Rangoli has been a part of the Indian art for a very long time now. It incorporates a mix of diverse colors that have been associated with the Indian culture. It basically blends different symbols and designs to bring out a beautiful pattern and is created at the entrances of houses, largely at the time of festivals. It is made with the help of varied colors, rice and finely ground white powder. Rangoli literally means colors and row of colors, indicating that it refers to something that makes a beautiful pattern using varied colors to give a traditional look.

However, a Rangoli is completely different from a painting. Although it may use paints and colors, but it cannot be called a painting because we don’t use a canvas to create it. Rangoli has different patterns that can be created using various symbols and designs. Some of the best and most common symbols that are used for festival Rangoli are stated below:

• In the modern period, a free hand design is the most common one. It is drawn free handedly without a lot of focus on lines and dots and then colors are filled into it to give it a beautiful look.

• Traditionally, Rangoli used be created with 16-dot design or 32-dot design that had to be interconnected using lines from dot to dot with each other to create a masterpiece.

• Some of the most spectacular designs and symbols used in a Rangoli are inspired by the nature. It could range from the footprints of Gods or Goddesses to swans, peacocks to flowers to other animals.

• Another popular symbol that is part of most Rangolis during the time of Diwali and other auspicious Indian festivals is the use of geometrical patterns. Squares, triangles and circles give an extra edge to a particular design. When outlined with rice and filled with pastel and exotic colors, the design gives a very traditional yet extravagant look.

• Earlier the symbols were created using the barks and leaves of trees. However, these days a lot of materials from home can be used. This is because the colors that come out of home used materials give a very different look to the Rangoli. Home spices, synthetic materials and pulses are also used to give a beautiful look to the design created. Red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt can also be used to bring out the best in the symbols that you create.

Although the technique of making Rangoli looks very intricate, people these days prefer to do it in a free hand way so that the designs come out in a more attractively. It is believed that these symbols affect your consciousness and it is the aura and brightness of these colors that bring out the culture and tradition of festivals. Symbols like triangles, circles and zig-zags are some of the most popular ones that are used at the entrances of houses, especially at the time of festivals. The act of creating Rangoli has now become much related to our culture than about being ritualistic.