 Background
Rangoli is a traditional Indian art form
dating back several centuries; in fact,
it is said that it can be traced back as
far as the Indus valley Civilisation. The
word "rangoli" derives from Sanskrit,
and it means "the expression of artistic
vision through the joyful use of colour"
or "design in colour." It is done
at the entrance of households or a temple
(mandirs) on auspicious occasions, especially
during the festival of light called Diwali,
and is hence a welcoming gesture. It also
gives that little extra touch of class and
beauty. The colourful patterns on the doorsteps
are not just for decorative purposes; they
embody a deep religious spirit too. They
are often dedicated to various deities,
for example, Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth
and prosperity, or Ganesha the God of good
beginnings. Women mainly practise these
decorations and sacred patterns. It is an
art form that is passed down from generation
to generation, from mother to daughter.
Colours and Materials
Designs are set out to occupy a square,
rectangle or circle to show marked protection
from all sides. In the olden days, rangolis
were made with rice flour and grains. The
main idea behind this was to feed the ants,
birds and animals as one's good deed of
the day. Other natural colours were also
used - turmeric for golden yellow, red and
black of earth, blue of indigo and crushed
leaves for green. Many other mediums such
as fresh flower petals, rice grains and
pulses can also be used. Nowadays, powder
colours are most commonly used and various
bright colours are employed in this art.
Not only are they aesthetically pleasing,
but they are also fundamentally therapeutic
and they have many meanings behind them
too. The significance of colours used is
explained below:
¨ WHITE purity, coolness and safety.
It is often used to make fine lines too.
¨ RED strength and energy.
¨ YELLOW richness.
¨ GREEN harmony and balance, nature.
¨ BLUE vastness and happiness, peace
¨ ORANGE sacrifice.
The technique requires a lot of practice
- a small amount of coloured powder is taken
between the forefinger and thumb, and then
it is gently released to form fine lines,
which gradually make up the entire pattern.
Floor Painting in India
Floor painting varies in style and meaning
from region to region, and is recognised
by different names throughout the states
of India:
+ BENGAL - Alpana
+ ORISSA - Thunti
+ SOUTH OF INDIA - Kolam
+ MAHARASHTRA -Rangoli
+ GUJARAT - Sathio
+ BIHAR - Aripan
+ RAJASTHAN - Mandana
In some parts of India, it is a daily ritual
for the ladies of the house to make "kolam"
and "mandana" in the courtyard.
They sprinkle fresh cow dung on the recently
swept ground and execute the designs with
white rice powder. As well as inaugurating
the day, it is also seen as an offering
to the earth we live on.
Traditionally, most rangoli patterns are
geometrical. The designs are drawn with
dots on a graph, which are then linked with
flowing lines to form a pattern.
Significance of Symbols
The main structure of the rangoli is in
the shape of a square. There are many other
geometrical forms such as circles and triangles
contained within the square, hence the connection
to maths. Everything has a shape, and maths
of shape is called geometry. Circles, rectangles,
squares, triangles, octagons, hexagons and
so on are all geometric shapes.
The beauty of the rangoli lies in the fact
that it cannot be preserved for long periods
of time as there is no fixed base. It is
an art to be enjoyed and appreciated for
the moment until it is finally swept away
to create a new space. In this way, this
special ornamental art has its own charm
and it continues to be a unique source of
beauty as it is ever evolving and inspirational,
thus allowing one's imagination to flow
incessantly.
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