KOLAM RANGOLI

Kolam

Kolam is the term given to the Rangoli art form in the country's southern states, primarily Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Hindus who live in these areas make extensive use of this art style. Female members of the family commonly create Kolam patterns in front of their dwellings using rice powder. Limestone and red brick powder are also utilised on special occasions. Kolam is a type of painted prayer in South India. A symmetric line drawing with curving loops created around a crisscross pattern of dots is typically used in the design.

Kolam design is said to bring prosperity and success to a dwelling. Though the image is often created with dry rice flour, diluted rice paste is also used, particularly when representing longevity. Paints and chalks are sometimes used to draw the design. For major events such as weddings, ritual Kolam designs might extend all the way from the courtyard to the street. Patterns are frequently passed down from generation to generation, such as from mother to daughter. Though less extravagant than Rangoli, the beauty of Tamil Nadu and Kerala's Kolam art is outstanding.

Everyday Ritual

Making Kolam patterns is a daily practise in South India. Because the one drawn the day before is trodden on, rained on, or blown away, new ones are produced every day. Every morning before daybreak, the women of the home scrub the floor with water. The pattern is then created on the moist surface, where it holds better. It is claimed that the lines in a Kolam design must be finished. Unbroken lines keep evil spirits out of the design and, as a result, out of the dwelling.

Traditional Significance

Kolam serves multiple functions in addition to decoration. One of the applications of Kolam is to offer food for ants. Because the patterns are produced with coarse rice flour, they provide an accessible and immediately available source of food for the ants. At the same time, rice flour is claimed to attract birds and other tiny animals. As a result, the design serves as an invitation to everybody, particularly Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of Prosperity - into one's house and daily life.

Then there are the Kolam health advantages. Because the pattern requires bending down, it improves the digestive system and reproductive organs while also serving as a general stretching workout for the body. The ability to draw enormous elaborate designs without taking one's hand from the floor or bending to stand is considered a source of pride among South Indians.