FLORALJOURNEY
Arrangement fit for a goddess
India's Diwali festival proves an inspiration
- Published: 4 Jul 2012 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: Life
Celebrated in the month of October or November in almost all regions of India, Diwali is perhaps the most important of all Hindu festivals. It marks the beginning of the new year in the Hindu calendar and during the festive time of Diwali, the women in many Indian households create rangoli (sacred welcoming areas for Hindu deities) on their living-room floors or outside in the courtyard.
Rangoli is the art of drawing images and motifs on the floor or ground by using powders of different colours, rice dyed in different hues or other pleasing constituents such as whole flowers or petals. While the rangoli can vary greatly in form, colours and materials used, it always serves the same purpose: as a special place to welcome Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, to individual homes.
Designs can range from simple geometric shapes to intricate images of the deity or complicated floral patterns.
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