Kolam, Rangoli, Muggulu, Rangavali, and more – all of these are names given to the set of closely related hand-drawn visual arts specific to various regions of India.

Rangoli or Rangavali is ubiquitously popular across all states of India, and covers a wide variety of artistic themes. Men and women engage in this more generic art form, which uses rice and chalk powder mixtures dyed in different colors to create custom designs conceived by the artist. These creations are either specific to any religious festival, or pertinent to a trending social theme. Images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, free illustrations employing natural subjects and objects, human forms, and expressions are all popular themes in Rangoli.

Kolam or Muggu is more specifically an art of South India, particularly popular in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Muggulu (the plural of muggu) is the term used for this art in Andhra and Telengana, while Kolam is the term used in the other South Indian states. For the purpose of uniformity in this article, Kolam will be the common term applied.

Kolams are drawn wet or dry. The dry ones use pure rice flour or mixtures of rice flour and chalk powder to create intricate patterns formed by continuous movements, extensions and intersections of straight and/or curved lines. Wet kolams are created using pre-soaked and ground raw rice batter. Lotuses, birds, vegetables, fruits, leaves, mud lamps, serpents, etc. are common objects from nature depicted in kolams. Traditionally, only 2 fingers – the thumb and index are used in drawing dry kolams. Symmetric designs based on geometric patterns, predictable repeats, strategic intersections and curved lines moving along predetermined dot patterns are hallmarks of intricate kolams. Kolams are predominantly white, retaining the purity, simplicity and grace of the rice flour or batter used. Brick powder – finely sifted and mixed in water is usually applied between spaces in the kolam designs for naturally creating visually appealing contrasts.

Rice subsequently becomes food for the ants, and so is intentionally used in this traditional art form. In the temple courtyards and the unified rural neighborhoods of South India, it is still customary for women and men to draw massive expansions of kolams together, especially during festive days to engage their bodies and minds in the meditative experience, and participate in the good deed of feeding ants.

Going into why kolams are drawn, their presence in a home is an auspicious sign – a sign of all-round good physical and mental health, and contentment in the family. A Hindu household is never complete without a kolam at the Divine altar, and at least, a simple one at the entrance of a home. Traditionally, before the advent of advanced communications and technology, kolams served a greater purpose. A large, elaborate kolam outside a home conveyed the message to any passer-by from the neighboring communities, that there’s an occasion to celebrate.
Conversely, the absence of a kolam conveyed information about a recent death in the family. Typically kolams are not drawn until the last rites are completed for a deceased person in the house. After the formal sanctification, lamps are lit, and a kolam is drawn to represent the return of the household to normalcy.

On a daily basis, South Indian women adorn the front entrances of their homes with simple kolams. A typical morning in a traditional South Indian household begins with the aromatic coffee decoction gradually descending down the filter, Divine music playing in the background, and the woman of the house drawing a kolam. Working through the delicate design, the woman connects with the tranquillity of dawn, the sunrise, the chirping birds, and all the simplicity of life around us. The kolam is often depicted as an object of poetic beauty, with the woman whispering her quiet secrets into the peaceful air, taking in her moments of reflection, and declouding her mind, slowly but definitely bringing clarity in her thoughts and actions. It is indeed a meditative experience. Such is the scope and power of this simple art form.

Visit our videos and picture galleries for technique demonstrations, and design suggestions. With social media groups and personal bloggers showcasing their skills across the world, there are numerous designs on the web to replicate or recreate, adding in our own customizations. So what are you drawing at your place tomorrow?