In South India, and in particular in Tamil Nadu state, the kolam is a form of feminine art. It is solely practised by the women of hindou families and is transmitted from mother to daughter.
Kolams are traditional, decorative designs created using rice flour, or chalk powder. They are usually drawn in front of the home entrance, and serve as a form of auspicious decoration and a symbol of hospitality.
It is a form of rituel. Every morning at dawn, the mother of the family, often in the company of her daughter(s), sprinkles the soil with water on her front doorstep. She will then typically start by fixing dots of rice powder in some kind of geometric pattern, using thumb and index to control the amount of powder required.
She works leaning down, with hand and wrist moving freely, with a controlled and quick gesture, making precise lines to gradually reveal a geometric shape.
It is a form of evasion, to give expression to their creativity on the spur of the moment, according to their mood. Whenever possible, it is done with rice powder, to feed the birds and the ants, though not everyone can afford that, so many use chalk powder. More often than not, the kolam is just white, though occasionally the women will use colour dies to enhance its appearance.
Millions of women practice this ritual every day, while the streets are still quiet, as a quasi ceremonial. It takes no more than a few minutes to produce something ephemeral but auspicious.
Every day the motif is different.
A lady was kind enough to give me a demonstration inside her house. I tried to do the same but it seems I lack practice … Have a look: