Celebrate the Festive Season in Style with Beautiful Rangoli Designs: Everything You Need to Know and How to Create Exquisite Rangolis This Diwali (2019)

A Rangoli is an essential part of the Hindu culture and tradition that has both the elders and the young alike involved in its making. With a very significant place in the society, Rangoli is considered the first step to welcoming and inviting good luck, prosperity, blessings and abundance in life, in addition to guests of course! Vibrant and colourful designs made on the entrance floor/wall of any structure, home/office space, Rangolis have been a part of the Indian culture for ages, entailing different designs, ingredients and modes in making. Although known by different names in different parts of the country, the use of colours and elements, however, are more or less the same. Rangoli, known as Rangavalli in Maharashtra, Kolam in Tamil Nadu, Muggu in Andhra Pradesh, Chowk Purna in Madhya Pradesh, Mandana in Rajasthan, Alpana in West Bengal, Sathiya in Gujarat, Ossa in Odisha, Sona Rakhana in Uttar Pradesh and Rangoli in North India/Karnataka, is an extremely beautiful art form that is extremely popular all over India.

The purpose behind the designing of a Rangoli is to invoke good fortune in one’s life. Reflective of traditions, folklore and varied practices that are relevant to all sections of any society, a Rangoli is typically made by the women of the house, especially during festive celebrations, auspicious occasions, marriages and other milestone gatherings. Ranging from simple geometric patterns to religious impressions, spiritual symbols, floral shapes, the designs can be as elaborate and intricate as you’d like with a typical dry or wet base and inclusion of natural or chemical ingredients. In Chhattisgarh, known as Chaook, Rangoli is typically drawn at the entrance with dried rice flour or white dust powder, while in Maharashtra, it is drawn on the doors to prevent the entry of negativity or evil energies, in Kerala a Rangoli is made of flowers through the Onam festivities with a different and more complex design throughout the entire 10-day celebrations. In Rajasthan, it is painted on the walls, while in Odisha, the Murja is put in every courtyard before a Tulsi plant.

The most important elements of creating a Rangoli are its colour quotient and the auspicious symbols used in the pattern. With a variety of designs being passed on from generation to generation, traditionally, every generation hones its skills in this beautiful art thereby keeping the tradition alive and sacred to each family. Some of the most common symbols used in Rangoli designs include the lotus flower, leaves, mango, the vase, fish, different species of birds like swans, peacocks, parrots, etc. and human figurines and foliage. Special festivities like Diwali call for the inclusion of "Deep" (lamp), images of Lord Ganesha and Ma Lakshmi, their footprints, flowers and birds of India. Yet another significant element is the use of materials in the making of a Rangoli, with the most typical items being rice flour, dried powder, charcoal, burnt soil, wood sawdust and more. The background is yet another element that’s essential for the design, including a clear floor or a wall, the centre of a yard, or a special corner.

There are all kinds of stencils available in the market, and you could also design your stencils to make beautiful Rangoli designs. This option works the best for those who aren’t very confident about their creative talent. Stencil Rangolis have become quite popular and ends up looking very elegant and attractive as well. You can find some basic patterns shaped in such a way that all you need to do is put colours over the stencil, and the hollow dots on the stencil allow the colours to fall on the surface, shaping up the design, while the rest of the colour remains amassed on the stencil. You can make your stencils using paper, disposable plates or even mosquito repellent coils!

Diya (lamp) and colour Rangoli designs are plenty and perfect to set a mesmerizing and joyful tone on any occasion. With simple patterns and the use of bold colours, you can transform any plain-looking design into a captivating and elegant Rangoli. For instance, using just diyas to make a Rangoli is quite unique, the lit design will stand out if you just keep the earthen diyas in a pattern and then light them up together. Or you could use chalk or white paint, making a simple design and lighting up each corner with a diya. Another unique Diya Rangoli design could be to form triangles in different colours and then placing diyas at strategic positions to make it look pretty from a distance.

