KOLAM / RANGOLI

KOLAM – IT IS A FORM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. KOLAM IS A VERY UNIQUE WAY OF EXPRESSING ONE’S ART AND ALSO GIVES ENLIGHTENMENT TO THE FESTIVALS. IT CREATES POSITIVE ENERGY IN OUR BODY AND MIND. KOLAM IS CONSIDERED AS VERY SACRED AND IT ALSO ACTS AS AN ENERGY BOOSTER. IT IS PART OF OUR TRADITION THAT IS FOLLOWED ALL OVER THE WORLD.  DRAWING KOLAM GIVES US GREAT ENERGY FOR THE WHOLE DAY. IT HELPS TO TAKE OUR ATTENTION OFF OUR PAINS AND ENABLE US TO ENJOY THE WORLD. IT BRINGS HAPPINESS AND HELPS TO RELAX OUR MIND. MOREOVER IT IMPROVES OUR IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY AND ALWAYS KEEPS OUR MIND ACTIVE. 

KOLAM IS TRADITIONALLY  DONE BY WOMEN. NOW A DAYS, MEN ARE ALSO SHOWING INTEREST TO DRAW KOLAM / RANGOLI WHICH IS TO BE APPRECIATED. KOLAMS ARE COMMONLY DRAWN AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE HOUSE IN THE EARLY MORNING. BEFORE THAT THEY CLEAN THE ENTRANCE AREA / DOOR STEP OF THEIR HOUSES , SPRINKLE WITH WATER AND THEN THEY WILL DRAW THE KOLAM.

THE PURPOSE OF DRAWING KOLAMS AT THE DOORSTEP IS NOT MERELY DECORATIVE BUT IT IS BELIEVED THAT IT IS SIGN OF INVITATION TO WELCOME GODDESS “LAKSHMI, INTO OUR HOME AND SO THAT SHE WOULD BLESSED AND SHOWERED THE WHOLE FAMILY WITH ALL PROSPERITY AND WEALTH. IT CAN HELP TO DRIVE AWAY THE BAD POWER FROM THE HOUSE.

TRADITIONALLY RICE FLOUR WAS PREPARED AT HOME AND THAT WAS USED TO DRAW KOLAMS AS IT IS FOOD FOR ANTS AND BIRDS. NOW A DAYS, WE ARE USING KOLAM POWDERS WHICH WE BUY FROM SHOPS. 

AND ALSO, TO PROVIDE CONTRAST AND TO ENHANCE THE APPEARANCE OF THE  KOLAM WE USE COLOUR POWDERS. IN OLDEN DAYS THERE ARE NO COLOUR  KOLAM POWDERS, HENCE THEY USED BRICK-RED SOLUTION CALLED KAAVI TO DRAW OUTLINES.

KOLAMS ARE DRAWN AT HOUSES EVERYDAY. BUT THE TAMIL MONTH OF “MARGAZHI” IS THE FAMOUS MONTH FOR KOLAMS AS WE CAN SEE IN EVERY HOUSE THE DOOR STEP IS DECORATED WITH COLOURFUL KOLAMS. REALLY IT WOULD BE A FEAST FOR OUR EYES TO SEE ALL THOSE KOLAMS AND RANGOLIS. IN THIS MONTH WOMEN ARE USUALLY WAKE UP EARLY MORNING ITSELF AND THEY WILL DRAW COLOURFUL KOLAMS.THE TRUTH BEHIND GETTING UP EARLY IS ESPECIALLY IN THIS MONTH THERE WILLL BE A LOT OF OZONE AND THUS OXYGEN CONTENT WILL BE RICH IN ATMOPHERE WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH.  HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO RECALL A PARTICULAR PRACTICE WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY SOME PEOPLE IN THIS MONTH THAT THEY WOULD MAKE COW DUNG IN A CONICAL SHAPE AND A PUMPKIN FLOWER WILL BE PLACED ON TOP OF IT.

KOLAM CAN BE DRAWN IN DIFFERENT WAYS LIKE WITH OR WITHOUT DOTS. GENERALLY THE KOLAMS BASED ON DOTS CAN BE DRAWN EITHER BY JOINING THE DOTS BY STRAIGHT LINES OR CURVED LINES. THE PATTERNS CAN ALSO BE CREATED BY DRAWING LINES BETWEEN AND AROUND THE DOTS.

THIS IS A KOLAM DRAWN WITH STRAIGHT DOTS. THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE RANGOLI WITH 7 DOTS. THIS KOLAM IS VERY APT FOR THE BEGINNERS. 

