Tuesday 20 January 2015

Starry Kolam


I have a confession…
I really struggled a lot to put this Kolam…
I practiced several times in paper…
Then, I was nervous throughout the regime of drawing it…
When the final output turned out to be awesome…
I felt awesome as ever!!!!



PS: Because many people asked me what a Kolam is…
Kolam refers to intricate patterns drawn both free handedly and by joining dots. These can be widely seen in the Southern part of India. Women draw this early morning, preferably before Sunrise after cleaning the courtyard. Earlier rice powder was used – it was a means to feed ants and small insects. However, these days, stone powder and even chalk is used. If such powders are used, it is called Pudi Kolam. Sometimes, brick powder will be used as outline on auspicious days, Tuesdays and Fridays. If rice powder is mixed in water and similar patterns are drawn, it is called Maavu/Maa Kolam. In West Bengal, it is called Alpona. In North India, people used rice/stone powders for the outline and fill the patterns with colors. This is called Rangoli.

It is believed that Kolam brings prosperity. It is drawn for almost all the auspicious occasions like marriages and festivals. When someone dies in the household, the family don’t draw any kolam for a year.  

Children in small towns learn the art of making kolam at a very young age. In fact, a girl who knows to draw impeccable and intricate kolam is a pride for the entire family and the village she stays. However, owing to modernization, city life and apartment culture, this art is soon dying.

10 comments:

  1. ... omg, so beautiful!!! ... it's like a poem ... I know, what it is like to agonise while "giving birth" to a painting, a song or a poem ... but in the end ... when all is said and done ... you enjoy ... for a while ... until the next "baby" comes along ... smiles ... Love, cat.

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  2. Good and intricate one.The funny thing about kolam is one can go on expanding it by joining the points at the extremity with fresh lines.

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  3. lovely! u hv become a kolam expert now!!

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  4. Awesome! I wanted to make small kolams at place diyas in it but I did a horrible job. Yours is just beautiful. I can never do it.

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    1. Practice makes man perfect...
      And I am still practicing...

      Thanks Saru :)

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  5. Beautiful, it shows that you enjoyed the process, worth the struggle :-))

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    1. Thanks Padmaja :)
      You are quite an early bird!

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