Kolam by Sudha Balaji

A collection of traditional kolams for the month-long celebrations of Fridays during the auspicious Shravan month.  In Tamil Nadu this is the month when weddings are celebrated.   Aashad month is not preferred for marriages.  We have various festivals including Mangala  Gowri , Jeevthi Pooja, Varamalakshmi Pooja during this month.  Traditional designs with lines are among the best rangoli for any occasion. This diya rangoli is with 9 dots three rows, 7,5,3,1 dot 9 chukki rangoli with one step - theme diya or lamps In the design below I have used patterns that represent Goddess Lakshmi's Feet.  Such designs are considered auspicious and are used for festivals and celebration of Shravan Fridays  We can try these kolam for Friday rangoli designs too 

 F estival - Savitri Vratha This festival falls during June (Jyeshta month full moon day).  Legend has it that Savitri after penance could get back the life of her husband on this day.  So this vratha or puja is performed on this day for the welfare of the spouse.  After the puja five married women are invited to the house and offered haldi-kumkum with mangoes. After fasting from morning a feast is arranged in the afternoon with kheer (sweet porridge ). A portrait of Savitri is decorated with turmeric, kumkum, cotton garland (called vastra ) and flowers It is also called Vata Savitri Vratha (probably because Vata refers to fig tree ) Story of Vata Savithri Pooja  King Aswapathi who ruled over Bhadra Desa had no issues .  He worshipped Savithri Devi .  By Her grace a girl child was born.  Hence the King named her Savithri.   As years passed by Savithiri grew into a   beautiful woman with extraordinary intelligence The Ki...

Ananta Vratha festival Ananta Vrata is celebrated on the fourteenth day before the full moon day in the month of Bhadrapada (usually falls between 15th of August and 15th of September).   While Jeevthi Pooja is celebrated by a mother for the welfare of her children, Ananta Vrata is celebrated for the welfare of the couple for fourteen years from the year of the marriage. It performed using a khalasa as we do for Varalakshmi Vratham.  A vessel is filled with water and a red cloth tied around it.  In some families a snake like shape is made from darba grass and placed inside the vessel.  Two red strings with fourteen knots are placed in pooja.    After the Pooja the strings are tied to the the right shoulder.  This ananta as it is called is preserved till the Puja for the next year.   This ritual is continued for fourteen years after which it is completed for that particular couple.   This 15 by 15 dot rangoli is Anant Vrat spec...

Mangala Gowri festival, Vrat  is performed for first five years after marriage.  The idol of Mangala Gowri is handed over to the married lady.   She performs this puja every year after marriage for five years on Sravana Tuesday (Mangala vaar) i.e on all Tuesdays of the month.   This is done for a happy married life.  Betel leaves and nuts ( eight numbers) are offered to Goddess (Gowri or Parvathi) and eaten by the husband and wife.   Offerings include wheat flour modhakam and a kheer with wheat flour ball in milk.  Sixteen wicks are made from cotton, dipped in ghee and aarti is performed with these wicks. Mangala Gowri is available at GRT Jewellers , if you want to purchase it as part of wedding gifts by the parents for the girl Mangala Gowri Pooja story It is said that a girl in whose family Mangala Gowri Pooja was performed regularly was married at an early age.  Goddess Mangala Gowri came in here dream and told her " Lady, you ha...

Bangle garland for God | Bangle garland for Amman | Easy method Bangle garlands are offered to Mariamman for Aadi Pooram festival .  This is a very popular festival in Tamil Nadu.  Aadi is Ashada month and Pooram is Purva Phalguni start.   So in this month and on the day this star occurs this festival is celebrated.  Many offer glass bangle garlands .  Some offer just bangles in as many pairs as they can. The bangles are then distributed to the devotees. Aadi Pooram 2018 date is 13th of August.  What I have shown in the images below is one of the simplest methods of making a "kannadi valayal " malai .  What we need are bangles and a fancy lace. Tie the lace to one of the bangles Keep the bangle as shown and place the next bangle below the first one. Take the lace through the portion where the bangles intersect and draw it through the bottom as shown.  This way the first bangle is held firml The next bangl...

Rathasapthami pooja rangoli  We draw a ratham rangoli for this festival.  First take a plank or manai that we use in our house for Puja.  Clean it well.  Draw a traditional ratham rangoli using lines.  Invariably we draw one line for the ratham ,  this actually denotes the chariot of the Sun God.  We draw one wheel to show that the Sun moves slowly ! Since we draw the side view of the chariot , one wheel is shown .  This also can be an explanation. Draw the pennant or flag like design with the Sun design inside.  Draw plantain trees on either side of the chariot. Decorate with kaavi as we do for all festivals.  Traditionally we use coconut fibre to draw the kaavi or geru , nowadays cotton bud is used.   Rathasapthami Pooja Vidhanam | Ratha saptami puja vidhanam  Draw squares as shown at the top right.  In the squares place, rice, pulses , jaggery, tamarind .  We also place jujube fruits.  The i...

Cotton garland for Ganpati |  Cotton mala for Ganpati  The traditional method of making a cotton garland is shown in the pictures below.  A 21 ball cotton garland is made .  The edges and the gaps between are smeared with turmeric powder mixed in water. Two pieces of cotton are soaked in turmeric powder mixed in water and stuck to the two edges of the mala.  These help to stick the garland to the photo or idol of Lord Ganesha Ganesh Chaturthi | Pillaiyar Chaturthi | Ganesh Chavithi | in simple steps through images According to our family tradition, we purchase a clay idol every year. Decorate the Puja room with a rangoli Decorate the Puja Mantap where the idol is to be placed with Hridaya Kamalam or Aishwarya Kolam add a kaavi border. Place a banana leaf with rice on it Place idol of Ganesha decorate with flowers, sacred thread and cotton vastra Apply chandan, haldi and kumkum on forehead Place a coconut to t...