Kolam by Sudha Balaji

 This is a special Bhogi rangoli idea - drawing 2 lines of different colours.  Double line rule is the same for both types - with one colour (usually white) or two colours as shown  Pick the rangoli powder (one colour each on the tip of the index finger and next finger) close with the thumb and push.   Simultaneously move the arm to draw the lines.   One-line falls between the index and next fingers, the other line falls outside the index finger. This image (close up) shows how to draw two lines.  Use of thumb is shown. If you like to know more about this rare difficult rangoli technique you may visit  2 lines kolam with 2 colours  The information in this post may be useful if you are looking for a) Double line rangoli images b) Simple double line rangoli  One of the rarest and most beautiful methods of creating traditional kolam with lines, is more beautiful if the lines are discrete I think I 'invented" this technique.  I haven't ...

  kolam around a plate - traditional decoration for wedding  Turmeric powder is mixed white rangoli powder till the colour turns yellowish.  Simple decorations  Vazhai ilai kolam pic 1 Lotus patterns before the banana leaf or plate.  Turmeric powder is considered to be auspicious hence it is added to the kola podi.   Some designs are given in the images. Also drawn at home for festivals. This is a double or rettai ezhai kolam - the two ezhai or lines drawn simultaneously. I have shown images of rangoli designs drawn before a banana leaf ( vazhai ilai decoration).  Traditionally this leaf is used for serving meals for weddings and other functions.   For important festivals like Varalakshmi Vratham, Ganesh Chathurti, Navaratri there is also a tradition of decorating the banana leaf or plate on which the naivedyam is served to the family members with this type of kolam. For the leaves on which the bride and bridegroom dine, more elaborate...

A collection of simple muggulu designs on gadapa or side designs for your reference.  What I have shared is what I learnt from my mother.   She insisted on drawing wriggled lines on both sides of the straight lines on the doorstep  If you are searching for a ) gadapa muggulu latest designs or  b) main door gadapa muggulu designs You may find these images useful. We have a tradition of performing Pooja to the doorstep or doorway with flowers, haldi and kumkum   It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi resides there. Any Pooja requires drawing of rangoli designs.  We need suitable rangoli for the space available due to the narrow width. Some draw with chalk or use stickers but I draw the traditional way with white muggu pindi .  This is my preferred method.   Border kolam for steps Border kolam simple for Pooja room Two versions of the floral designs - one lotus and another simple floral petal.  Decorate with kaavi if it is according to y...

  New simple  rangoli making tips for Dhanteras rangoli at home , Bhai Dooj In an earlier post, I shared how to use two different colours on a rangoli stencil to create quick and easy rangoli. I have tried something different here.  Bina dot rangoli patterns plus stencil.  Regimentation suppresses creativity.   It is possible to have more variations also and that will be tried in Rangoli-sans-dots. I think you will agree that we find it very painful to erase a rangoli.  In the image the space at the centre in black is filled with colours, free hand patterns. The colour in the background is obtained by erasing a previous colourful rangoli .  It is a mixture of various colours.   I have used a rangoli stencil on this background and added free hand patterns around the circle.    Only the centre part of a stencil has been used. How to create beautiful rangoli with both techniques i.e using stencil and free hand (without chukki ) d...

 I have tried this beautiful rangoli making technique using the traditional method of drawing kolam.   The main difference is that in kolam we draw the design and then fill with colours whereas when we draw sanskar bharti rangoli designs for Diwali. We fill the colours first and draw the patterns with white rangoli powder.  Sanskar bharti theme rangoli pic 1 The two images show sanskar bharti rangoli designs for beginners.  Using colours like green, pink, red with patterns like lotus, spirals the rangoli has been created.    I have added more patterns outside also. The influence of kolam can be seen of course. Sanskar bharti them rangoli pic 2 The usual method of filling the colours in the semi-circles or circles is draw the pattern with a piece of chalk tied to a thread.  Then fill with a tea filter.  I have made semi circles directly with the colours themselves as we usually do in kolam designs.   The picture below demonstrates h...

 Wet   Arisi maavu kolam or alpona borders Rangoli has synonyms in the art forms  arisi maavu kolam (rangoli made with rice flour paste) and Alpona.   Both are somewhat similar.                                                                        Alpona for beginners Alpona rangoli design beautiful and simple  Arisi maavu kolam translated means rangoli drawn with rice flour.  It can be drawn with dry or wet rice flour.   However I discuss here wet rice flour rangoli since the technique is similar to that of traditional  alpona  (I understand it is also drawn with rice flour paste) The thickness/consistency of the rice flour paste varies according to rangoli making method adopted.   We can use fingers, or a cloth dipped in rice flour paste to d...

How to combine rangoli stencil and free hand rangoli design a unique Diwali decoration ideas "You are awesome.  It is relaxing to watch you run the kolam.  Made 2 of  your small kolam .  Thanks for sharing " This is one of the many comments I receive on my Facebook Page Rangoli sans dots.  I belong to the traditional school  of making rangoli called kolam in Tamil.  Kolam means beauty particularly beauty in symmetry. Drawing traditional kolam  comes with practice particularly the dexterity part. Still I have to share some simple techniques for those who want to try this art for the first time. Hence this post Instead of drawing the designs only with stencils,  after drawing the main design with stencil I have added some patterns  with rangoli powder .  Hope you will find this simple tip interesting and useful and will try it too.  Sprinkle colour rangoli  to one half of the stencil and then white or  any other matchin...

  Every day in the morning, we draw simple patterns on the doorstep before making kolam at the entrance.   We need simple and unique designs for this place too.   I have shared some.  In the first image - 3 simple front door rangoli designs The simple borders can decorate doorways or small spaces.  They can also be used around bigger rangoli designs that are drawn for festivals like Bhogi  simple doorstep kolam designs in white                       We can try small gadapa designs with flowers and leaf patterns simple doorstep kolam              We can try the next pic for our mane bagilu rangoli  doorstep rangoli designs easy for beginners                             Lotus and birds' combination, I use in my regular rangoli designs too  doorstep kolam for Friday     ...

 Rangoli tips - To get a compact rangoli   place the dots as closely as possible.  This way we can accommodate it even in small spaces  How do I remember so many designs.  Usually when I plant to draw the kolam, I retrieve it from my memory where I have stored lots of kolam.   With years of experience sometimes I use something akin to mnemonics to recall a design.  Many a time, I follow some set of rules, I decide are necessary to go about a kolam.   All these are applicable for chukki rangoli and sikku kolam.  For freehand patterns, I am not fettered by anything, I can expand the design radially to infinity.   Here again the only constraint is that I have some rules made by me for matching motifs, adjacent or drawn radially in the next radius. It is always preferable to start at the centre for star-based dot patterns.                               ...

The first rangoli appears to be simple. Appearances can be deceptive. The step shown in the second image can be a bit tricky for some of us. Many sikku kolam are. A few decades back, when I was young, it was not the era of plastic or stainless steel, yet.  So, we stored kola podi in coconut shells.  Firstly, it was an ecofriendly idea, since coconut shell is biodegradable. Also, it was ergonomic because we got the right grip on the shell while drawing the kolam i.e the size and shape was perfect.   We kept on recess on the wall near the entrance door, where oil lamps were placed. So, it was easy to pick it up in the morning and go to the courtyard to draw the rangoli of the day. Also, kavi border was drawn with the coconut husk, nowadays we use a brush.   We kept our lives simple and did not have to worry about plastic waste etc. Having said that I have to accept that change is permanent.  9 by 9 chukki rangoli  9 * 9 dots rangoli simple   ...