a cog in this gruesome cosmic wheel.
The Main Characters & Their Baggage
Let’s get into who’s who, because motivations are super important here.
- Vikram Singh: Suspended Delhi cop with a traumatic past. His mom disappeared, his brother died, and he’s been chasing truth ever since. The cult thinks he’s the “miracle child” whose blood will complete the ritual.
- Rea Thomas: CIB officer investigating the murders. She’s tough, smart, and, turns out, deeply connected to the cult through her grandmother Nandini, who sabotaged an earlier ritual decades ago.
- Ananya Bharadwaj: Politician, high-key cult leader. She believes she’s fulfilling destiny by reviving Yast and sees Vikram as the final piece of the puzzle.
- Moksha: The mysterious woman who is later revealed as the actual killer behind the string of murders. Cold, devoted, and terrifyingly calm.
- Vasudha: Vikram’s mom. Her unfulfilled wish is the glitch in the cult’s grand plan.
The Plot Twist: Who’s Actually Doing the Killing?
We’re led to believe that Ananya is orchestrating and maybe even executing the murders. But no, the real executioner (literally) is Moksha. She’s been doing the dirty work under Ananya’s ideological leadership. She’s not just some hired blade though—she genuinely believes in the cult’s mission.
Moksha’s presence takes the horror up ten notches because she’s not out for money, revenge, or fame. She kills because she believes. And that makes her more dangerous than anyone else in the show.
The Ritual: Why It Almost Worked
So the cult sets up this big final ceremony. They hook Vikram up to the Aayast Yantra to drain his blood into the mandala. All signs point to success.
But then it stops.
Why? Because Vasudha’s karmic wish never came true.
Apparently, years ago, she offered her thumb to the cult to make a wish. That wish went unfulfilled. Since the entire ritual system is based on karmic exchanges—wish granted, body part taken—this creates a kind of cosmic error. So when Vikram’s blood enters the Yantra, the system rejects it. Yast can’t be born because the karmic math doesn’t add up.
Wild, right?
Rea’s Big Move
Rea shows up just in time to stab Ananya before she can complete the ritual. It’s dramatic, bloody, and beautifully ironic. Rea, the descendant of the woman who sabotaged the first ritual, finishes what her grandmother started.
So Rea’s arc comes full circle. She breaks the legacy, ends the cult’s plan (at least temporarily), and saves Vikram.
The Final Scene: What The Hell Was That Smile?
Just when you think everything’s settled, we get that final shot: Moksha, in prison, smiling.
Creepy doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Why is she smiling? Because the cult isn’t gone. Members are still out there. The Yantra reactivates. There’s this vibe that the ritual almost worked. And maybe it still will.
So yeah. Total setup for season 2.
Themes You Might’ve Missed
Here are a few of the deeper themes and questions the show throws at you:
- Legacy vs. Choice: Can we escape our past? Or are we doomed to repeat it?
- Faith vs. Fanaticism: When does belief become dangerous?
- Karma as Currency: The idea that wishes have to be “paid for” in flesh is both ancient and terrifying.
- Science vs. Spirituality: That Yantra is part machine, part mystic object. What does it mean to mix both?
Fan Theories I Can’t Stop Thinking About
- Yast is already partially alive. That machine didn’t fully stop.
- Rea’s family has deeper ties to the cult than we know. Like what if Nandini wasn’t trying to stop the ritual… but redirect it?
- Moksha has a twin. Look, she’s too calm. Too confident. That smile? That feels like someone who knows something we don’t.
Common Questions Answered
Who was the real killer?
Moksha, not Ananya. She carried out the murders with precision and devotion.
Why did the ritual fail?
Because Vasudha’s wish from years ago wasn’t fulfilled. That broke the karmic balance required to complete the ritual.
Did Ananya die?
Yes. Rea stabs her during the final ritual.
Is the cult really gone?
Nope. The final scene shows cult members still moving in the shadows. Plus Moksha’s chilling smile hints it’s far from over.
Is Vikram free now?
Physically, yes. Spiritually? Mentally? That’s a big fat maybe.
Final Thoughts: Why This Ending Kinda Slaps
It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t neat. It left a ton of stuff unanswered.
But it felt real. Like, if you were up against a centuries-old cult with spiritual engineering and karmic hacks, it wouldn’t just… end. It’d mutate. Linger. Haunt.
And that’s what the ending did.
I’m still thinking about that Yantra. That one unfulfilled wish. That smile.
Ugh. I need season 2. Like, yesterday.
Next Steps
If you’re still obsessed like I am, rewatch episode 1 and 8 back-to-back. Look for the chant used in both. And trace the mandala structure in the murder pattern—it’s all there.
Also, I made a checklist of hidden clues & character arcs to track in a possible season 2. DM me “MANDALA” and I’ll send it to you.
And drop your fan theories in the comments. I need to know if you think Yast is still coming.
Let’s be confused together.
Peace out, murder detectives. 🌯️