THE ABOVE KOLAM WHICH I HAVE SHARED IS DRAWN WITH CURVED LINES AS WELL AS STRAIGHT LINES WITH 15 TO 1 STRAIGHT DOTS. IT SEEMS COMPLICATED BUT VERY EASY TO DRAW.

IN THE FESTIVAL SEASON THE VERY BIG KOLAM DESIGN IS DRAWN INFRONT OF THE HOUSE. ALL THE GIRLS AND THE LADIES IN THE FAMILY WOULD SIT TOGETHER AND MAKE A PLAN ON WHAT TYPE OF THE KOLAM IS GOING TO BE DRAWN. AFTER THE PLANNING IS DONE THEY WILL START THE EXECUTION PROCESS. ACTUALLY IT BRINGS THE TENDENCY OF UNITY AND TOGETHERNESS. STILL I REMEMBER THAT ME AND MY ELDER SISTER USED TO PLAN ABOUT KOLAMS ON EVERY PREVIOUS DAYS OF FESTIVALS LIKE DIWALI, PONGAL AND DURING THE MONTH OF MARGAZHI.

DURING FESTIVAL DAYS THE KOLAMS SHOULD BE DECORATED WITH COLOUR POWDERS. COLOURING THE KOLAM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE THAT WILL ONLY HELP IN GIVING GOOD LOOK TO THE KOLAM. PATTERNS ARE ALSO DRAWN IN A PAPER AND FINALIZED. THIS STEP INVOLVES GIVING THE PERFECT GLOW TO THE KOLAM THAT IS DRAWN.

KOLAMS ARE DRAWN IN DIFFERNT TYPES LIKE DEEPAM KOLAM, FLOWER KOLAM, BIRDS KOLAM, PONGAL POT KOLAMS ON PONGAL FESTIVAL, ANIMALS KOLAM , PADI KOLAM KAMBI KOLAM / SIKKU KOLAM ETC. BASED ON OUR IMAGINATION WE CAN CREATE THE KOLAMS AS MANY AS WE CAN. KOLAMS ARE IN MANY TYPES.  EVENTHOUGH  IT IS CALLED IN DIFFERENT NAMES IN DIFFERENT PLACES THE BENEFIT IS COUNTLESS. IT GIVES HAPPINESS, IT GIVES SATISFACTION, IT GIVES  ENERGY ,  IT MAKES US  FEEL ENTHUSIASTIC AND MOREOVER IT HELPS  TO DIVERT AND RELAX OUR MIND FROM OUR PAINS AND USUAL ROUTINES. 

HERE I HAVE SHARED BIRDS KOLAM. IT'S A VERY VERY SIMPLE RANGOLI WITH 9 TO 5 MIDDLE DOTS. THIS KOLAM IS ESPECIALLY FOR GIRLS / BEGINNERS.  THEY WILL DEFINITELY ENJOY IT TO DRAW THIS. 

NEXT, KOLAM WHICH I HAVE SHARED IS A SIMPLE KOLAM WHICH IS COMPLETELY DRAWN WITH STRAIGHT LINES.  THERE IS NO CURVE LINES OR PATTERNS. JUST PUT THE DOTS AND JOIN WITH STRAIGHT LINES. 

NOW,  I HAVE SHARED 2 DEEPAM KOLAMS WHICH ARE DRAWN WITH 6 DOTS. THE FIRST DEEPAM KOLAM IS WITH 6 DOTS 6 ROWS (STRAIGHT DOTS ) WHERE AS THE SECOND ONE IS DRAWN WITH 6 TO 1 INTER LACED DOTS. DEEPAM  KOLAMS ARE CONSIDERED AS SACRED ONE AS IT IS BELIEVED THAT DEEPAMS ARE NOT ONLY REMOVE THE DARKNESS BUT ALSO REMOVES THE NEGATIVE ENERGY FROM US. HENCE,  IT  IS DRAWN ESPECIALLY ON AUSPICIOUS DAYS.IN BOTH THE KOLAMS I HAVE USED ONLY STRAIGHT LINE PATTERN. 

KOLAM IS AN ART WHICH  HELPS TO IMPROVE OUR CREATIVITY. CREATIVITY IS AN ABILITY TO ORIGINATE NEW IDEAS, TO SEE UNEXPECTED RELATIONSHIPS, TO LEARN NEW THINGS THROUGH ONE'S OWN IMAGINATION. OVER 35 YEARS OF RESEARCH ON CREATIVITY AND CREATIVE PEOPLE HAS REVEALED THAT LIKE INTELLIGNECE CREATIVITY EXISTS IN HUMAN RIGHT FORM THE TIME OF BIRTH. FOR YOUNG CHILDREN CREATIVITY IS UNTAMED. AS THEY GROW THEIR CREATIVITY TENDS TO GET LOST BECAUSE OF CONVENTIONAL DAY-TO-DAY DEMANDS. PARENTS OF GIFTED CHILDREN SHOULD MAKE SURE TO NURTURE THEIR CHILDREN'S CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP FOR REALIZING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT CONTINUOUS TRAINING AT HOME AND SCHOOLS ENHANCES THE CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT  IN CHLDREN, WHO ARE BLESSED WITH IT NATURALLY. CREATIVITY CAN ALWAYS BE DEFINED, DEVELOPED, TAUGHT, LEARNT AND MEASURED BY ANYONE. 

