With the arrival of Pongal roads, lanes and by-lanes of South India present a riot of colors, with elaborate Kolam drawn using white and colored powders in front of houses, shops and offices. Kolam (alpana, rangoli) is one of the ancient arts of India that is practiced daily as a sacred ritual. It is the art of creating rice flour or chalk decorations on a sidewalk, doorstep or wall. While the Kolam is drawn throughout the year in most homes in South India, it is especially significant during Pongal.

History of Kolam :

The colorful Kolam tradition dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization (2500 B.C). In the Mahabharata, the gopis (milkmaids) drew kolams to forget the pain that they experienced when their beloved Krishna is away. At a much later date, Kolam-drawing is listed as one of the 64 forms of art in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra.

Significance of Kolam :

In India, a new Kolam is created every day in a ceremonial gesture of beauty, gratitude and sacrifice. The daily practice of clearing the space by washing the sidewalk and creating splendor for all to see is a sadhana (spiritual practice) in which we all can find divinity. The principles of Satyam-Sivam-Sundaram (Sanskrit term meaning; truth, consciousness and beauty) are at play in every facet of our lives and Kolam reminds us of this on a daily basis.

Whenever we create beauty we are asking the goddess Laksmi to bestow her blessings. Laksmi is the goddess of auspicious wealth and manifest beauty. Everything in our visible reality is a manifestation of her. Insects and birds feed on the rice flour used for drawing the traditional Kolam at the entrance of houses. Thus, the Kolam represents man's concern for all living creatures.

Different Names :

The art of Kolam is known throughout India but by different names - Sanjhi in Uttar Pradesh, Alpana in Bengal, Mandana in Rajasthan, Chaukpurna in Madhya Pradesh, Rangoli in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Muggulu in Andhra Pradesh and Puvidal in Kerala. Although essentially a Hindu tradition, kolam is also known to the Jains, Buddhists and Parsis. It is said that Gautama Buddha was himself an expert in this art.

Drawing Pongal Kolam :

On the day of Pongal, family members jointly draw the kolam with rice flour that can be plain as well as colored. Parallel straight lines can be drawn using a cylindrical rod (Ulakai) as a guide. A kolam can be a plain one or can be artistically drawn with symbols of cosmic interest. The kolam defines the sacred area where the Pongal is prepared.

Within the perimeters of kolam, typically, firewood is used to cook the rice. The Pongal is set up in the direct view of the Sun (East). Traditionally, the kolam is laid in the front or side of the house, but in cold climes where cooking indoors with firewood is hazardous, the Pongal can be prepared in kitchen and brought to the location where kolam is set up.

Kolam Drawing around the World :

Kolam drawing tradition has taken on many distinctive style variations as it has spread throughout the world. The Indian ritual of creating rice Kolam at the start of each day has been passed on from mother to daughter for thousands of years. In Tibet, the Buddhist monks work for days to create intricate mandalas out of colored sand. When these are finished they are swept away in a ritual offering of non-attachment. The Navajo tribe in the United States has an elaborate practice of creating sand paintings through which gods can enter into a space and harmony is restored in the universe.