Community Rangoli Art

In honor of the Hindu Navaratri festival, join your neighbors in a collaborative art project just outside the Main Library entrance. Rangoli, which means “an array of colors” in Sanskrit, is a traditional Hindu art form drawn on the ground to celebrate important occasions. 

Learn more about Navaratri in a special cultural exhibit at the Dole Branch from September 27 through October 5, created in collaboration with community partners.

More about Rangoli
Rangoli, also known as Kolam, is a folk art from India. Rangoli is a decorative design made on the courtyard floors and on prayer altars of Hindu homes. This art is passed down from one generation to the next, keeping both art and the tradition alive. It is mostly done by the women in each household.

The patterns are typically created with natural materials such as powdered rice, dry flour, sand. and flower petals. They range from simple geometric shapes to elaborate designs during festival times.

The practice of Rangoli is followed all over India, and varies by name in different states. In Tamil Nadu it is known as Kolam, as Mandan in Rajasthan, as Chowkpurna in Northern India, and as Alpana in West Bengal, to name a few. In many households in India, Rangoli/Kolam is hand-drawn every morning.  

There are many interpretations of why Rangoli is done. For example, it is an offering to Mother Earth, known as Bhoomi Devi, and using natural edible materials feeds birds and insects, such as ants. Ultimately, it is meant to connect us with the Universal Spirit.