Kolam by Sudha Balaji

Those who follow me on social media may have observed that I share more reels than long videos. I was using the existing longer videos to create reels, shorts and was sharing them.  I still do. My ardent followers probably noticed and requested for new designs.   Any number of designs that we have is sufficient if we want to draw a new rangoli kolam daily throughout the year.  So, I shot videos of about 10 patterns that I had created (as I stated elsewhere, I try creating new designs in the afternoon, some of them become public as images or videos).   This post and the subsequent one are on the latest rangoli kolam I shared on Facebook. For those who want to draw with dots, this is a 5 by 5 dot rangoli, we can try freehand too. There are many posts with intermediate steps.  In this post I have shared only the completed images.   I have given the dot grid I have used also for pulli kolam.  Please try. This design was created using a 7 b...

 Refer to the previous post for a few latest rangoli designs. The next of designs are shared in this post.  Please Continuing from the previous post, though I have lots of designs ready, my cameraman (my husband:)) should be available to shoot the videos. He has been busy for a few weeks.  In fact, both of us were busy.  He is cross with me because he says photographers earn a lot from shooting videos and editing them, but I offer him only a cup of tea. It is just a joke.  Yes, editing is also done by him, and he has become quite good with experience.  He uses a high-end camera and software.   Occasionally we shoot videos directly from the mobile for shorts.  May be the algorithm likes it because it knows that the content is original. However, we prefer DSLR for quality and for the ability to accommodate big design s and longer videos.   When we shoot directly from the mobile there are still some restrictions so far as the size of t...

 Margazhi , New Year, Bhogi .Pongal and also Kanum Pongal - a month of celebrations with bhajans, music in Sabhas , special Pooja in temples.   The main attraction for this month long festivities are big , beautiful and colourful kolam designs at the entrances of many homes. This post is about a beautiful and traditional sikku kolam ( some call it chikku kolam ). Others call it neli kolam or kambi kolam.  The following pictures show the step by step procedure to  draw a wonderful kolam which will leave your neighbours and passersby awestruck.  The video for this rangoli was viral on my Facebook and Instagram Pages. By the way all my Pages are called Rangolisansdots.  You may think that the name Rangolisansdots is not suitable for sikku kolam. For those who are visiting the first time, I started in 2012 , primarily with rangoli designs without dots , particularly double line kolangal.  Hence the name :) The dot pattern for this awesome traditiona...

 On 20th of August 2024 Rangoli sans dots completed 12 years successfully.  When you are there for the long haul encouragement from followers, subscribers and viewers is the motivation. I shared a post thanking my followers on Facebook.  I am grateful for the wonderful comments received there .  I am sharing some of them in this blog post  "Wow!! Great madam.  Heartiest congratulations on successful completion of 12 years of such beautiful divine and dedicated art.  May God shower all his blessings on you and your family with loads of happiness and good health.  I am indeed blessed to see your kolams/muggulu daily as though I am drawing myself. Great inspiration for one and all to keep continuing our tradition even in this present digital life ...."  Shailaja Bharath "You inspired me to draw rangoli daily.  Many thanks to you!  Keep sharing your rangolis.  They are such a beautiful one " - Medha Kulkarni "Congratulations my dea...

 An auspicious  Pooja room kolam and hence not drawn at the entrance.  As in the case of many posts I have shown  the white kolam only.  It is preferable to decorate with kavi ( ochre ) colour.  Kavi is usually used for auspicious occasions. This kolam can be drawn for our Wednesday kolangal or Saturday kolam as these two days are important for Lord Vishnu We can also draw for Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, Purattasi month (the whole month is considered important for Lord Venkateswara) I have also added Goddess Lakshmi's Feet for this rangoli.  In traditional rangoli we represent Her through Feet patterns. The main rangoli represents the Lord through shanka and chakra designs with the Namam pattern at the centre. 🙏🙏 I receive few suggestions on social media - like lines should be drawn from top to bottom, patterns should be drawn clockwise and not counterclockwise Though I appreciate their views, I think that we must first encourage drawing kolam daily a...

    Rangoli making / Rangoli drawing - double stroke kolam T he first image shows the first step of the rangoli.  I have used only parallel lines drawn simultaneously in this design. Draw four pairs of intersecting lines.   From the ends of each line connect the adjacent line to get the pattern seen above. A very basic design that can by itself used as a simple rangoli for our homes.  The next design has evolved from the previous one.   Draw a parallel line border matching the contours of the first design.  Connect the border and the floral design with as many straight lines as possible The third step of the rangoli is shown below.  Decorate the periphery of the rangoli with floral motifs that are formed using spiral and circular patterns.   Also fill the petals at the centre with simple oval designs.  This is a plain rangoli by itself and can be drawn at entrances.  The rangoli can be filled with colours.  Adding co...

 First image The rangoli  starts with a plus and expands with semi-circular patterns and petal like designs .  It has a simple two line border filed with blue rangoli powder on which red dots are added.  All the four edges have spiral patterns.   The rangoli is filled with different colours yellow, green and blue. The remaining space that is black can also be filled with some colour of our choice,  only thing it is to be done carefully.  The rangoli with colours filled is available in Dusshera rangoli Second image - This kolam / rangoli  also uses floral petals as motifs.  The basic kolam is drawn with spiral patterns as shown.  The outermost patterns are based on floral petals and are used to decorate the kolam.  Third image - In the rangoli  the central design is drawn by drawing intersecting lines and forming the parallelogram like patterns.  The edge of each one is expanded with floral designs with two petals...

Important Rangoli tip Filling  up rangoli with colours of our choice or suitable to the motifs or patterns used.  Filling rangoli with rangoli powder also comes with practice because care should be taken to ensure that the colour of  one pattern or design does not spill into the other.   However, if it happens, it can be corrected.  For example, if we fill a rose with pink colour and we inadvertently spill green meant for the leaves, on the pink petals, that can be corrected by adding pink again over the spilt green colour. Drawing neat and beautiful curved lines makes the rangoli very attractive though it is a very simple rangoli design .  Colourful curved lines parallel to the white design can be drawn to get a colourful design. Or leave it plain and simple. These rangolis can be used as apartment kolams as they are called in Tamil Nadu.  Apartment kolam are s mall rangoli designs drawn at the entrance of apartments due to constraints in space....

 The first image shows basic  and simple freehand  kolam from common star rangoli Tradition has it that the  star shaped design is drawn with two lines.  Petals are drawn along the edges of the star pattern.   The gaps between are filled with floral petals and the rangoli is filled  colours to get the design shown below.    A simple but attractive rangoli.  Can be drawn in double quick time. The lotus is widely used in freehand rangolis.  No wonder I have also used them in Rangoli-sans-dots  a t the centre of a rangoli or on the periphery.  The lotus has been a religious symbol in India, and one can find them in religious places like temples.    The lotus in particular has been associated with many Gods and Puranic tales. Some freehand designs have been added between the petals.   Complete the rangoli with bright colours. The motifs chosen should match the floral design at the centre.   This ...