When it's the time for Pongal festivity celebration, almost all the houses in the entire South India are adorned with beautiful colorful Kolams. Elaborate designs are drawn using white and other color powders. The tradition of Kolam making is not new. Infact, it can be traced back to the times of the Indus Valley Civilization (2500 B.C). Read on to know more about the Pongal Kolams.
In the epic of Mahabharata, it was mentioned that the gopis as in the
milkmaids used to draw Kolams to lessen their pain of not having Krishna
with them. The art of Kolam making is practiced in almost all the states
but known by different names like Alpana in Bengal, Mandana in
Rajasthan, Muggulu in Andhra Pradesh, Puvidal in Kerala, Rangoli in
Maharashtra and Karnataka and Sanjhi in Uttar Pradesh.
Kolam is not just an aesthetic art, but a means of expressing happiness
and prosperity. The rice flour finds its way in the making of Kolam
patterns for Pongal. The bright red color that is used to border the
Kolam is believed to ward off the evil spirits. On the Pongal festive
occasion, the entire family gets engrossed with the task of making
Pongal kolam designs. A Kolam may be simplistic in pattern or may
consist of intricate patterns.