CREATIVITY IS PRESENT RIGHT FROM BIRTH AND INCREASES AT THE AGE OF 6-7 YEARS WHERE THEY EXHIBIT A LOT OF CREATIVE TASK AND SHOULD NOT BE SUPRESSED WHEN DOING THEIR ACTIVITY AS IT MAY END UP IN GUILT AND APATHY. CREATIVE YOUNGSTERS TAKE UP LOT OF RISKS IN PROVING AND EXERCISING THIER CREATIVITY ON THE NON-VERBAL LEVELS. THE CREATIVE CONCEPTS SHOULD BE LINKED WITH DEFINITE LEARNING PATTERNS UNIQUE TO THEIR NEEDS. CHILDREN SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH POTETIAL MATERIALS LIKE OLD MAGAZINES, BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, TRAIDITIONAL GAMES, OLD CLOTHERS AND GADGETS WHICH PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION THAT STIMULATES THEIR MIND CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT IDEAS, MOVEMENTS, DISCOVERIES, QUESTIONS, IMAGINATION, ETC. 

CREATIVITY IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF INTELLIGENCE. EDUCATIONLISTS AND RESEARCHERS HAVE RAISED A CONCERN THAT IN RECENT YEARS THERE IS GENUINITY IN THE CREATIVITY OF CHILDREN WHICH MAY BRING ABOUT AN ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD WHICH RESULTS IN NEW LEVEL OF THINKING IN EVERY ASPECT LIKE MUSIC, SCIENCE IMAGINATION, CURIOSITY, EXPERMENTATION, EXPLORATION AND INNOVATION. THERE SOME SIGNS OF CREATIVITY IN CHILDREN. THEY LOVE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THINGS. THEY ARE CURIOUS TO THOSE ANSWERS AND ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO WHAT THEY SEE, TOUCH, FEEL AND HEAR. CREATIVITY REFLECTS IN THEIR ART, PICTURE OR FIGURE PAINTING ON BOOKS AND FLOOR. THEY WILL ATTEMPT TASKS FAR TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEM AND ACCEPT THEM AS  A CHALLENGE. HENCE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO NOTIFY AND TO MOTIVATE THE CREATIVITY OF THE CHILDREN. PARENTS WHO ENCOURAGE THIR CHILD'S CREATIVITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S THINKING PORCESSES. BY EXPERIENCING NEW WAYS OF PERCEIVING THE WORLD TOGETHER, PARENTS FOSTER CHILDREN'S ABILITIES TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE OF DEALING WITH CHANGE IN A RESILIENT MANNER. THEY ARE TRAINING THEIR CHILD TO MAKE A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION IN THE FUTURE. 

THE ABOVE KOLAM WHICH I HAVE SHARED HERE IS DRAWN WITH 7 DOTS. THE DOT PATTERN FOR THIS KOLAM IS INTERLACED DOTS. AFTER PLACING DOTS DRAW STAR DESIGN AT THE CENTRE. THEN DRAW HEXAGON SHAPE AROUND IT. ACTUALLY THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE RANGOLI WHICH IS HIGHLY APT FOR BEGINNERS.

THIS IS THE RANGOLI WITH 7 DOTS. THE DOT PATTERN FOR THIS RANGOLI IS INTERLACED DOTS AND LINE PATTERN IS STRAIGHT LINE. AFTER PLACING DOTS FIRST DRAW RHOMBUS DESIGN. THEN DRAW STAR DESIGN  IN THE CENTRE AND FINISH THIS RANGOLI. 

THIS IS A KAMBI KOLAM . IN THIS KOLAM CURVE LINE PATTERN HAS BEEN USED. FOR THIS KOLAM THE DOTS ARE TO BE KEPT IN A STRAIGHT MANNER. THEN USING KOLAM POWDER WE HAVE TO DRAW CURVE LINES IN BETWEEN THE DOTS AS SHOWN. THIS TYPE OF  KOLAM IS ALSO KNOWN AS SIKKU KOLAM OR NELI KOLAM OR MELIKALA MUGGULU.