Maa Kolam – a cultural identity of Tamil!

Maa Kolam is one of a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing a beautiful as well colorful designs at the doorstep during festival seasons, will fascinate everyone with a smiling face: there’s a flat mate in our apartment who pass comments usually encouraging us when we do something traditionally and seeing our pot kolam on Pongal, he says that it remind his hometown. Doesn't it make sense and smile knowing it felt someone nostalgic? Whether it is in India or abroad, Kolam stays as a stable distinct feature of Tamils; with various forms wherever they are settled. Kolam becomes a reflection of individual skill of Tamils and basic faiths of goddess those believe in such. And even we don’t have big thought about kolam that unites the diverse features of life, exposes the artistic talent of homemakers.

There isn’t a specific period when the practice of Kolam took shape, but a traditional kolam is drawn on rice flour and its posture has changed on various stages from plain white to colorful state now. Next to rice flour, the Kolam is drew on a powder grind from a specific white stone and later the colors or flowers are added to enhance the beauty during the festival season. The specific of drawing kolam is believed to bring auspicious to home and by doing so we also keep our house and streets clean and doorstep looks artistry. The kolam is based on a calculation of dots, which has various methods like straight and cross dot, lines and flower patterns become a support in life esp. for women in solving many loopholes in family. So it seemed as an essential for women practicing kolem which helps in developing their mindset and optimizes their existing talents and noble cause.  

Kolams are drawn on various states of India and variety in styles. For example: the Athipoo Kolam of Kerala and Rangoli drawn in north Indian states are equally noted for the kolam drawn in Tamil Nadu.  Besides Alpana of West Bengal, Sanji of Uttar Pradesh and Rangavalli Muggu in Andhra Pradesh. Athipoo Kolams were drawn with flour first and later decorated with flowers which mostly used are marigold, oleander and chicken crest flowers. Rangoli is a colorful kolam, drawn using salt to increase the color saturation and prevent spreading of colors in wind and moreover the salt is comprised as pride of wealth.

Not only during festivals, Kolam drawn as a daily activity of Tamil Nadu: we are one of the countless houses that drew Kolam everyday at the doorstep and during the Tamil month of Margazhi a special attention is given to Kolam. At this time of month, conducting kolam festivals are specific in Tamil Nadu and unlike many other festivals celebrated during this month, a festival for Kolam is only held at here. In Margazhi everyone used to draw a big kolam in front of their homes and using this, people in their area or street create a team and conduct contests and gifts are presented to those well drawn. And it does not only stop there, but by this way people are motivated to disclose their talents and encouraged for an enthusiastic challenge.

Another reason to draw kolam with rice flour was because it giving life to the tiny species on surface, esp. ants use the softly grind-ed flour as their favorite food to survive. During the festival of Pongal that begins with the Tamil month of Thai, is a wonderful time to sight very colorful kolams indicating the rice boiling over the pot, sugarcane and turmeric images taking place besides the kolam. And the Pongal pot is kept to boil over at the header part of the kolam, before worshiping the sun. The same follows with the Mattu Pongal (bull pongal), where kolams are drawn with images of bulls, calves and bells and drawing kolam during the period of Pongal is a fascinating thing as well showcases the pride and happiness of family. And writing pongalo pongal in between the kolam conveys the wishes to everyone passes through the street and certainly kolam has become a lasting part of the beautiful Tamil culture.

(The photos on the pongal kolam where drawn by my mother, during the occasion.)

RGB Monday

Colorful Pongal Kolams by mom and aunt

Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamils, as well as to the southern states of India similar as Rangoli that spread all-over India, is believed to bring auspicious to home when it is drawn in front of the doorway or gateway as a sign of welcome. Margali, a month of winter (mid Dec-Jan) in Tamil, is a favourite season for Kolam, where those skipped or unpractised it as a daily activity will make certain drew something in front of the door and the month ends leaving way to Thai – the day celebrated as Pongal, where Kolams take much colourful form from the plain dotted Kolams. Pulli Kolam is a regular art form where it involves drawing a line looped around a pattern of dots (pullis) with certain that all dots are encircled and lines closed at the end.

