Kolam are in the kitchen as well
The kitchen remains a privileged place where one must avoid any bad influence that would harm the health of family members. The use of votive decorations differs among families.
Although the status and the territory of women have been remodelled, and extend far beyond the home, one of the housewife’s morning chores is to cook the daily rice. The kitchen remains a privileged place where one must avoid any bad influence that would harm the health of family members. The use of votive decorations differs among families. Women make drawings in front of the stove, or write powdered inscriptions in front of the burners or on the kitchen counter so that the goddess can provide abundant food for the family.
"Like day and night how important Sun and Moon are in our life. Flowering plants grow during night but flowers bloom in the morning. Surya and Chandra are like 2 eyes of God. Breathing also is similar, we breathe in and we breathe out. " Pratima
Earlier, the open fireplace had to be cleaned, covered with a thin layer of cow dung, and then its perimeter would be covered with kolam designs.
Modern stoves can have limited space for these drawings, so in this case, the wall behind the stove will be decorated instead. Motifs of footprints and lotus flowers representing the presence of the divine are drawn in a variety of ways, both figurative and abstract.
Although not a daily ritual anymore, banana leaves are placed on a kolam or decorated with designs all around for important religious and non religious functions.
