The Vibrant Colours of Diwali

The sound of brooms cleaning the streets can wake you up in the morning, and once you wake up, you feel the excitement for the entire day—it's Diwali! The houses are adorned, and sometimes, the enthusiasm to decorate one's home turns into an unspoken competition in the neighbourhood.

A rangoli at the entrance welcomes prosperity I Source: Pinterest

During the festive season, the whole household is in a chaotic state. It typically begins with the process of cleaning the entire house, days ahead of Diwali. Some go to the extent of repainting the house, giving it an entirely new look. This is completely justified because, after all, they are stepping into another Hindu New Year. Businessmen and merchants perform rituals at their offices, opening new account books for the upcoming year.

The scent of flowers fills the air, complementing the aroma of delicacies prepared in the kitchen. All of this is part of the five-day Deepawali festival, which translates to 'series of lights.' One particular aspect of Diwali found in households across the country is the rangoli.

A rangoli is a decorative motif drawn on the floor, usually by the women of the household, during the festival. It is traditionally created using rice power and filled with vibrant hues, making it eye-catching and impossible to ignore. The use of geometrical patterns combined with floral motifs and sometimes supplemented with images of gods has a scientific basis.

Rangoli designs are symmetrical. Although they might appear as simple patterns, creating a proper rangoli is a challenging task. Making a perfect rangoli requires using both sides of the brain, activating nerve cells. For those observing a rangoli, symmetry calms the mind, as our brains are naturally inclined to appreciate symmetrical patterns rather than asymmetric ones.

A rangoli in the making I Source: Pinterest

The origin of rangoli making can be traced back to the Rig Vedic times. Sage Agastya, a powerful hermit, lived with his wife Lopamudra in the woods. Lopamudra, knowledgeable in Sanskrit, had written poems in the Rig Veda. While Sage Agastya worshipped the gods, Lopamudra summoned the five elements—sky, water, wind, earth, and fire. She asked these panchatatvas (elements) to bring her colours to satisfy her husband. She collected blue from the sky, green from the water, white from the wind, black from the earth, and red from the fire.

Using these colours along with rice, lentils, and flowers, she created a rangoli. This rangoli adorned the yajnakunda or the fire altar where Sage Agastya was supposed to worship the gods. The rangoli helped in summoning the gods, and people started drawing rangolis at the entrance to summon Goddess Lakshmi, worshipped during Diwali, into their homes.

This art form is mentioned even in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. People used to draw rangavallis to welcome their kings and war heroes during those times. This made rangoli an intrinsic part of any festive occasion, seen as a harbinger of good luck and positivity.

The fusion of science and culture in the creation of a beautifully hued pattern forces us to acknowledge how advanced our ancestors were. Creating a symmetrical pattern delicately and filling it with colours not only helps the maker and the observer release tension but also activates nerve cells, contributing to a healthy nervous system.

So, why not try creating a rangoli this festive season? It will not only help you release stress and feel at ease amidst the hectic life we have created for ourselves, but the vibrant colours will also spread the delight of the festival to anyone who witnesses it.

Let this Diwali be a rangoli-filled one!