Photo Friday: South Indian “Kolam” (Threshold Design)
Strolling around residential parts of Chennai, I’ve noticed the beautiful drawings outside of many homes. I picked my landlady’s brain and learned this is kolam… threshold designs or “driveway decor” as I call it. A sign of good luck. During holidays and festivals such as Diwali, they decorate with color as well.
I read further on the Internet and learned its a “distinctive cultural tradition of Tamils in South India.” Beautiful, no?!
At our house, the domestic worker changes the drawing daily… as long as it’s not raining. Here are a couple from this week:
Click here if you’d like to learn more about this topic.
This post is part of Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday. Happy weekend!
Rebecca
5 comments
Rebecca, I’m so enjoying your candid comments on adapting to South Indian ways. I lived in Chennai (then called Madras) for 5 years and return as often as I can. I’ve done short-term volunteer projects both in Chennai and other parts of India many times. As well as in other countries. The kolams also fascinate me. Originally created with rice powder through a sieve-like affair, they’re more often drawn with chalk, free-hand, nowadays, in such infinite variety. You do have to learn a new pace of living, don’t you? And not be so tied to goals as we are here in the West. Good luck to you!
Dorothy
Oh, wow – these are beautiful. And they update them DAILY? How long does it take?
It’s great that you’re seeing so many during non-festival time! Wait until there’s a big festival on – you’ll be amazed at the brightly colored (and more elaborate) kolams.
Thanks all for your comments!
Abi, in response to your questions—Yes, the kolams are usually changed daily unless it’s raining. My landlady estimates 5-10 minutes for a simple design and 15-20 minutes for something more complex.
I’m reading a great novel called Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair and just completed a section about kolams that I thought was interesting. The mother is prepping her daughter for marriage and comments:
“A sloppily drawn kolam suggests that the woman of the house is careless, indifferent and incapable. And an elaborately drawn one indicates self-absorption, a lavish hand and an inability to put others’ needs before yours. Intricate and complicated kolams are something you reserve for special occasions. But your everyday kolam has to show that while you are thrifty, you are not mean. It should speak of your love for beauty and your eye for detail. A restraint, a certain elegance and most importantly, an understanding of your role in life.”