Temple chariot/ter/ratha Kapaleeswarar temple, the chariot festival Processional chariots (ratha in Sanskrit, ter in Tamil) are an integral part of temples and public life in South-India. It is therefore normal to find in the kolam repertoire a rich collection of chariot designs dedicated to the gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon.
Ratha Saptami Ratha Saptami/Surya Jayanti Several festivals are dedicated to Surya, the Sun god. He is celebrated during the harvest festival of Pongal in South India and elsewhere in India as Makar Sankranti. During the month of Mâci in Tamil-Nadu (mid-February, mid-March), Ratha Saptami is another celebration of the Sun god.
Pongal/Tamil harvest festival Kolam to celebrate Surya Pongal — part 2 The pot is a symbol of abundance and a recurring theme as well in the kolam designs during pongal. It is either shown with rice balls that pile up on top of each other or with milk froth foaming out of the mouth, like the overflowing milk rice preparation.
Pongal/Tamil harvest festival Kolam to celebrate Pongal — part 1 The month of Thai starts with the most celebrated and joyful harvest festival called Pongal. The kolam extend beyond the intimacy of the homes, spreading their lines and dots into public space. It is women who weave together the objects of a bountiful period on white or coloured canvasses.
Kolam riddles Kolam and riddles Dieter B. Kapp has compiled a list of metaphors relating to the kolam in the form of riddles, sayings and proverbs. Published in the form of a series of booklets, they explore all aspects of Tamil culture, and include a variety of images depicting these ephemeral drawings.
Inspiring kolam artists Panguni kolam with Latha During the Tamil month of Panguni (mid-March to mid-April), a nine day-long festival takes place at Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, Chennai. The celebrations start with the flag hoisting. The idols of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal mounted on a vehicle are decorated with clothes and jewels.
Inspiring kolam artists Inspiring women "Subhadra Natarajan" A lotus with eight petals in a circle welcomes two feet dedicated to Râma. Each petal bears a word from the mantra “Jaya, Jaya Râma, Sri Râma, Jaya Râma”. According to her, this kolam is equivalent to the invocation of the divine name.