Rangoli Ingredients
 A variety of ingredients are used to create a Rangoli. In old days, the colors were traditionally derived from natural dyes - from barks of trees, leaves, indigo, etc. Today however, synthetic dyes are used in a range of bright hue. Rangoli being mainly a floor art, powdered colors are used on cleaned floors to form decorations. The powder primarily consists of finely grounded rice flour. Finely ground white stone powder is used these days, as this is easier to apply and makes the rangolis brighter and well finished. One can also mix rice flour with white stone powder for a better preparation. The powder is usually taken in a pinch and applied with the thumb and the forefinger. Rangolis can be vivid, three-dimensional art complete with shadings when cereals, pulses either in their natural coloring or tinted with natural dyes are applied or they can be the traditional plain, yet as beautiful as, two-dimensional designs when colored powder such as rice, brick, chilly, turmeric, etc is used. In south Indian states like Kerala, flowers like marigolds and chrysanthemums and leaves are used to create Rangoli.
As a Rangoli is created through sprinkling powder by hand it is a very laborious and difficult process, and it's difficult to render fine details - meaning the image must be quite large. But all pains are taken to create a perfect Rangoli. Why? Because this art reflects the Indian culture and upholds the age old values of hospitality, perfection in art and also, a deep-rooted reverence for the divine beings and a fear for the powers beyond the realm of human understanding.
Rangoli brings a sense of completion in the joyous celebrations of Diwali.
Rangoli Patterns for Printouts:
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