Rangoli – our very own Traditional Craft

During any special occasion or festival we always get new stuff for ourselves and home. When we speak of decorating our house we always reserve buying new stuff or displaying new stuff for such occasions. Lot of us even put Torans and make Rangoli designs.

Living in a cosmopolitan environment in Mumbai, I see Rangoli has its own significance. People make Rangoli outside their homes, verandahs, Mandirs or places of worship and even on roads. The art of Rangoli has progressed so much over the past few years that it’s commendable. I see traditional designs at home while; some professional artists make life like Rangoli patterns which are mind blowing. The reason for making Rangoli traditionally has been that it brings good luck and helps in welcoming Goddess Lakshmi. For me it also adds colour and brings a positive vibe.

Rangoli can be made with different materials like coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand, petals, coloured paper and some even use pulses to make patterns, I think the list is endless. There are Rangoli powders which are available in many colours that I can’t count. They are available in all the latest colours ;). I have even used atta, haldi and kumkum and made Rangoli, its fun. Floating Rangoli with diyas looks awesome. You also find kits these days with cut patterns on a wooden /plastic material / glass which can used and reused to make multiple Rangoli designs. We have ready design templates or equipments to make Rangoli these days. People try so many permutations and combinations which gives a more vibrant feel to the celebrations.

There are so many Rangoli designs which people make right from nature, floral, cartoons, geometric, people, folklore. I have tried floral designs, birds, geometric designs all have their own charm. I love making floral Rangoli because you can use so many different colors in them and looks beautiful too.

I have tried making floral designs using petals and colors together or even individually. I have used leaves also to add the natural color to my Rangoli. Rangoli can be made multiple patterns with center and peripheral designs and only peripheral designs or only centre designs. Floral design are always come handy in every design. We can use floral designs in multiple ways and with multiple designs like I can draw a peacock with a floral design or even add flowers to a geometric design, it looks wonderful.

Sharing some of my designs, they may not be perfect but I love them.

@zarahatkeblog

@zarahatkeblog

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More about the art form:

Rangoli is usually made during Diwali (Deepawali), Onam, Pongal and other Indian festivals. Designs are passed from one generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive. The various names for this art form and similar practices include Kolam in Tamil Nadu, Mandana in Rajasthan, Chowkpurana in Chhattisgarh, Alpana in West Bengal, Aripana in Bihar, Chowk pujan in Uttar Pradesh, Muggu in Andhra Pradesh, Golam kolam or kalam in Kerala and others. Source and Read more – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoli