Rangoli-176

Sankranti-Pongal Special

19X 19 dots. This Rangoli has, Pongali pots, Gobbillu, Sugar canes, kites, sweets lamps and Rangolis. This is all what the festival of Sankranti or Pongal is about. Hope you like it. Watch out for more....




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Rangoli-175

Ratham or Chariot Rangoli

This is a free hand drawing. No dots.

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Rangoli-173

Ratham Muggulu

Here is one more Ratham or chariot Rangoli. this is a traditional one drawn with the help of the criss-cross lines in the corners.

The same one I have decorated in a different way below. these are very simple ones. More complicated designs are drawn which I will share with you in my next posts. One can build upon these basic designs.

Watch out for more....

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Rangoli-172

Sankranti Special

25 dots-3 rows in center, 23, 21,.....to 3 dots-straight dots ie., one placed below another. This Rangoli reflects the spirit of the festival. 

The clay pots with Pongal(a rice preparation), which is prepared sweet and spicy separately and the recipes vary from house to house. It is then offered to God.

Kites-which are flown during this period mostly in North India and some parts of our state as the winds are favourable for kite flying,

Gobbillu-cow dung shaped into pyramids and decorated with pumpkin flowers, vermilion and turmeric are placed on the Rangolis in the morning and evening for the entire month of Dhanurmaasam and worshipped as Goddess Gauri. Young girls worship her and request for a good husband and happy life. The young girls of the neighbourhood visit all the houses worshipping these Gobbillu. They also sing songs known as Gobbi Paatalu (songs of Gobbillu), while circumbulating the Gobbillu, either clapping hands or with kolatam sticks. These songs are folk songs handed down over generations from the ladies of the house to their girl child. They contain praise of Goddess Gauri, and also requests for what type of husband they want.

Sugarcane-the green ones you can see reflects that new crop has arrived at the households in the villages. This is basically a harvest festival or agricultural festival celebrating harvest as well as the Sun entering the Zodiac sign of Capricorn.

In the center you can see the logs and the fire. This being winter season at its peak, huge bonfires are lit on the first day of the festival known as Bhogi. All the old and unused clutter is cleared from the houses and burnt. Huge logs are placed in the cross roads of the villages, towns or cities and burnt. It is where children, men and women gather together to celebrate.

The star of David or the Sri Chakra I have drawn represents the festival of Rangolis drawn each day morning and evening reverently for a month. This festival is festival of Rangolis too....

Watch out for more.....

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Rangoli-171

Ratham Muggulu

These are the traditional Ratham or Chariot Rangolis, drawn on 3rd and 4th day of the Sankranti festival.  on 3rd day the Ratham is drawn towards the house-i.e Lord is entering the house. On fourth day it is drawn going out-send off to Lord.

This is the time(whole month before Sankranti) when the local deities of the temples are brought out of temples, fully decked in fabulous and rich silks, jewellery made of gold and precious gems and decorated with flowers are paraded on chariots enabling all those people who cannot go to temples for various reasons, a glimpse of Lord. They are accompanied by the horses, elephants or other such things owned by the Deities(temples), artists performing various acts and traditional arts, musicians singing, dancers dancing with much pomp and show.

When the deities are paraded every one comes out to pray and catch a glimpse. Ladies come out with offerings of flowers, fruits, coconut,  turmeric, vermilion, beetle leaves and nut powder, some money etc. they light camphor and give aarati to the deities. Every one is then blessed by the priests. It is some thing to be seen. I miss the small town/village life where the festivals used to be celebrated with much enthusiasm. 

The 4 lines in orange colour are drawn first and form the base. Then they are joined(green lines).

 This is the simplest form-one tier chariot. 

 This is two tier chariot with 3 cells or rooms

 Slightly varied form of joining the lines.

This is 3 tiered one with 6 cells.

Actually in towns and villages where one has huge front yards, huge chariots are drawn with many tiers and cells. The bigger the more appreciation from friends and neighbours. I will try to post more complicated ones and other types of Ratham drawn with dots, free hand etc.