Shot from the balcony and you could see my aunt coloring the Kolam down in front of home.

Kolam take a special place in our every custom and celebrations and drawing a Kolam creates an elegancy to the occasion and there couldn’t be a better reception than making a smile through a cheerful and colourful Kolam.  Mom used to draw Kolam regularly at the doorstep until we resided in the ground floor apartment and houses in ground, now living on first floor we don’t have space other than mom’s knee pain prevents her going down to drew a Kolam. But during the festival of Pongal and other special occasions she takes a strain and draw colourful Kolams in front of the house, and now along with my aunt in next door they help each other creating the magic of colors, Kolam. I always have an interest in Kolalm and never miss an opportunity in capturing the Kolam and what you see here is from the recent Pongal celebration.

RGB Monday

Our Colorful Pongal Kolam

Not alone Pongal, any festival or event is not celebrated without drawing Kolam in Tamil culture. Although kolam is a Hindu custom or tradition, drawing a beautiful kolam in front of or in the courtyard of an event venue draws attention and adds charm to it. In Hindu custom, drawing Kolam is a daily activity of a household (mostly the women) in front of their house; until we moved to the 1st floor of our native home, mom used to draw Kolam every day. But now, due to a knee problem and difficulty in waking up early morning, she stopped drawing Kolam; but my aunt continued to draw the kolam on our doorstep, which was common to both of us.

This year's Pongal festival was better than the previous year where the covid and some personal losses took away the festive spirit and celebration mood. Though, this year too, we missed the traditional way of celebration with mud pot Pongal, what made it special was the arrival of the two new nephews. My sister’s (cousin) son, nephew Jeswanth, went to their house to celebrate Pongal while my brother’s son Kavin came here from their maternal home for the Pongal. Now Kavin had gone back, and Jeswanth returned. I hope you guys too had a good festival time if you celebrate Pongal.

Pongal and Bull Dung!!

Above is my Pongal Pot, which I did two days back with cotton, painting the pot and the paper karumbu (sugar cane), was kept in our showcase.

Thai Pongal(boiling) was a traditional festival of Tamilan’s, which flows (celebrated) during the first four days of Thai Month (mid-January) according to Tamil calendar. Each day refers a special and it calls as Bhogi, Pongal, Mattu (bull) Pongal & Kaanum Pongal. This was my favorite festival always. This was the day we used to thank the Nature, and we can also call this day a new year for our farmers. After the yearlong hard works of plough the soil to make it a good one for cultivate; then seeding the paddy; transplant in to another spacious place and leaving water till it reaches the stage of Harvest, the farmers spent there whole energies to see their paddy are grown well. So to express their happiness by thanking the god they celebrate this Pongal.

The Mattu Pongal is the day to thank the cattle’s, esp. the bulls that helps us to the agriculture. We not only take the energy of bulls, even their dung’s are used for this pongal festival. As it was the Thai first, the next month of the Margazi which was the season for kolam (making a design with rice flour). On this time and on pongal days people used the dissolved bull dung to create a smear before their gateway to draw the kolam. Now days we can only see this smears in the villages of Tamil Nadu, once it was also available to see the smears in chennai some years back. The kolam gets an exquisite when it was put on dung smear floor in rice flour. And it considered auspicious to make the kolams before sunrise, as the Sun God feels welcome before it visit the earth. To bring more attracts to the kolam, a lump of cow dung will places at the center of the kolam and a five petal pumpkin flower will rests on it regarded as a symbol of fertility and an offering of love to the deity.

I have seen some of these incidents near my house at least before 10 years back, the friendly neighbors used to follow this way of putting kolam, some times their would be little fight with others for the bull dung. On the day of Bhogi I noticed many people come to my grandpa house to collect the dung for putting kolam. As we are in the Margazi season, the gateway of my neighbor’s friend’s house would have a thick dung smear floor and as it would be very smooth and our evening hours of sitting, playing and talking with friends will be on that floor, some times even we get scold from the neighbors for braking the dung floor, esp. for leaving tops on that.

