Rangoli is an art of making beautiful floor designs. The Rangoli provides an object for fascination or effortless attention in the sacred space, in an atmosphere without any distractions, which results in relaxation and directed attention.
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Rangoli is a Hindu folk art, generally created on a floor on special festive occasions. Rangoli is a traditional Indian art of decorating the entrance to a house. The origin of this art can be traced to the Puranas. Simply put, Rangoli means a row of colors. The tradition of Rangoli originated in Maharastra and slowly disseminated to other parts of India. Rangoli is also known as alpana, aripoma, or kolam. It is an ancient art, practiced by almost all households. In many cases, designs are passed down through generations with some of them being hundreds of years old. The word 'rangoli' is said to have been derived from the words 'rang' and 'aavalli' which refers to a row of colours. 'Rangoli' is a sanskrit word which means a creative expression of art through the use of color. The reason a rangoli is drawn at the entrance of a house is because of its calming effect on a visitor who is just about to enter into the house. It manifests into vibrations (brainwaves) in the visitor's mind, putting him at ease, making him comfortable and happy. Hence, rangoli is not just an art but actually a science of vibration pattern which was discovered by Indians thousands of years ago and been made a part of the culture for spiritual, aesthetic & scientific purposes. especially during the Diwali festival. Rangoli designs competition is often held time to time in different regions of India.
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These designs are created using the thumb and the forefinger. Rangoli is a form of welcoming guests and different deities into the house. As it is said 'Athithi Devo Bhava', which simply means that guests are a form of God, so everyone should treat them with hospitality. Rangoli brings joy and happiness to everyone. Rangoli designs often brings out an artist in you. It is also believed that with Rangoli, you are inviting all the gods to visit your home and give the blessings. Rangoli is of any shape and size and a common Rangoli design that you will often see is the feet of Goddess Lakshmi. There are many more designs that are drawn by women like a peacock, many free-form images, flowers; religious icons, etc. The main motive of creating Rangoli designs is that it brings good luck.