Watch out for more....

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Rangoli-170

Nela Muggulu

Watch out for more...


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Rangoli-169

Nela Muggulu

One more of the path ways or Daarula Muggu. This time a bit complicated one. Many of such blocks are joined intricately to get a complex and bigger Rangolis which are very beautiful.

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Rangoli-168

Nela Muggulu

Remember, I told you about the Daarula Muggu or the Pathways Rangoli. Here are the previous posts.

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2011/12/rangoli-144_21.html

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2011/12/rangoli-145.html

http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/2011/12/rangoli-146.html

Here are some more. The space in between the bars shows the path which is free to travel. If these paths are barred that means the way is blocked. I have given simple blocks.

In my next posts I will give more complicated ones. Watch out...... 

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Rangoli-167

Nela Muggulu

Some more of the special Dhanurmaasam rangolis....

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Rangoli-166

Nela Muggulu

It is a bit difficult to draw these Rangolis, which are drawn with the help of lines. I have tried to give you the steps for basic Rangoli here:

 Step 1: Draw 4 parallel lines vertically.

Step 2: Draw four parallel lines horizontally at right angle to the vertical ones, crossing them and  passing through the center.

 Step 3: Draw cross lines as shown above.

Final Step: One can draw pumpkins and sugar canes as above or paddy ears as below

Watch out for more...

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Rangoli-165

Vegetable Rangoli

Here is the Rangoli with Bitter Gourds and Brinjals(Egg Plant). This is 13X1 and simple to draw.

Watch out for more...

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Rangoli-164

Fish Rangoli


The themes of Rangolis are daily life objects, animals, plants, flowers, birds and so on. Here is one on fishes:

13 to 1 dots-straight dots. Join as shown.


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Floral Rangoli

This 13 X 1 straight dots, very simple and easy to draw. Watch out for more.....

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Rangoli-162

Nela Muggulu

In the series of Nela muggulu or the Rangolis drawn especially during the month preceding Sankranti(Pongal) festival in Andhra Pradesh, her is one more. These Rangolis are drawn free hand. The base or starting point for these Rangolis are lines.They can be 2, 3, usually 4 lines. 

The orange lines in the center are drawn first. This is Swastika an auspicious symbol representing Lord Ganesh. The rest of the lines were drawn around it. Well this small motif of swastika can be drawn into a very big Rangoli by adding design on all sides. 

Some times, these Rangolis of lines drawn in the center are surrounded by chain Rangolis or other dot Rangolis depending upon the skill and creativity of the person drawing it.

More in my next post.....

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Rangoli-161

A rangoli which small simple and easy to draw:

This is 13 to 1 dots-straight dots ie. one below another. Join as shown.

Keep watching for big and traditional Rangolis.....

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Lotus Pond

Here is one more bigger Rangoli:

27 dots-9 rows in the center, 25,23,21.dots...upto 9 dots on either side and then 3 dots  on all four sides. Join as shown.

If there are any doubts you can mail me.

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Rangoli-159

Peacocks

I love peacocks. The colours of their plumes, feathers and body itself is really amazing. So beautiful. It is no wonder that they have been used as motifs in textiles, paintings and in many art forms. Well here is one Rangoli of Peacocks.

This is 25 dots 5 rows in the centre and then, 23, 21, 19....till 5 dots. Join as shown. Hope you like it.Watch out for more....

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Rangoli-158

New Year Special

This is a very simple one. I have dawn it in a hurry. So its not really neat. But if drawn a little patiently, this will come out good.

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Rangoli-157

New Year Special

 A simple and easy New Year Rangoli :

You can add further colours or decorations with flowers or free hand drawings. Watch out for more. 

Please do leave your comments and any suggestions...I would like to know about your preferences ....

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Rangoli-156

New Year Special

Here is one simple way of drawing a New Year Rangoli. 

Isn't this easy? You can colour the space in the center before writing the words. You can even draw the design with a colour powder too instead of plain white one and also in the center.

Watch out for more......

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