It was familiar in villages to cook the pongal, keeping the pot in the middle of the kolam in the dung smear floor with the oven which was daub by the bull dung, some times this pongal was cooked on burning the dried dung cakes. In the villages the people who have mud houses and who already have floors daub by dung for their house, use the bull dung to daub for the Pongal celebration, like how we clean our house with whitewashing the walls. Actually today's situation was, we are missing the real pongal. If we see most of them are cooking the Pongal in Cooker and steel vessels, mostly the people in cities and urban areas. Because of this we miss the real taste of pongal, which prepared in sand pot. Nowadays all of them have gas stoves, so making pongal in firewood’s and dried bull dung have reduced and it also changed the taste. I can’t forget the sweet pongal cooked on the dried dung cake were my mom prepare in the month of Aadi in the Amman Temple. With our forgetting our traditional way of celebrating, at least let we all try to continue with its nature… Wish you all a beautiful pongal with sand pot, sugarcane and more sweets. HAPPY PONGALO PONGAL:)

RGB Monday

Being Margazhi, the Tamil month of winter, I couldn’t think any other than the Kolam (a fascinating art that continue to attract people from all walk) to be apt to post under the meme, that capture the essence of colors. Margazhi is considered an auspicious month in Tamil and many religious activities take place during this time and drawing Kolam, a pattern or design that adorn the gateway, gets special attention.

Kolam is a custom followed by every house of Hindus and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. But during Margazhi the Kolam gets a new least of joy where colors are added to the drawing and everyone try new patterns and brings out their artistic skill through the Kolam. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and encourage mom to try new ones and I have also helped her getting patterns from internet. For me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty. 

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.

1. Devilish Angel 

Pongal 2019

Mom's Pongal pot Kolam

I still going through the painful arm (read here if you missed) at night and the muscle spasm  have formed well on the upper arm and it’s taking time to heal. Being a muscular dystrophy, with weaker muscles, an extension in healing is no wonder. But I could feel better than earlier and still shifting positions kicks pain and I continue to ice and heat therapy. In between we had a far better Pongal and after 2010 we got to celebrate Pongal along with our uncle’s family who lives adjacent and the extended balcony (for my wheelchair movement) has gave enough space to lit firewood stove and Pongal was cooked in mud pot. Pongal is a harvesting festival of Tamil and thanksgiving to nature that nurture our lives and making Pongal in open space means dedicate to the prime natural source Sun and make thought the year become all success and happier.

Making of sweet Pongal by boiling rice, milk and jaggery

The weather is pretty cool all these days and the sun is bright enough to balance the heat and the Pongal was cooked despite the warm sunlight that kept producing heat. The night before Pongal, mom and aunt got their hands on beautifying our front yard or the space between the road and our house and both made two colourful Kolams aka Rangoli using colour powders. First time mom took effort to draw a big Kolam after her surgery in May, though it is a simple kolam for her but just put this effort for me as  I love kolams. Every year she used to draw Pongal Kolam and adds colors according to the design and this time along with the aunt they turned more colourful the way it used to be. Other than paying homage to nature esp. the sun, and making Pongal on the balcony the days were spent mostly on TV and i went around our streets in the evening to check neighbours Kolam but to my disappointment most of them had drawn small Kolam or design which I would sharing in another post. Hope you liked our celebration.

View on other two kolams by aunt, from balcony

Kolam Critters

Kolam is a south Indian tradition and Tamils made it an everyday custom to draw patterns in front of the houses and Margazhi is a Tamil month (between Dec-Jan) where Kolam takes special attention and ends with Pongal, the harvesting and thanksgiving festival of Tamil. Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Today marks the first day of the Pongal, called Bogi Pongal, and it’s a favourite festival among kids till late 90s where people light fire in front of the house and kids sit around and enjoy beating little skin drums, heating up from the fire.

