The Different Types of Rangoli & Material Of Rangoli Making
Rangoli making is of two types:
- Form: Circles, cones and lines are form-dominant type of rangoli in India.
- Ornamental: Ornamental rangoli consists of images of birds, animals, trees, petals, flower and deities. Usually, it has a conch, Swastika, moon or sun in the centre. Along with two parallel lines, two curved lines are drawn in the middle of these lines to give an illusion of a serpent couple. Eight petals of lotus are drawn, which are a symbolic representation of the Sun, Lord Vishnu and eight directions of the Universe. The lotus represents Goddess Laxmi and is symbol of procreation in India.
Different Types of Rangoli Making
Rangoli patterns in India that have one side emblem is called ekalingatobhadra whereas rangolis that have eight auspicious emblems are called ashtalingatobhadra and sarvatobhadra is the name given to the pattern which has emblems drawn on all sides. In this type of rangoli design, small squares make a big square and small squares are filled with sindoor or vermillion in such a way to form Shivalinga.
Apart from lines, rangolis can also be created by drawing dots. Dots are used to form images of tortoise, lotus, peacock and so on.
Materials used for making different types rangolis
- Rangoli Colors: Readily available in the market, these are synthetic and chemical-based generally.
- Saw Dust and Marble Dust: It is heavy in nature and hence, spreads easily. Saw dust can float on water and hence, you can be creative with it. Use diyas, water fountains with your rangoli pattern and get creative.
- Colored rawa and rice: The rawa and rice also give a nice feel and visual presentation to the rangoli. Since they have fine and thick texture, they are used less and are nature-friendly too. Similarly, different pulses of different grain sizes and colors can also be a great idea to use in rangoli. However, suzi or rawa doesn’t go well with color. So, the color might be uneven on the grains and as a result, you won’t get the fine texture you might be expecting.
- Petals: Onam rangolis are made using petals from different flowers. Anyways, there can’t be a brilliant way than using flowers for rangoli. Flowers are fragrant and colorful and when used in rangoli design, they take the design and your creativity to an altogether new level. Petals of jasmine, rose, marigold, daisy and kanakambara, a type of small orange flower found extensively in South India, are used in making rangolis. Methi leaves and strings of garlands can also be used to make the outline of rangoli.
- Fabric colors: Poster or fabric colors can be used to create rangoli pattern with brush however, you would need certain expertise to draw rangoli and fill colors with a brush. You can outline the rangoli with chalk powder or brush using white color. Rangoli created with paint looks like a painting and is long-lasting. These don’t get wear out easily and if you want to clean the floor, you may need to wipe it with water for some days to wipe the traces away completely.
- Colored stones: For big and abstract rangolis, colored stones are the option to go for. You can neatly arrange them in the desired manner and have a wonderful rangoli pattern to display. These can also act a Zen corner for your home. You can use water tubs or fountain somewhere in the rangoli to give it a classy touch.
