Kolam is a
traditional floor art that is considered as a symbol of auspiciousness . Indian
women draw these intricate designs in their entrance, courtyard and prayer room floors using
rice flour/chalk powder. These designs are symmetric patterns composed of
curved loops and lines. It can be as small as 5 inches and can be drawn as big as
15-20 feet.
The intricate patters of Kolam fascinated me right from my childhood. It was a feast for the eyes every moment. One simple glance at
these kolams is enough to zap the mind out of day to day stress,worries and frustrations.
It is believed that Kolam invites positive and auspicious energies to enter the
house while preventing the flow of negative energies into the house. I always
felt that there is more to this art than just the aesthetic value. On reading others articles about it, I was pleasantly surprised. I want to share these findings with you all.
Every Kolam is complete by itself and a beginning to a
new one:
Every kolam is
complete by itself however small it may be, like every incident or every
moment. But the beauty is every tiny kolam has the potential possibility to be
expanded into unknown yet another kolam. So is it with every moment, complete
by itself yet ever expanding with the uninterrupted connectivity.
Kolam : Representation of Vibrations in geometric
patterns
Following
is an extract I read from http://guruprasad.net/posts/why-do-indians-draw-rangoli-scientific-reason/
The most original
form of Kolams are still drawn by some of the most orthodox families in India
especially in the rural places. Here are a few sample rangoli/kolam designs:
Notice that they are
symmetric around both X & Y axis, mostly have rounded edges and appear to
be combination of several simpler designs superimposed over each other.
There is a separate
field of science called Cymatics
which deals with the relationship between vibrations and the geometric
patterns corresponding to it. [Here is a brief video about Cymatics and how
vibrations affect us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgeB-nToRwA]
In order to
experiment in Cymatics, all that you need is a metal plate over which some sand
is sprinkled and a frequency generator which vibrates the metal plate. When it
is set to a certain resonant frequency, the metal plate vibrates in such a way
that all the sand particles get aligned in geometric pattern. For example, here
are a few patterns which emerge for different frequencies and they appear just
like the rangolis/kolams we draw in India:
Just like how a
vibration can lead to a geometric pattern, the reverse is also possible. When a
person looks at such a geometric pattern, it manifests into vibrations inside
the mind of the observer which in turn calms the mind. And this is exactly what Kolam does to one’s mind. i.e It has a soothing effect. Scientists &
Doctors have extended it further and created a new medical field called Cymatherapy in
which highly complex vibrations are converted into sound patterns, which
in turn can be used to heal a person’s body and emotions.
I am beginning to appreciate this form of art more as and when I learn more about it. Every experience related this art ,as an artist as well as a spectator, is beautiful.
Enjoy Digital Kolams in my website : Ojasvi Shambhu
Enjoy Digital Kolams in my website : Ojasvi Shambhu