Usually it’s the worn-out things (from home) that put into fire, like rush mats, winnows and broomsticks the most. It’s a festival adapts nature way of celebration and what we fire is all natural elements, that carries less evil to nature. But it wasn’t same in later years, when people started to fire anything from plastic to tyres it becomes a cause for concern. Apart that, Pongal is an auspicious festival that bring hope to life and being a harvesting festival, nothing could bring hope and cheer to life when farming is the base of food and we couldn’t stop thanking the farmers and natural sources that help us living, healthily.

Coming to Kolam, I always admire the art made on the floor and apart my mom, aunt and grandma also make lovely designs and the critters (cat and peacock) here was drawn by grandma. Though these are simple ones it bears a cuteness I loved. Every year mom draw one or two colour Kolams for Pongal and I have no idea what she planned to draw this year and I would post that after the festival. I wish people a Happy Pongal!  

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

RGB Monday

My aunt's colorful Pongal Kolam drawn last month during the festival of Pongal, very next to mom's Pongal pot kolam.

Kolam is a custom followed by the households in south India and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. And Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and for me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty.

RGB Monday (exception)

A simple yet colorful Kolam

Though I couldn’t consider this as a RGB post, because of missing of the red and blue in the Kolam drew by mom on the night of New Year Eve, I continue to post here as I think there couldn’t be an apt time rather posting now. Because it was a colourful invite for a New Year.

For those unknown, Kolam or Rangoli is a pattern drawn (in different forms) in front of the houses, which is a traditional custom followed by the people of India esp. the Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events.

We were awake till 1.30 am doing nothing but just leaving few fireworks and being outside as our street was little busy with some local boys having little party at the street end and residents were checking the couple of Ganesh temples on our streets that went into light decorations for the New Year. It wasn’t a bad eve for me watching these and looking at the couple of colourful kolams of residents on my way to uncle’s house in next street. But I felt bad for not taking the mobile or camera along to capture the pretty Kolams, at least to use for my RGB post. Hope you all had wonderful Eve

Those interested can link-in their post at comment, even if u has a New Year post unrelated to RGB… Just to share the moment with each other :)

1. Devilish Angel    2. Ramya Rajesh

Margazhi - the month of winter

The winter is here to feel us warm and cold by decrease in temperature and somehow cool in nights, it’s a wonderful month called Margazhi in Tamil which is my favorite season’s among. Thinking about Margazhi (winter) causes much cold to sense and memories which retrospect as memorable and introspective to refurbish the mind and body to exist as obvious content. Cold morning is the always delight of this season and one could truly feel refreshing waking up one early morning or go a walk in the chill dawn and breath the fresh air emerge with cold nor warm inside the blanket which don’t want to wake asleep.

Margazhi is a month that pleases among the Hindu dwellers to draw kolam or rangoli – which is drawn by white powder or flour and adorn in color powder to catch anyone’s attention. Though many residences including ours drew kolam in front of the gate way all over the year, point it to make it something special throughout the month and those can’t make it certain for everyday takes this opportunity to showcase their skill, interest and joy on drawing kolam. Sweeping the gate way along sprinkle water is a way of activity before going into action that deserves much attention and calculation among dots depict the traditional art cause by women. It was something interests me to watch how mom or aunt nor the neighbors make it so perfect and colorful to devote their culture and perspective.

Not to mention this was a season of breeding mosquitoes after the cease of rain and everywhere it would be wet due to morning dews and snow, drawing kolam is not an easy task among balancing the mosquitoes and cold weather. I am not a person to wake upon every dawn of this month and I take the opportunity on the last day of the month which is celebrated as Bhogi festival in South India – a light of bonfire which is believed as driving away the bad by burning waste things from home. In the childhood days I am more passionate on celebrating the bhogi and hitting drums which is made of clay and buffaloes skin, aind I never slept so easily the night and wait awaked to hear the drum beats to indicate the dawn and almost it would be my friends to do it and we all go together around the neighborhood and celebrate the dawn with much warmth and pleasure on lighting on.

The month of Margazhi is devoted to dance and music, which is a sensitive season among the artistes involved in the completions and organizers of the concerts. There are many theatres conduct programs, including the traditional Music academy and Sabas (concert halls) involve in constant programming throughout the month and institutions like Kalakshetra prepare students for these completions. I haven’t been to any of these festivals that exhibit the finest classical dance and music and create paths to so many artistries to showcase their skill and let aware others about the art and tradition that increase interest among people. Though I like the traditional classical dance and music I interested to go for classic folk festivals which is organized by the month end of Margazhi called Chennai Sangamam, is creating more vibrant and charm for the last couple of years of its launch with variety of fork performances taking place in parks and open grounds.

The month of Margazhi begins in mid of December and continue to the mid of January is believed as auspicious among Hindu women’s to visit temple every morning and many young women in our neighborhood would check the temples daily without fail to get something as present or gift towards the end of the month. I always like the mild sunshine that peeks through structures and grille reflecting heat and light into home and the dry skin tone to look for the brief sense of light.

The prime cold of the year witness last Sunday to even hideaway the lighthouse of marina to the foggy weather in evening and been drizzling however the city reduced the temperature certainly. The unusual sea with raising waves about to chase seafront easily reminds me about the firmly tsunami which is suppose to commemorate on coming Sunday, which held back on the same day some 6 years before. More than the thought of striking tsunami that always holds back in memories and the distracted mind that took time to settle firmly, it was the very pleasant weather similar to ooty kodaikanal – the hill stations of the state, which took back. Moreover the winter is here, to relax and enjoy the warmth of mild coldness and sunshine that enhance along the enchanting festival season.

RGB Monday

Let’s begin the month (February) colorfully!

My aunt’s another colorful butterfly kolam from the Pongal festival.

Kolam considered an auspicious and morning exercise for women in general, as they bend down and connect the dots, they do some math’s blending the body and mind. Due to knee problems and space for drawing, keep mom away from following the custom, so my aunt takes care of drawing kolam daily in front of the house as we share the same gateway. Lately, there was a talk of keeping a maid to do the task daily on our behalf. Not every day we drew color Kolam; so, it won't be difficult in general, and many of our neighbors have such maids, who used to draw simple and same design as Kolam.

On New Year Occasion

A year has end and begin peacefully with great joy spread across, though nothing turned significantly different, a refreshing feel enters the vein as we accelerate into a new year, wishes and hopes bring new cheers into the life. The New Year eve was spent as usual in front of television; apart checking my cousins in next-street to greet on the occasion and receiving calls from other dear ones as we were awake till 1 am. News channels were live from different places on the sprite of New Year, and the beaches in neighbourhood (Marina and Elliot) was thronged by people and being a resident of Adyar, we could clearly hear the resound of rushing vehicles, blasting fireworks and aloud greetings   of New Year.

The colourful peacock Kolam in the picture above was drawn by my aunt in front of their house (and also our native home in next-street) which I shot at the New Year night. Due to very low light I couldn’t get clearer picture and I also used flash which went over exposed I feel. My mom also drew Kolam in front of our house but it was a simple one and uncoloured. For those unknown, Kolam is a pattern drawn in front of the houses, a traditional custom followed by the people of India and Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events.

On January 1^st I went for a short ride on ECR (east coast road) and checked the Kovalam beach in evening. ECR being a scenic stretch of entertainment, there was heavy traffic on the road because of New Year and all entertainment hubs were crowded includes the toll gate with longstanding queues.  While parked at the beach, I find the sky beautiful and took some photos using the iPhone and I tried panorama and was really amazed by the light and colors of the sky. The setting of sunlight caused a great effect on the image, to only find a glowing sun as we moved out of the beach area and it continued for some time on the ECR before we took turn to The Great Salt Lake area, off the ECR.

It was such wonderful to see sun setting on the west and moon rising on east at same time. Being a full moon day, the moon was also at its full glory just like the reddish sun. Though I was taking photos on iPhone, I couldn’t get great details on both and the mild hazy winter weather took control even though the twilight sky was interesting watch throughout. Hope you enjoy the photos above and below on full moon.

