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Easy rangoli designs - beginners

Though I have drawn all the designs myself personally I am thankful to my family for the inputs, information and help in drafting all the posts so far.  I have used the terms kolam  rangoli quite freely in all the posts. Probably there would have been differences based on classical (!) explanations in the past but today kolams can also be colourful like rangolis both in the free hand and dots type  I find that even the terms rangoli kolam and kolam rangoli are used at  present. The only area where I think kolam are different are in sikku kolam and arisi maavu kolam. Both are beautiful, challenging and can be intricate . Rangoli is muggulu in Telugu and so this post will be useful for those in search of small and simple muggulu for beginners.  This post   may have answers  kutty rangoli /kolam designs The rangoli in the image below is one of the basic designs that can be used for learning.   Form a star with two inverted triangles.   ...

Varalakshmi Vratham 2018 Pooja images

Varalakshmi Vratham ( வரலட்சுமி விரதம் in Tamil ) , Varamahalakshmi Pooja ( ವರಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ಪೂಜಾ in Kannada )  and వరలక్ష్మి వ్రతం  in Telugu 
is a very popular festival for Goddess Lakshmi.  For me the preparations start on Thursday, the previous day.  Cleaning all the Pooja vessels and Pooja room takes a lot of time.

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On Thursday ,  I purchase all the flowers, fruits, kewda flowers, mango leaves for thoran and plantain plants for mantapa alankara.
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Hridaya kamalam is my most favourite rangoli for the mantapa.  We can draw Aishwarya Patra rangoli also.
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Neivedyam preparation starts early in the morning on Friday , around 4.30 am because the Pooja should commence before 10.30 am on Friday. The early bird is always lucky ,   so I thanked the Goddess because there was a general power shut down from 9 am to 5 pm.  If I had delayed naievedyam would have been affected..  Offerings include, appe payasa , ambode, rava idli

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The arrangement of fruits, Yamuna kalasam, diyas,
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At least five type of fruits are offered.
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I purchase  sampige flowers ( shenbaga poo in Tamil ) for Rs.100 in the Koyambedu flower market
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A close up of the shenbagapoo - Fifty flowers cost Rs.100 in the flower market.
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Mullai, malli , jaadhi malli , I purchased by weight and tied the flowers , Thursday night
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Goddess Lakshmi waiting outside our house to be welcomed with aarthi.  Our family kalasam has Her Face etched on it with shankh and chakra on either side. We can decorate Her with some of our jewels.

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Praying to Goddess to enter our house 🙏🙏

Also read How to draw Goddess Lakshmi's Feet in rangoli 

I sing Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma in Kannada
or Lakshmi rave maintiki in Telugu

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Nombu saradu is prepared with a thread dipped in turmeric paste.  Nine knots are made.  On the middle knot tie a flower or kewda petal.

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Aarthi is prepared with poornam because it is Sravan Sukrvar and we perform Jivathi Pooja also.
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All the nombu saradu are ready ( at least five ) and are kept near the kalasam
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Vaan for  Suhasini kept in Puja

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After Aarthi and offering camphor , nombu saradu is tied on the right hand
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Goddess Lakshmi is divine after Puja
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Jeevathi Pooja on a Sravan Sukravam is performed for 4 to 5 weeks depending upon the number of Fridays in the month of Sravan.  On Varalakshmi Pooja day I have to perform Jeevthi Pooja also. It is a pleasure to do both simultaneously though both Pujas need lot of preparation.   

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