More about Kolangal

Every morning in southern India, millions of women draw kolams on the ground with white rice powder. Through the day, the drawings get walked on, rained out, or blown around in the wind; new ones are made the next day. Every morning before sunrise, the floor is cleaned with water, the universal purifier, and the muddy floor is swept well for an even surface. The kolams are generally drawn while the surface is still damp so that it is held better. In city they occasionally, use cow-dung to wax the floors. Village side they use daily and the floor itself shine like a light geen carpet.(Cow dung has antiseptic properties and hence provides a literal threshold of protection for the home.) It also provides contrast with the white powder.

Until recent times, kolams were most often drawn with coarse rice flower, thus serving as a conscious offering to nature's creatures. Rice flower is seen as an offering to Lakshmi, the goddess of rice. The goddess has the power to attract wealth and prosperity and to prevent poverty from entering the home. (That is why we never put kolams on Amavasai days and Srardham days).

Today, especially where rice is expensive, kolams are made of powered limestone or chalk. But Ezhai Kolam is still in vogue (kolam made using rice paste) particularly during festivals like Krishna Jayanthi, wedding and all ospecious days. On festive occasions, we red coloured sand (kavi) mixed with water to draw outline and border to the kolam adding to its beauty. (To increase the beauty of the kolam draw one more line after 'kavi' .)

 

Dear Janani,
you are correct. Who are living in multi-complex buildings are not able to put kolams at their door steps. They are using mostly sticker kolams. Like us some are putting 'ezhai kolams' only during functions like 'Adi Friday, Thai Friday and 'Krishna Jayanthi' etc.,

You know inside our house Krishna used to draw 'Lord Krishna's foot steps ' during Krishna Jayanthi. I am having the photo which we took on Krishna Jayanthi time. He wants to show that to his appa. If I can, I will upload that here
Super boy krish.:kiss

Because of my back pain your amma used to put kolam for me too But now I think Nalani will help your amma in this. Let us see.