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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kolam 2019

It's that time of the year again when I make my rounds to the local malls to photograph kolams for the Deepawali/Diwali festival.


* Deepavali/Diwali also known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated by the Hindu Community to symbolize the triumph of good over evil; the victory of light over dark.

The entrances to Hindu homes are decorated with fresh mango leaves and kolams. It is believed that Lakshmi, The Goddess of Wealth, will only enter a home that is adorned with a kolam.

* Kolam is an ancient Indian art of drawing using colored rice grains or powdered rice to form symmetrical geometric patterns on the floor. The Hindus believe that a kolam at the entrance of a house will usher prosperity and harmony to the home. It is also believed that a kolam wards off evil spirits and diseases.

Another purpose of the kolam is to invite birds and small insects like ants to a home to symbolize man’s co-existence with and consideration for other living things.

Traditionally, the ritual is performed daily by the women of a household early in the morning.

Fun Kolam Facts

1. The lines in a kolam must be continuous and unbroken so that evil cannot enter the house via the gaps.

2. The patterns are traditionally passed on from mothers to their daughters.

3. Kolam in the Tamil language means form and beauty.

4. As the kolam erases during the course of the day by birds and insects feeding on the rice, people's foot steps and the natural elements, a new kolam is drawn again the next morning, thus repeating the cycle. It imparts the idea that life is renewed daily.

Happy Deepavali to all my Hindu pallies!

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

Musings Of A Tired Mummy

40 comments:

  1. Beautiful patterns! So much time must be invested in these....great photos.

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  2. Beautiful and life is indeed renewed daily.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥

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  3. So pretty and such vibrant colors used! I bet they are magnificent to see in person!

    betty

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  4. Wonderful colours and details 😊 thanks for your sharing 😊

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  5. So, so, very pretty! Thank you so much for sharing! You go to the neatest places. They're absolutely beautiful and breathtaking in places. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  6. Colori e figure molto belle.
    Buon venerdi.

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  7. Interesting! I'd be concerned about drawing mice.

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  8. My Goodness! What beautiful colors and designs!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
    Hugs
    Debbie

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  9. Amazing. It would take lots of time to complete this art. Happy Sunday.

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  10. Those are all beautiful sentiments and beautiful kolam's too! My newest daughter-in-law comes from a Hindu family, and my new grandbabe-to-be will be half Indian too. :)

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  11. This was fascinating to learn about and beautiful to see. I understand the symbolism of renewal every day, but can’t help but think how lovely it is that your photos preserve this amazing art for longer than one brief day!

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  12. I love them all... look at the colors and the shapes! I saw beautiful, colorful peacocks in Changi airport

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  13. These pictures are beautiful. I have Hindu relatives on my partners side of the family and had no idea about these facts.
    I love leanring about the traditions of different cultures.
    #KCACOLS

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  14. So bright and beautiful - many things in life are transient like this beautiful art.

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  15. These are brilliant so colourful too :-)

    Have an artistictastic week :-)

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  16. All I can say is wow ! They must be even more spectacular in person! thank you so much for sharing. Happy Diwali to ever celebrates!

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  17. These are stunning! Absolutely gorgeous!
    Thanks for sharing these beautiful images at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/10/sunrise-over-my-happy-place.html

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  18. They are beautiful and thanks for the meaning behind them. - Margy

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  19. This is beautiful. So bright and colourful. Thanks for stopping by #AnythingGoes

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  20. Wow, these are absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing them, and for teaching me a little bit more about the meaning of Diwali and Kolams xx #KCACOLS

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  21. Fantastic to see! Thank you for sharing...

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  22. Such beautiful Kolams, Veronica! So gorgeous and so colourful!! I have a lot of respect for artists who have taken so much effort to keep this beautiful tradition alive.

    Thanks for sharing this lovely post with us and linking up, today. Wishing you a Happy Wednesday, and a lovely week ahead.
    Cheers

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  23. Wow this is amazing artwork. Thank you for sharing. Happy Deepavali , enjoy the rest of your week and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.

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  24. ...I have heard of Deepavali/Diwali on some other blogs, but have not seen these bright and colorful designs. They are wonderful for this celebration of light. Thanks Veronica for stopping by with this wonderful post, I hope that you are enjoying your week.

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  25. Beautiful pattern. I've heard of the holiday but are not familiar with the customs - thank you for posting this!

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  26. Mica used to be obsessed with Peacocks when he was preschool age. I got some ornaments because it made me think of him at the time. They are pretty! I love all the colors and patterns in your images.

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  27. Just wow! I wonder how much time and energy must have been spent on this beauty! Interesting facts about the Kolam. I didn't know any of these! Thank you for sharing.

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  28. What steady hands! Such beautiful patterns! What a brilliant art! I am sure you had a lovely time gushing over them, Veronica :)

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  29. These are some fabulous works of art! Thanks for sharing the pictures and information.

    I'm so glad to see you at 'My Corner of the World' this week!

    My Corner of the World

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  30. Omg they look absolutely stunning. Amazing colors. The design is so neat and beautifully made.

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  31. Oh my gosh, I sure hope you still read your comments. I know I'm so so so late, and I'm so so so SORRY!!! But HERE I AM!!! WOW I'M LUVIN' THESE OH SO BRIGHT COLORS!!! They're absolutely beautiful. Now, remember I did come over. You're my very special friend. Well, I'm up and awake for a while... but for now let me say Goodnight Sweetie and thank you for sharing this beauty with us. SUPER HUGS IS WHAT I'M SENDING FOR YOU!

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  32. Wow! such beautiful pictures. I read this post to my youngest daughter because she was studying it the other week. She loved learning more and can't wait to go back to school next week with new knowledge. Thank you #ThatFridayLinky

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  33. These are spectacular photos! :) Thank you for education the readers!

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  34. Thanks for sharing this interesting and beautiful tradition!

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  35. Love the vibrant colours and the interesting facts you have shared. Thanks for linking up with #globalblogging

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  36. Oh wow. That looks absolutely beautiful #KCACOLS

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  37. So stunning, amazing use of colours. I have now learnt lots about kolams. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time

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  38. Gorgeous colors! Thank you for sharing this on Traffic Jam Weekend. It has been chosen as a fave feature for this week's party going live on Thursday at 5:00 pm CST.

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  39. Again: wow! I have two coloring books with such patterns (I colored them). I found it difficult to color! It is impossible for me to achieve such a thing. Or maybe not. 😊
    I was pleased to see all this kolam.
    Thank you, Veronica. ❤️

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