Creating rangolis are part of the Diwali celebration. During this time, markets will be flooded with colourful mini-mountains of powder, and ready-to-use stamps, moulds and other aids, for those whose fingers are no longer nimble.
These colourful rangolis usually use traditional motifs taken from Nature -- peacocks, swans, mango, flowers, geometrical designs, etc. In ancient times, the colours were derived from natural dyes. Today, powdered colours are sprinkled on floors to form these decorative designs.
Rangolis can be vivid, three-dimensional art complete with shadings or they can be the traditional, plain, yet beautiful, two-dimensional designs.
The designs are symbolic and often geometrical patterns, with lines, dots, squares, circles, triangles. It is important is that the entire pattern must be an unbroken line, with no gaps left anywhere for evil spirits to enter.
Image: A Pakistani Hindu woman and child wave sparklers in Karachi during celebrations of the Hindu Festival of Diwali (2005). The festival marks the home coming of the Hindu God, Lord Rama after killing the evil King Ravana, symbolising the victory of good over evil and leading the people from darkness to light. Photograph: Asif Hassan/ AFP/ Getty Images
Also read: Diwali Bazaars
Advertisement
