KOLAM/RANGOLI

 FROM SAMPATH’S DESK:

KOLAM/RANGOLI

 

In simple parlance, KOLAM (கோலம் - in Tamil) is a geometric floor drawing with many criss-crossing horizontal and vertical lines and curves with diverse designs and decorations to give it a distinct eye-catchy shape. When Kolam is coloured appropriately, it is RANGOLI, an improved version of the optic feast. The origin in terms of time is very difficult to fix. Needless to say, Kolams are an inseparable part of Indian/Hindu culture. Thamizh Margazhi is a special month for Kolam/Rangoli. 

 

In South India, it is an age-old daily tradition and custom to draw Kolams in front of houses which, besides being a facelift, are considered to symbolize auspiciousness and good luck, inviting The Goddess Lakshmi and invoking Her Blessings and Grace for wealth and prosperity, apart from keeping the evil spirits at bay. On festive occasions, there will be special formats/shapes of Kolam and Rangoli outside our homes. It is also a type of art of aesthetically connecting the dots to produce mind-blowing, creative and decorative work in front of our houses, a cynosure to the eyes of passersby. Thematic versions steal the show.

In villages/rural areas, cow dung-mixed water is poured in front of the houses before Kolam is drawn, a proven insecticide, that helps generate pure air circulation and kills harmful germs/insects. One can also see some pumpkin flower-embedded cow dung placed on the Kolam not only for decoration and embellishment purposes but also as a robust and hygienic practice.   

 

Traditionally, dry rice flour is used for Kolams so that it offers food for squirrels, insects, ants, and birds as a charitable and philanthropic gesture towards all living beings. While dry rice flour Kolams will last for only a few hours unless it’s trampled and disturbed in the meantime, wet rice flour Kolams last for a few days. The spirit of sharing at least something with other living beings is well pronounced in this practice. Non-rice/chemical flours are also used by some.

 

Different colours have different purport, connotations, significance, and/or overtones. Blue represents the sky and green verdant fields; both are supposed to bring serenity and develop imagination. Red - normally looked at as the colour of fire or danger - also represents, in a way, the code of conduct, especially the DON’Ts. White represents peace, positivity, optimism, and, of course, the king of colours that produces a spectrum when light penetrates and pierces through a prism. All these colours in Rangoli bring in elements that we wish for and want to cherish during the festival days and also the future ahead. Kolams/Rangolis are believed to generate and spread positive vibes in and around our homes.

 

In different parts of India, there are different stories surrounding the origin and use of Rangoli.  In Gujrat, Goddess Rukmani, the Divine Consort of Lord Krishna (The Supreme God, widely worshipped in India, said to have settled down in Dwaraka)  is believed to have started the Rangoli pattern.

 

Given below are the different names of Rangoli in different parts of India:

 

• West Bengal - Alpana.
• Orissa - Joti 
• Chattisgarh - Chouk Purna.
• Maharastra - Sanskara Bharati.  
• Uttar Pradesh – Chowkpurana
• Rajasthan – Mandana
• Andhra Pradesh – Muggu
• Bihar – Aripanaa
• Uttarakhand – Aripanaa
• Himachal Pradesh – Aroopn
• Gujarat - Satiya
• Tamil Nadu – Kolam

 

In the current machine-like life and the rat race against time, many office-going women find it easy to either opt for shorter versions of Kolam/Rangoli or stickers.

 

Most women, especially homemakers, are joyfully patronizing the art. They sweep the entrances of the home, sprinkle water, and then draw Kolam/Rangoli. It offered a daily physical exercise regimen for ladies in the early morning Ozone, enabling them to breathe unpolluted beneficial fresh air - an opportunity for them to avoid a sedentary life in those days - though it is a different matter today with women also venturing out daily, as they also go for work, earn, and support the family. As an imaginative and artistic pursuit, it enhances one’s brain activity, concentration, focus, and creativity besides being a stress-buster.

 

Sikkal Kolam (சிக்கல் கோலம்) i.e. ‘Tangle Kolam’ drawing develops skills like constructive thinking, fertile imaginations, unknotting the entanglement(s), problem-solving, etc.

 

Kolam/Rangoli being a work of aesthetic art and a passionate practice, competitions are held from time to time, especially on festive occasions, and women participate in them in large numbers. In my office, the Recreation Club used to hold Kolam competitions, and prizes for best performances/performers were awarded to them.

 

 

(R.SAMPATH)

20/12/2023