Kolam by Sudha Balaji

Traditionally kolam is drawn with rice flour - dry rice flour only.  It is ground very fine and as a result it is difficult to control the flow of rice flour between the thumb and index finger and pushing it is also difficult when compared with our kolam powder .   So the lines may appear discontinuous and the kolam with rice flour may not be as beautiful as that drawn with kolam powder.   Kolam drawn with rice flour provide food for the insects and ants and the painful task of erasing the rangoli to draw a new one is not there..   My mother used fire wood to cook and she said that insects etc. used to hide in the stoves .  Drawing a rice flour kolam probably was  also useful in drawing out the insects ( There is also a tradition of drawing kolam before the stove at night )  because some insects may also be toxic. How to prepare dry rice flour rangoli To overcome problems of drawing rice flour rangoli that is almost as beautiful as a kolam dr...