A new section for this new year… Imaginary, culinary, sensory or cultural journeys… The landscape, the character, the context… it’s up to you to dream and imagine what happens next…

Parvati, is an Indian woman who lives on a street in Srirangapatna. Srirangapatna is a small island on the banks of the Kaveri River, near Mysore in Karnataka.

Every morning at dawn, Parvati puts on one of her shimmering coloured sarees.

Then, like a multitude of Indian women, Parvati traces magnificent « rangoli » on the threshold of her door. A purely feminine act in honour of Lakshmis, a goddess highly prized in India.

Parvati learned to draw these geometric shapes, made from rice powder, with her mother, sisters and aunts. In this way she hopes to bring the goddess’ blessings upon her own.

When she opens her door, Parvati begins by drawing the dotted outlines with snow-white rice powder. She then likes to complete the outlines with lines or bright colours.

Parvati, a woman from Srirangapatna, is proud of her floral motifs, or animal representations, in various enchanting colours. She knows that protection is linked to the complexity of the design.

Parvati makes these « kolam » also as a sign of welcome for all those who will visit her during the day. Through these ancestral gestures, Parvati seeks well-being for all those she loves.

Parvati then buys a few flowers from the passing vendor. She delicately adds them to her rangoli as a sign of offerings.

Parvati, at last, starts her day with a light heart, filled with gratitude for having been able to express her creativity in this way. It is a short-lived one, which will soon be swept away by the first gust of wind.

Different every morning, Parvati’s « kolam » express the expression of her soul of the day.

So, if you feel like it, equipped with pencils, you are free to try the adventure of the « rangoli kolam »: well-being and relaxation guaranteed to spend a good day!

Par Nathalie

Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)