My Pongal celebration 2017

I know it’s late by two weeks to post on Pongal, the harvesting festival of Tamils, but it’s better late than never. I think you all know about the youth revolution that took centre stage following the Pongal and though it wasn’t an easier task for people to come forward to protest for their rights and protection of bulls, the entire week was like an extension of Pongal with the voices of slogans indirectly, alongside supporting the traditional sports, emphasis the wealth of bulls and farmers. We couldn’t think of Pongal keeping away the farmer and it was farmers festival overall but we have the reason to celebrate as they are our life savers, producing food for us. Pongal festival brings happiness for farmers and Jallikattu is a part of the celebration and we got back the traditional sport in right manner.

Coming to the post, this year’s Pongal was different for me and was able to feel the mood more than latter years. Though we celebrated Pongal in the traditional way, where we lit firewood’s on the outside of the home and made Pongal (boiling of rice and milk) in the mud pot, the Pongal event conducted in our street by the backstreet boys was really uplifting. They created a friends group in name of APJ Abdul Kalam and conducted Kolam contest, running race for different age groups and couple of fun sports.  The event was started from the eve of Pongal and the Kolam contest happened at the night itself but they came to capture our Kolam (along with the others) only in the morning and we unknown who’s the winner. The boys and girls participated in the races and won gifts from the organisers and what really impressed was all showed up in traditional dresses.

But what keeps me bothering was how I missed capturing the event or at least the kids running around. The songs played in the speakers and people talking over the mike let the festival feel in the air. I put some special programs and movies on record (thanks to DTH) and moved out of the home to enjoy the festival and while things happening around; mom prepared the Pongal in the mud pot on the firewood’s and before it overflows I was with camera to capture the moment and once the rice boiled the whitest foam forms and milk is poured to restrain its flow. But it was me asked her to wait to let it overflow, though I don’t believe such thing will change things for better but this custom of overflowing keeps me going. Lol

The pot Kolam in my previous post was drawn by mom along with the above one but the coloring job for the couple of pots were given to our next door neighbour and she did it pretty colourful. We stayed awake till midnight for them to finish the Kolams, amid the troublesome mosquitoes and my cute lil friend Achu was also wakeful to give company and it was fun to be along with him. The sweet Pongal boiled in the pot was later offered to the Sun, the foremost source of energy to the entire living on earth and helps in high yield, which is a form of thanksgiving to nature and farmers who transforms the resource into edible. On Mattu Pongal, the third day of Pongal, I went for an outing on ECR and visited my great grandma’s village. I will write on it later. Follows few shots from the offering: 

The offer to energetic sun

My favorite  "ven pongal and vada"

RGB Monday

Mom’s colorful Pongal Kolam (included red, green and blue) drawn for the harvesting festival – Pongal! Kolam or Rangoli is a pattern drawn (in different forms) in front of the houses, which is a traditional custom followed by the people of India esp. the Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events. 

RGB Monday

Colourful Pongal Kolam by mom and aunt

As you all Kolam is a part of our custom and it is drawn in front of the houses to create an auspicious environment. During the Pongal festival it takes a special attention and most of houses (that follow the custom) draw beautiful patterns on their doorstep and drawing pot Kolam enhance the mood of festival. Here I share couple of Pongal Kolams, and the above one was mom’s contribution and it was drawn at our home front and aunt’s (below) was on theirs in the next street. On the evening of Pongal I come around our streets to capture some colourful kolams and I would share them in future post. 

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.

1. Devilish Angel

Pongal Post

(Click pics for enlarge)

I don’t think it’s too late to post on Pongal, held last week. As always it was three of us (me, mom and dad) celebrated the harvesting and thanksgiving festival by making Pongal (boiling of rice and milk) at the courtyard using firewood on bricks stove. My brother was out of town, though he isn’t interested in festivals general, I love the tradition of making Pongal esp. in mud pot in open space as a sign of thanking the foremost nature source sun. I always feel festivals are to celebrate and it’s an occasion to be happy, at least for a while keeping away things that put us down or race life. Pongal isn’t a religious festival to celebrate independently at home and some are so reserved to come out to  show up cheers while sending greetings and I believe it’s celebration of nature and thanksgiving the farmers and cattle’s in supporting the production of food crop.

From night to morning mom drew 4 kolam along the courtyard and gateway, two before went to sleep and two at early morning. I will make a post of it later and here you could see the Pongal boiling/overflowing out of the pot. The days of Pongal passed by watch few movies and TV shows, and alike last year I went around our streets to check neighbours Kolam, but couldn’t see many unlike previous Pongal. The first photo here was the Kolam of my nearby neighbour, though it’s not a colourful kolam, I like the beautiful pattern and neat finishing from this young lady. The backstreet boys conducted Pongal festival contest, just like last year on Mattu Pongal day instead on Pongal and being a weekend along with festival many were out of town and it wasn’t interesting though and contests also went on untimed for people to participate. 

Pongal Kolams for RGB Monday

Here is mom’s Pongal Kolams that she drew for the Pongal festival. As I told in my previous post mom took enough diligence to make all the 4 kolams, two at night and another two in morning along our courtyard and gateway. I know I was pretty slow with blogging these days but hope to be active in coming days and for RGB  Monday, I think this post had more  than enough colors to keep  away the Monday blue, but I know Monday is gonna end in  less than an hour. lol

The rose flowers kolam was put on the ramp in front of the house

The Pongal pot along  with sugarcanes and turmeric plants upon which we made pongal using firewood stove.

Peacock drawing/kolam at the upstairs door front

Pongal pot and flower Kolam at our doorstep

The same Pongal pot and flower Kolam (as seen above)  before added colors

RGB Monday

My aunt's sparrow kolam for the New Year

Kolam is a custom followed by the households in south India and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and for me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty.

RGB Monday

Every year the Pongal festival leaves me with some colorful Kolams that I could use for my RGB Monday series, but this year it left me with some beautiful Kolams to shoot from the neighborhood as well as from our home. The following collage of Kolams is from one of my childhood friend Karthik's home, and his wife drew these Kolams on the eve of Pongal.

As soon as his wife completed the Kolam, he Whatsapp me the photos of the Kolam, and what you see in the collage above is what he sent me that night.  And the following photos are of the same shot by my mom in the morning on my behalf.

My friend's house is located right behind our house and narrow by street, doesn't allow the Kolams to last long, or until the evening when I go out shooting Kolam in the wheelchair. Karthik's wife is a talented woman and does well in artworks, and I have seen a few of her's on Facebook and while admiring her work, I appreciate her patience, which I think is mandatory when creating art. I hope you guys like her elegant work in Kolam. 

RGB Monday

The four days of the Pongal festival went with the flow and I was just idle watching a couple of newly released movies on OTT and entertained by other programs on tv and YouTube.   As usual, I went for Kolam hunting on our streets on the Pongal evening, but as I expected, I couldn’t see many colorful kolams, and some are in regular patterns to shoot. The Pongal festival wasn’t lively at home, and we miss the Pongal cooked in mud pot right outside the home, what we had done for the last four years, including two years along with uncle’s family. This year’s Pongal was the same as what happens when you eat Pongal – a dull feeling.

But the next day, the Mattu Pongal was good enough as I went on an outing on ECR to explore a couple of places, and what can give me happiness other than the opportunity of travel? I enjoyed the day, except for a couple of disadvantages, and this was my first outing with the sister-in-law, and it went all comfortably. I may write on the places in further posts with photos.

Now coming to RGB Monday, I share my aunt’s colorful pot Kolam she drew for the Pongal festival. Mom’s knee pain stopped her from participating in drawing Kolam, so my aunty managed to draw two more simple Kolams, the only colorful thing we added this year for the Pongal. Hope the Pongal is celebrated with happiness and peace at every house of Tamil people and a wonderful weekend for the others.