Let There Be Light Over Darkness
Nov 3rd, 2007 by Steven
It’s less than 1 week to Diwali (or Deepavali) – the Celebration of Lights – marking the victory of good over evil, and light over darkness. The Hindu community are busy sprucing up their homes and surroundings, and decorating them with colourful bulbs. Colourful rangoli kolam are drawn on floors in living and pooja (prayer) rooms.
The tradition of drawing kolam during festivals and weddings – done mainly by women and girls – dates back to the time of the Indus Valley civilization (2500 BC). Drawn with rice flour as an offering to Devi Lakshmi, the Goddess of Rice and Wealth. Lakshmi brings blessings and prosperity to the homes she visits.
A kolam is traditionally drawn using rice flour or rice grains, to create inter-connected dots connected creating beautiful patterns and loops. Nowadays, ready-made stencils and coloured rice grains area available to speed up the process. No more couching on the floor and spending painstaking hours to create the kolam.
During Diwali, you find kolam not only in the homes of Hindu devotees but also in shopping malls and offices.
