Rangoli is a Sanskrit word which means a creative expression of art through the use of color.
It is believed by many that during Diwali , Goddess Lakshmi visits homes that are well lit, so families decorate their homes, people wear their best clothes, children are given presents and new year greetings are exchanged through visits or Diwali cards.
An important part of the celebrations is Rangoli which is created on doorsteps to welcome everybody. Rangoli exudes a pattern in color that are specific for each region.
In the art of floor painting, the central rangoli design is the symbolic one denoting the deity or the theme. Though the designs vary in different sections of India, the basic approach is common. The designs are geometric and proportioned. Also, Rangoli can be made in two ways - dry and wet.
Motifs include lotus, fish, birds etc which reflects the unity of man and beast. Most of the rangoli designs are circular exuding a sense of endlessness of time. Sun, moon and other zodiac signs are also common themes for rangoli besides Om, mangal kalash, swastika, chakra, a lighted Deepak, trident, shree, lotus etc.
The raw materials mainly used to make rangoli include edibles like rice flour, pulse and leaves. Earlier, the colors were traditionally derived from natural dyes but today, however, synthetic dyes are used in a range of bright hues. Other materials include colored sand and even flowers and petals, as in the case of Flower Rangolis.
It has been a tradition in India to draw Rangoli on the festivals and other auspicious occasions as it is considered a holy ritual.
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