Rangoli Kolam

Rangoli is an ancient cultural tradition and decorative art of India. It is believed that the Rangoli represent the happiness, positivity and liveliness of surroundings. In Rangoli, there are various types of patterns.  Kolam is most of the famous kind of the Rangoli. Earlier, people used rice flour, flower petals, turmeric, vermillion (sindoor), and coloured sand to make designs, but nowadays, many coloured rangoli powders are available.

 

 

Pattern in Rangoli

Kolam rangoli follows a particular pattern. In the process of making Kolam, the first dots are drawn. The distance between these dots is the same. In most patterns, the number of dots in each line is the same, for example, 7 dots in each row and 7 dots in each column.
Some rangoli patterns are in strip form and circular form also. Then by joining those dots, various patterns are drawn with the help of straight lines or curves, triangles, squares, circles and many more shapes, and finally, this rangoli is filled with colours.

 

Symmetrical Rangoli

Kolam pattern always has symmetry. For example, look at the following rangoli pattern. If we divide it into four parts, they always look the same.

 

 

If we rotate the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parts, all parts look the same.

 

 

Symmetry means if we divide any shape at the centre (vertically/horizontally or both), all parts look the same.

Different designs can be drawn using so many shapes and symmetry. These kolam patterns are also used in various places like clothes, marbles, bags, etc.