NEW YORK, U.S., November 4, 2021 (NY Times, accessible only with subscription): Every year around this time, more than a billion people worldwide celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, with warm family meals, bursting fireworks, glowing lamps and an ornate ancient Indian folk art known as rangoli. These geometric patterns, religious symbols and floral designs are drawn on the floor of one’s home, often using chalk and colorful powders, as a way to ward off evil spirits and welcome the good faith of Gods and Goddesses. The word rangoli is derived from the Sanskrit word rangavalli and roughly translates to “rows of colors,” a fitting image for Diwali’s message of light conquering darkness. While making rangoli can be celebratory, it is also a daily ritual for many women in India and throughout the diaspora — a tradition that grounds them in challenging times.
Jugnu Verma, an artist and arts educator in Columbia, S.C. often makes rangoli using edible materials such as rice flour, turmeric and lentils, so that any creatures that pass her doorstep can feast on her creation. It’s OK if her designs are eaten by insects, trampled over by visitors, whisked away by wind or washed away by rain. That impermanence is part of the form’s beauty. This idea, of feeding as many souls as possible during the day, pervades the tradition, though the style of rangoli can vary throughout India. The kolam, in Tamil Nadu, is traditionally made with white rice flour. Each work starts with a grid of dots, which are then connected with various patterns of lines and curves. The result is a highly computational drawing.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/style/rangoli-art-diwali.html