Kolam is considered auspiscious in every Hindu Home especially in South India. It is a decoration - drawn in front of the house, near the entrance - which is considered to be inviting Goddess Lakshmi (giver of wealth) into the house.
Traiditional kolams are drawn using rice powder, which serves the double purpose of decoration as well as feeding small insects like ants. On festive occassions, kolams are drawn using wet rice flour, which can be done only through experience and expertise. There are specific geometrical shapes based on which kolams are drawn on festive occassions, especially in a Brahmin family. Now-a-days a sparking white stone powder is available in the market to draw kolams. Rangolies are made by mixing colours to this powder to produce a colourful kolam.
Kolams are drawn using geometrical shapes, flowers, fruits, animals and birds. Kolam can be classified as dotted and non-dotted kolams. The dotted kolams are drawn using rows of dots which are joined using lines. The non-dotted ones are plain lines using geometrical shapes. The dotted kolams have simple and difficult versions. The difficult versions are called 'Pinnal kolams' which look like twisted chains around dots. Many Tamil Women are experts in drawing these kolams.
Maarghazhi-the season for big kolams & Music festivals, is considered to be an auspicious month, when the ozone layer will also be near the earth's surface on the early hours of moning. Ladies & Gents of the household, gets up early, have their bath, ladies draw big kolams and they visits temples. Many festivals are also celebrated in temples during this month.
I started drawing kolams using white powder from the age of 3 and helped my mother by drawing a tiny star with my little hands. Yes, my journey of drawing kolam started with a simple star.
Here i am sharing photo of kolams in each category. For more kolams please check the labels on various categories. I am uploading all the designs that i have in stored in my notebook which i drew and collected right from my childhood days.
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| Padi kolam or naalu moolai kolam |
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| Floral kolam without dots/pulli |
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| A pulli / dot kolam looks like this |
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| Pinnal kolam looks like this |
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| Rangoli | | | | | | | |
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| Connected by lines |
