How to Decorate with Rangoli

Rangoli, a colorful, traditional accent

Rangoli is a popular art form that traditionally uses rice colored with pigment to create extensive patterns and designs. Rangoli is often seen on the ground outside of homes at any time, but it is also common to decorate with Rangoli during the 5-day festival of Diwali. Learn more about this ancient practice and how to decorate with Rangoli.

Things You'll Need

• Rangoli patterns
• Rice, cereal or other materials
• Colored chalk or powder

Instructions

Learn How to Decorate with Rangoli

1. Be aware that, while Rangoli painting may take many forms, it traditionally depicts motifs found in nature, such as flowers, trees, animals and elegant birds like peacocks and swans. However, geometric designs are also popular, as are symbols specific to a certain region and commonly shared by the same community.

2. Know that many different effects can be achieved when using rangoli to decorate floors, gardens and even walls. Layers of single colors may result in a flat appearance, while the addition of grains in different textures and sizes may produce a 3-D effect. However, one critical component to all Rangoli paintings is that there must not be any breaks in the lines of the pattern, lest evil spirits have the opportunity to enter.

3. Prepare to decorate with rangoli by using a stencil known as a "sinjih." A sinjih is a pattern hand-cut from paper and serves as a template to create and decorate with Rangoli art. The pattern or design is typically outlined on the floor or ground with chalk and then filled in with colored rice, sand or grain as desired.

4. Decorate with Rangoli quickly while taking the guesswork out of it. Many specialty shops that sell firecrackers and other supplies to celebrate the festival of Diwali also carry molds or kits to make Rangoli paintings.

5. Decorate your walls, floors and outdoor spaces with Rangoli art with the do-it-yourself approach by downloading a pattern from online sources like DiwaliFestival.org (see Resources below). Then fill in the pattern with ground, colored powder, dyed rice or other materials of choice, such as pieces of mirror or glass, beads or even dried flowers.

Tips & Warnings

• In Indian culture, families often demonstrate their open hospitality to guests and visitors by decorating their homes and floor spaces with Rangoli art.

• It is common to see entire floors in public buildings and hotels decorated with Rangoli paintings in India.

• In southern India, another form of Rangoli paintings known as "Kolam" are made from simple rice powder.

• Sprinkling colored powder or other materials to complete a Rangoli pattern can be a little tricky and labor intensive. This art form is also generally unforgiving of mistakes.

Resources

• Rangoli patterns for downloading from DiwaliFestival.org