A ban on fireworks doesn’t necessarily mute the seasons’ festivities. Usher in this year’s Diwali celebrations by indulging in the age-old folk art Rangoli — a colourful artistic design outlined at the entrance of households on auspicious occasions as emblems of love, luck and prosperity. The art form encompasses a number of strains all over India — Kolam in south India, Mandana in Rajasthan, Chowk Purana in Uttar Pradesh, Alpana in West Bengal and Aripan in Bihar.
Take traditional designs up a notch with contemporary spins on each artistic ensemble. Here are a few designs with DIY hacks to keep you on track!
Peacock Rangoli
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Peacock Rangoli is a traditional design where a peacock takes centrestage, making for an eye-catching Rangoli. An empty Fevicol tube doubles up as a handy tool in this particular circumstance. Fill the tube with colour, attach the nozzle and start outlining. The nozzle licences the right amount of colour to flow through, allowing you complete control throughout the process. The key to this specific design is a steady hand and a collection of vibrant hues, so stock up on colourful colours if you plan on carving out a pretty peacock this Diwali.
Circular Rangoli
Poonam Borkar/YouTube
A circular Rangoli is easy on the eyes and fairly easy to carry out. Use bangles, hoop earrings and rings with varied circumferences as stencils to achieve the perfect circles necessary for a delicate design. Place the circular stencil on the ground, fill in the colour slowly and you’ll achieve a dazzling design effortlessly. There’s a certain elegance that lies in a circular Rangoli’s simplicity that lends it an engrossing finish.
Shaded Rangoli
Poonam Borkar/YouTube
For a shaded Rangoli design, all you need are a couple of kitchen essentials! Top up those good ol’ salt and pepper shakers and you’ll be left with a beautiful gradient. The openings in the head of the shakers help create a pretty pattern. Remember to add the gradients to the larger motifs in the Rangoli design so the shading is spotlighted. Draw out a design using an earbud in the motifs and your shaded Rangoli is ready!
Monochrome Rangoli
Muggulu Kolam/YouTube
Known as alpana in Kolkata, monochrome Rangolis are one of the most popular designs in the city. Its classic muted look is traditional to Bengal and can be found outside every Bengali household on the occasion of Kali Puja. A quintessential alpana design is an intricate outline made using a paste of rice and flour. You too can achieve an attractive alpana by first drawing the design on cardboard and cutting it out, thus making a stencil. The stencil allows you to create a flawless hassle-free decor!
Dotted Rangoli
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A dotted Rangoli design is simple and stands out. You could frame the design like a star or use your imagination to create other dotted designs. A kitchen funnel is the ideal tool for this process as it allows you to place firm dots without letting the colour spill over. You can join the dots in a systematic manner for a snazzy geometric design or switch up the colours in the funnel for a vibrant look.
If you’re looking to make your own Rangoli colours, here’s an effective DIY method:
Take inspiration from these festive Rangoli designs that caught our eye: