Eye Of The Beholder

Was at a friend's place to catch F1 live last Sunday.

That's when I noticed his mum had adorned a new Kolam outside his house. For those unfamiliar with the name, it is defined by Wikipedia site as:

Kolam (Tamil:Beauty) is a decorative design drawn in a variety of sandpainting using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home, especially near stone forming the bottom of the doorway. A Kolam is a sort of painted prayer -- a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. They are generally symmetric.

As I read on, I learnt that Kolams are considerably practised by Hindus in South India. They are also thought to confer prosperity to the homes. For special celebration, limestone and red brick powder to contrast are used.

The sole purpose of a Kolam extends beyond decoration. Back then, kolams drawn in coarse rice flour are mentioned to invite birds and other small living creatures to eat it. By inviting other beings into one's home on a daily basis, it is said to be a tribute to harmonious co-existence everyday. It is also a sign of invitation to welcome all into the home, especially Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity.

On a spiritual level, it is even traditionally believed that the lines must be completed in order to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering the inside of the shapes.

Interestingly, it is also said to be beneficial to the health. As it requires the artist to bend down each morning, it is said to aid her digestive system, reproductive organs as well as in the overall stretching of the body.

Kolam also needs the artist to be better focused and improves the concentration when she begins her day.

Hmmm... Now I really feel motivated to learn this art, don't you?