A blend of colours and flowers in a Rangoli is an ideal match with vibrant and festive colours. Flowers are a popular choice just like colours in a Rangoli owing to their auspiciousness, fragrance and of course natural colours. Being an art by itself, flowers make a Rangoli outstanding. You can use flowers for both every day and festive Rangoli designs. From designing a simple pattern that’s welcoming, like one yellow flower (marigold) in the centre with its petals and small white flowers surrounding it along with flower buds arranged in between the white flowers. This combination of flowers exemplifies purity and the circular pattern invokes positivity as well! Some other popular Rangoli designs include circular border patterns with bright-coloured flowers, symmetrical designs with thin coloured borders, tri-coloured floral patterns and more. Floral water Rangoli is another popular choice in which the Rangoli is made inside a bowl of water, filled with colourful lilies, rose petals, mogras or other flowers.

Diwali is all about celebrating happiness, cheer and invoking prosperity in every aspect of life. Experiment making Rangoli with oil paints, in dark shades, and multi-colours, which can be very impressive and shiny. The designs can be small or big as you would like them to be and can be enhanced by combining the patterns with flowers, diyas and other embellished items as well. Multi-colours not only enhance the element of elegance but also make the design more attractive. Border Painted Rangolis are ideal for entrances, doorways or temples. You can also use acrylic colours or watercolours in your designs.

Back in the old days, food grains and other edibles were used to make Rangoli designs, including kumkum (vermilion), haldi (turmeric), salt, chilly powder, wheat flours, pulses, food colours, grains, rice flour and coloured rice. You can make different Rangoli patterns using only coloured rice or just a mix of edible powders, create designs with a combination of two-grain types or even multi-coloured and varied grains or experiment both with dry ingredients and grains together. Take creativity a step further by designing your Rangoli with fruits, paan (betel) leaves and flowers!

Geometric patterns are simple and easy to make with a combination of shapes and textures/ingredients. 2D designs are more about a mix of circles, semi-circles and oval shapes, entailing fewer efforts and minimal skills with the possible addition of other accompanying items like flowers, diyas or grains. While, 3D patterns are nearly lifelike, with depth, width and height. They are so intricate that they seem alive! You can make either of these designs with acrylic paints, coloured sand, chalks in different hues, shades and vibrant colours and even with foam or felt shapes that have adhesive linings.

An embellished or Kundan Rangoli involves stones that are typically used in making traditional jewellery but aren't only limited to that use. It can be a combination of kundan stones, golden beads, pearl chains and borders, sequins and more. The beads can be studded to the floor by a crafts glue, that’s easily removable and make it more attractive by adding differently shaped diyas. You can design these patterns yourself or buy ready-made Kundan Rangolis from online portals/stores. Here’s a designer acrylic Rangoli shaped like a flower that includes 7 pieces in a set, available on Amazon, in a variety of colours like orange, blue, pink, red, and green, priced at Rs. 245.

Rangolis that are theme-centric include festive and sacred symbols of a Kalash, Swastika, Aum or God/Goddess imprints like Ganpati, Laxmiji feet, lotus, diya, chakras, conch shells, Shree, zodiac symbols, human/animal or floral patterns and are widely popular and can be experimented with a person’s creative skills, interests and imagination. You can play around with a mix of different symbols, infusion of different themes with the inclusion of flamboyant colours and multi-colours at that. A Swastik symbol or Aum is considered very auspicious for Diwali and other special occasions with a combination of red-yellow-orange-blue & yellow colours. You can design this pattern and play around with its texture or designs by using different elements like spoons, bangles and more!

Rangoli made of clay is a rather unconventional way of designing and is typically made using clay moulds and clay in different colours. With a beautiful design of your choice and a novel approach, you can make your Rangoli exceptionally bright and unique from the others! Like other types of Rangoli patterns, a clay Rangoli would also look visually captivating of course, for which you can use Fevicryl dough for kids that can be shaped innumerable times without you worrying about wasting any!

Yet another innovative way of designing your Rangoli could be with the use of glass. Even though this may require some extra bit of artistry, you’ll require items like glass tiles, glass paints, stencils, glass liners, OHP sheets and a whole lot of patience! Your first step would be to draw out your design/pattern on different glass tiles or use a stencil, then paint the designs with glass paints and leave them to dry completely. Once dry, put the tiles together to form a complete pattern and embellish it further with flowers, diyas or coloured stones.

During Diwali festivities, everything is chaotic and everyone is extremely tied up running around cleaning space, getting rid of clutter, decorating their homes and offices or buying the festive essentials and gifts. During this bustling and exhausting period, concentrating on decorating your home with a beautiful Rangoli or learning how to make one would be the last thing on your mind! Here are some easy hacks to help you make Rangoli when you’re too short on time.