Diwali, also known as the festival of lights or Deepavali in South India, is a time for performing religious rites and exchanging folktales. The occasion celebrates Rama’s ultimate victory over the evil force Ravana and joyful return to his home with Sita. Additionally, it’s a chance to decorate the house, buy new clothing, and, of course, enjoy parties, feasts, and exchanging gifts. However, this festival also lays a lot of emphasis on colour. Homes are freshly painted, and there are several decorations on display. However, the traditional rangoli designs that adorn every home’s door are where colours are most evident. For making rangoli patterns, materials like rice flour, coloured chalk, and crushed limestone are often used.
The range of patterns and degree of difficulty for a rangoli are mostly determined by the abilities and talents of the individual who creates the rangoli. Every design in a rangoli is hand-carved out with the maker’s fingertips. Sometimes dotted movements that are connected at the end are used to outline a pattern. The preferred colours are added once a pattern has been created.
1. Dry rangoli powder or rice powder:
The idea for dry powder rangolis originated from the admirable notion of utilising rice powder to feed birds. Typically, dry powder rangolis are created in the courtyard of a residence and decorated with readily accessible dry colours from the market. In between the rangolis, a lamp or kalash is set up. With dry powder rangolis, simple patterns like a flower or a patterned design work incredibly well. These natural rangolis colours are a wonderful alternative to synthetic pigments. Going green has additional advantages because you may incorporate these hues into the soil when you sweep the decoration away after the festival. If you visit the regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and few parts of Maharashtra, the powder rangolis is drawn upon the ground or floor daily.
2. Geometric Patterns:
Artistic talent is not necessary for geometric patterns. Selecting a design that can be made by connecting dots to create a nice geometric pattern. These beautiful symmetrical rangolis are mostly seen in the regions of Tamil Nadu, Goa, Maharashtra, and in few parts of Kerala and Karnataka. If you travel to countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand, you can find this style of rangoli there.
3. Flower Rangoli:
The beauty and ease of a flower-filled rangoli are unmatched. This style of rangoli can widely be seen during the occasion of “Onam”. A straightforward pattern with flowers or just petals in various hues looks lovely. Add some lighting to your floral rangoli to jazz it up
4. Stencil Rangoli:
Stencil rangoli is a real time-saver. Those who wish to try making rangoli but don’t have much time can undoubtedly choose a stencil rangoli. Stencils can be purchased from the puja item stores closest to you. A stencil can act as a sieve to assist you draw the outline of your design. After the outlining is complete, you can add colours to your design. This style of rangoli is seen in all parts of the country. Using the stencils to draw the rangoli saves a lot of time and you can also choose from a variety of designs.
5. Sticker Rangoli:
If you have children and they have a propensity to put things in their mouths, it can be somewhat dangerous to create a rangoli using colours or flowers in your home. Sticker rangolis are simple to find in the market; all that is needed is to put them on the ground. Sticker rangoli is mostly found in the northern parts of India. It’s also seen in the regions where it rains frequently. A sticker can stay for weeks and months together. It definitely saves time and makes your home entrance look elegant.
This Diwali, decorate your home with a beautiful rangoli and make special memories with your loved ones.