Sunday, November 8, 2020

Kolam 2020

Around this time for the past few years, I would be hopping from mall to mall to photograph kolams for the upcoming Deepawali/Diwali festival.

This year, Covid-19 has stolen the fun from me.

Here, you might instead enjoy these photos I snagged from a local newspaper!

Kolam 2020

image credit - S.S Kanesan, Art Chen & Sia Hong Kiau


You can see photos of kolams I've captured over the years here - 2019, 2018, 2014.

Wishing all my Hindu pallies a very Happy *Deepavali in advance!

For those who are new to my blog, below is an excerpt from a previous post explaining what Deepavali/Diwali and kolam/rangoli are.

* 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.

34 comments:

  1. I remember your previous posts about Kolam Veronica! Sorry you couldn't get out in person to enjoy this year's! Hopefully that won't be the case next year and you can enjoy something that you brings you pleasure to participate in :)

    betty

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  2. These are real works of art that were made here. Looks so nice.
    Greetings Eva

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  3. What a pity and a shame this pandemic!
    I wish you a serene week all the same, Veronica.

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  4. We have Hindu f friends for whom Diwali is a major festival, but celebrations will be pretty muted this year, especially so since they live in Toronto where lockdown restrictions are being reimposed.

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  5. These are most beautiful. Such wonderful colors too.

    Have a fabulous day and week, Veronica. ♥

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  6. Wow! These are beautiful love all the colours and so clever :-)

    Have an artistictastic safe week 😷😷😷

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  7. These are so beautiful! Gorgeous images.
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-letter-found-at-world-war-ii-memorial.html

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  8. While I have seen diwali being celebrated in Bollywood movies I never really knew all the information about it. It is so beautiful.

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  9. We could certainly do with "the triumph of good over evil; the victory of light over dark" at the moment. Thank you for the explanation of Kolam and the Hindi religion Veronica.

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  10. Thank you for explaining the tradition. I'm so sorry you can't do your normal activity for the occasion. Wishing you great times of love and hope Veronica.

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  11. I have loved learning about this beautiful festival in the past (virtual travel and learning new things are two of the most wonderful things about blogging). I’m sorry you can’t do it this year ... we will get through this eventually and we will get our normal lives back. Meanwhile memories and pictures help . Thank you for sharing yours!

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  12. Bright and colorful! Thank you for explaining to All Seasons what the Kolam feast is. Sorry you have to forego of this right now! Hopefully you will find something else that's fun to do:) Jesh

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  13. The kolams are very, very beautiful, and your explanations also show how precious they are for the harmony of the family and the house.
    Beautiful post, thank you!

    Have a fine and safe day!

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  14. ...what a colorful festival, stay safe and in the future the fun will return.

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  15. Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥

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  16. I did not know about this. Thank you for sharing the images.
    Beautiful creations here!
    Happy WW and all the best!

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  17. These are so beautiful and vibrant. Thank you for explaining them.

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  18. It's ... wow! I saw in a documentary how to make a kolam, but I had forgotten that it is related to a festival.
    May good overcome evil!
    All the best! ❤️

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  19. Beautiful Kolams!! Wish you a lovely festive weekend :)

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  20. The Kolams are stunningly beautiful.
    Now that’s art!
    Thank you for sharing such beauty, Veronica.
    Best Wishes
    ~ Dixie


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  21. Beautiful and vibrant kolams. Thank you Veronica for sharing these. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy them in person next year. #MCoW

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  22. oh they are so colourful! I read this morning that the Diwali festival was due to be celebrated in Auckland.

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  23. How beautiful and colourful !It's a shame you are unable to visit and tour the kolam in person but it's nice you have been able to find and share pics :)

    Hope that you have a lovely weekend ahead of you!

    Away From The Blue

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  24. Many thanks for the interesting impressions. I don't know this festival but I funde the colourful photos beautiful. It is certainly a very wonderful Festival (I think)
    Greetings from Germany
    Kirsi

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  25. What wonderful artwork! Thanks for telling us about it, too.

    Thanks for sharing your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week!

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  26. So beautiful! And what a wonderful celebration! What patience it must take to make one of these.

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  27. You have to be patient, everything will have the same colors again.

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