Lotus kolam with 15 dots for New Year

Lotus kolam with dots step by step through images for Sankranti muggulu or Pongal kolam

Place a 15 by 8 dot grid , called idukku pulli or oodu pulli in Tamil , the rough translation is interlaced or in between dots.  Mark the centre - it is the eighth dot of the row with 15 dots. 

 Around this draw the pattern shown in the picture below

 To the left start drawing the lotus pattern - the steps are shown in the next four images.  I have added many pictures for a clear understanding.  This will be helpful for those who want to try a relatively big kolam for New Year rangoli or Pongal.  The petals are being drawn

  

 the leaf portion is being drawn

Mark the next lotus as shown in the pic below.  You would have observed that the base of the lotus is on the same row as the edge of the floral design at the centre when viewed from different directions 

 The third pattern in this thamarai kolam rangoli.

 After completion we can connect all the lotuses to the central pattern if we wish

 Add colours , obviously pink is usually preferred for lotus flowers.  I have used two shades of pink

The kolam after completion

This is one of most favourite rangoli designs in our family for big Sankranthi muggulu with chukkalu when they lived in Vijayanagaram ( near Vishakapattinam )

Such designs can form part of Varalakshmi Vratham decoration because lotus flower is associated with Goddess Lakshmi .  We can also draw for Navaratri