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Traditional motifs from nature
Creating rangolis
are part of the Diwali celebration. During this time, markets will be
flooded with colourful mini-mountains of powder, and ready-to-use
stamps, moulds and other aids, for those whose fingers are no longer
nimble.
These colourful rangolis usually use
traditional motifs taken from Nature -- peacocks, swans, mango,
flowers, geometrical designs, etc. In ancient times, the colours were
derived from natural dyes. Today, powdered colours are sprinkled on
floors to form these decorative designs.
Rangolis can be vivid, three-dimensional art
complete with shadings or they can be the traditional, plain, yet
beautiful, two-dimensional designs.
The designs are symbolic and often geometrical
patterns, with lines, dots, squares, circles, triangles. It is
important is that the entire pattern must be an unbroken line, with no
gaps left anywhere for evil spirits to enter.
Image: A Pakistani Hindu woman and child wave
sparklers in Karachi during celebrations of the Hindu Festival of
Diwali (2005). The festival marks the home coming of the Hindu God,
Lord Rama after killing the evil King Ravana, symbolising the victory
of good over evil and leading the people from darkness to light. |