Kolam - The Traditional Floor Drawing of South India
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Overview
Kolam is a drawing generally drawn at the entrance of a house or any other building. This is a very old practice in South India. Dried rice flour or other types of wkite powders are used for drawing kolams. Although there are numerous traditional kolams patterns and lot more can be created depending on the creativity of the person who draws it, it is not drawn like a picture. Patterns are created based on certain systems. Drawing Kolam is practiced by women. Generally women get up early in the morning and clean the area just outside the entranes of their houses, sprinkle the area with water and draw the kolam by dropping the loose dried flour in a controlled way through their forefinger and the thumb.
Mostly the kolam patterns are created based on dots arranged in different types of grid patterns. However, many non-dot based kolam patterns also are available.
Purpose of Kolam Drawing
Drawing Types
Larger Kolams
Read More about Kolams
- Kolam of South India
A distinctive cultural tradition of Tamils of South India is beautiful Kolams drawn in multicolors. "Kolam" refers to decorative artwork drawn on the floor in front of deities in puja rooms or in front of houses in South India. - Kolam
Gift Siromoney of Madras Christian College initiated the use of kolam patterns in the study of picture languages......the kolam patterns became a rich source of figures that could be used as examples of existing types of picture languages and also se - Ritual Domestic Threshold Drawings of South India: A Visual Trope of the Socialized Hindu Feminine.
Kolam, are often described as visual testimony to the hermetic world of the Hindu woman, a world sealed off from political upheavals, societal ruptures and historical movements. - Kolam: Symmetry in Threshold Design in Tamil Nadu.
The design or pattern is not symmetrical sometimes, but it is just a continuous line that curves around to make a beautiful border or design at the Center of the yard. . The threshold desing is compared to African sand drawings.
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Comments
I think This is practiced in parts od Andhra too. However, Line based Kolams are mostly practiced in Tamil Nadu. Several years ago I saw a documentary about colourful Rangoly type patterns practiced in Andhra.
I wonder what they use for colors.
Traditionally, coloured rice flour, brick powder, saw dust, powdered marble and many other similar materials were used. natural colouring materials such as turmeric were used for colouring purpose. Now several types of artificial colouring are available. I do not know what they use as base.
A very informative hub, is this still being practice now in India?
Thanks for your comments Rosario. It is still practiced widely in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu state. In the urban areas the life style does not allow this to be practice in the same way it was done in the past. However, this traditional art attract many in these areas too. Dozens of weekly and monthly magazines that are published here, allocate space for features related to kolam art. In recent times this art has become subject of researches, dealing with its various aspects including its cultural, social, mathematical properties.
they usually get the colour from food colouring
I want some more kolam designs and also the designs to be drawn on threshold.
I am planning to include more kolams soon.
Dear RmNathan,
Very good work. Kolam is called WAVE in english, the art of drawing a Kolam can be called as Waving. I think the above said info will be useful for people other than tamils.
Well, I want to suggest you to write about Rangloi also.
I'm an artist/painter. So, I basically love making kolams, I design in paper. I like this hub very much.
Once again I praise the hubber for this.
All the best for more...
webismine, thanks for your comments. I will write about Rangoli too.
Hi i am from Malaysia. I would just like to know, what happens to the rice that was used to colour the kolam? What is the significance of using rice?
hi hru/
Rice was used so that ants could eat.
Yes Roopa ...well said.....!!! thats one genuine reason why they use rice powder...... there are many customs like this, which symbolises, peaceful co-existence with nature.....
can somebody please post some desings for the typical 'naalu moolai kolam' (square) that is drawn on auspicious occassions?
Hello,
Nice kolam page, if I may present my site for those reading french. An english version should come soon. I do speak english but the translation has to be great. Thanks Chantal
Dear RmNathan,
Very happy to share with you all, the english version of my site.
http://www.chantal-jumel-kolam-kalam.com/index_eng
Cordially C.Jumel
I am from Malaysia, it has been yearly affair for me to do kolam for my company's function like Deepavali gathering.
I learned by looking someone doing it and I think I have the natural ability to do the turn and twist of the kolam.
It is so beautiful.
SunSeven says:
2 years ago
These simple yet fantastic designs have always fascinated me. I think this is mostly practiced in Tamil Nadu. Am I right?