Interior designer Anshu Pathak makes three festive patterns for IDI

Rangoli in Sanskrit means 'rang" or colour and 'avalli' or a row of coloured creepers. It's a creative expression of folk art through the use of colours. Its origin can be traced to the Puranas. According to a legend recorded in Chitra Lakshana, the earliest treatise on Indian painting, a king and his kingdom were steeped in sorrow at the death of the high priest's son. Everybody prayed to Lord Brahma, who moved by the prayers, asked the king to paint a portrait of the boy on the floor so that he could breathe life into it; with that the an of floor painting came to life. The tradition originated in Maharashtra and slowly disseminated to other parts of India. It's called mandana in Rajasthan, aripana in Bihar, alpana in Bengal and Kolam in the South. Rangoli patterns are used for decorating thresholds, courtyards and walls, places of worship and sometimes eating places.

Tips for a great Rangoli

»Select the design you want to make. Traditional Rangoli designs are symmetrical in nature and geometrical in shape. Wipe the floor with a wet cloth and then wait for it to dry. With a piece of chalk, first draw the outline of the design.

»Rangoli can be made in any design and colour from coloured saw dust or pulses, spices and coloured rice or petals of different flowers. Decorate the entrances of your house, along the pathway, around the food display, at the place of worship.

»Rice flour /wheat flour, kumkwn and haldi are used at worship places as they are considered auspicious.

»Raw rice is soaked for an hour and then ground to a fine paste. Using a wad of doth soaked in the paste and adjusted along the ring finger, designs are drawn. On drying the white line designs look very nice. A dash of colour can be added if desired, with kumkum and haldi.

»For a quick job, moulds are available and so is fine white stone powder, just fill the mould and roll it on the surface to get a lovely intricate design in white.

»You may colour rice at home using food colours. Wet the food colour powder with a few drops of water and rub the rice in it till it is uniformly coloured. Don't forget to wear gloves to protect your hands from getting coloured. Dry the rice on paper, in shade before use.

»Rose petals, marigold petals, small purple paper flowers, finely cut grass, leaves, even methi leaves...just fill up the designs. Use strings of marigold and if you like strings of kanakambara/jasmine flowers for the outline. Add diyas to any design that you make for the soft sparkle.

»Special floating candles are also available in the market. Float them in urlis (big containers of water) along with petals of various flowers, such as oleanders, cosmos, zenia, chrysanthemums. In the evenings on festive occasions, when oil lamps are lit and the atmosphere is cool and pleasant, such flora] designs create the atmosphere of a well-planned divine garden.


Rangoli in white and red
This paisley motif is inspired from the alpana in Bengal where traditionally rice paste and Kavi or Red brick paste is used. I have used acrylic paints and mirror though. Alongside are traditional brass lamps and a Deep-Laxami idol signifying invocation of the deity as also a tulsi chaura for the ethnic touch.

Rice Rangoli
I got the inspiration for this from the South Indian Kolam pattern. Rice is a symbol of good fortune here. I soaked rice in turmeric powder overnight. Rice serves to feed ants and is used to show one must take care of other forms of life too to create a natural balance.

Floral Rangoli
Using rose petals marigold and Jasmine, this is my innovation to the celestial Shakti. It’s a geometrical design of a multi-petalled lotus symbolizing purity. The three lotuses invite the goddesses that govern wisdom, learning and wealth to the home. In the centre is an earthen urli filled with flowers and floting candles.