Why The Making Of A Kolam Still Matters Despite Modern Shortcuts

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Mehnaga’s ‘kolam’ for Maybank’s Deepavali shoot is packed with vibrant colours. — Picture courtesy of Mehnaga MathivananKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Every Deepavali, you will see them all over shopping malls as part of the festive decorations but kolams – the line drawings made with coloured powders – are actually not just for festivals.
Kolams (pronounced “koh-lum”) hold deep meaning in the Hindu culture and can be something drawn at the entrance of homes, temples or wedding halls to mark auspicious occasions.
“You make something beautiful knowing it won’t last long. That’s the whole point. It’s creation, destruction and renewal. It’s not supposed to stay forever,” said Mehnaga Mathivanan, a kolam artist who has been practising the craft for over 20 years. 
Traditionally, kolams are drawn at the entrance of homes to welcome the goddess Lakshmi, bringer of wealth, and to share prosperity with all creatures – even the smallest ants that feed on the rice flour.
Another kolam artist Maegala Yegambaram, 40, who has been designing for 13 years, says the practice remains a vital cultural expression, even if its appearance has changed.
“A kolam is like a warm greeting,” she said.
“It’s the first thing you see when you enter a home or a mall. It’s a gesture of welcome. It’s also about feeding small animals. It’s sharing prosperity, not just decoration.”
From rice flour to stickers and carpets
In recent years, traditional kolams are slowly being replaced by printed carpets and ready-made sticker versions.
“Now people just go on Google, find a design, print it and stick it on the floor,” said Mehnaga. 
“There’s no life in that. A handmade kolam takes skill and patience which cannot be replaced with vinyl.”

Mehnaga has been doing ‘kolams’ for 20 years and is a master at colour shading and contrast. — Picture by R. Loheswar
Mehnaga, who has done thousands of kolams since her college days, said she used to receive up to 10 mall commissions a year but recently it’s slowed. She said stickers and carpet kolams that you can buy online have become more popular.
Despite that she remains known in  the industry for her colour technique – mixing tones using rice instead of water, a method that gives her designs more depth and structure.
“If I want a pink colour, I start with the darker tone and lighten it with rice. Most people don’t know how to do that anymore,” she said.
In 2009, Mehnaga – fondly known as Anjali – earned a place in the Malaysia Book of Records for creating the biggest kolam by an individual at the time. Her 299.7 square metre masterpiece was completed over three days at Berjaya Times Square. 
More recently,  she did the entire floor at Paradigm Mall in 2014 which she says was the longest kolam she’s ever done. 
The many faces of ‘kolam’
Kolam or Rangoli kolam as many artists call them come in a dazzling variety of forms. 
Traditionally they were drawn freehand using rice flour or coloured powders, depicting geometric patterns, flowers, and sacred symbols.
Today, Maegala and Mehnaga are often asked to create designs that merge religious iconography with modern aesthetics.

A peacock motif ‘kolam’ for Deepavali by Mehnaga. — Picture courtesy of Mehnaga Mathivanan
Popular requests include the peacock, representing beauty and grace; the lotus, which symbolises purity and prosperity; the elephant, seen as an emblem of wisdom and strength.
During Deepavali, many kolams also feature mud lamps, their flickering flame woven into the designs as offerings to light over darkness. 
Some artists even incorporate mirrors, beads and fresh flowers to give their creation texture and depth.
For Maegala, however, the art’s spirit lives on especially as public interest surges again. 
“This year requests increased tremendously and I’ve done more than four in malls, studios even at the Petronas Twin Towers Sky Deck.
“Most people still want traditional elements,” Maegala explained.
“A lady holding a lamp, or a peacock surrounded by lotuses, it’s all cultural still. Even when we make it modern we keep the meaning,” she said.
“Still the job comes with challenges especially from kids stepping on the kolams,” she laughed.
“We finish one and within minutes it’s ruined. Repairing it takes time and we’re already packed with work. Sometimes we really need the community to help protect them,” she said.
With so many requests for kolams Maegala admits she hasn’t had time left for her own Deepavali preparations but she still remains passionate about her craft like Mehnaga.
“The beauty of the kolam is in the doing. Every line, every grain of rice it’s prayer. And when people stop to admire it that’s enough.”
Even as places roll out printed carpets and online stores sell DIY kolam kits, both artists believe the tradition will survive through those who continue to bend, draw and breathe life into the floor.
“Kolams will change but they won’t die,” said Mehnaga.
“As long as there’s Deepavali, someone will always draw the first line.” - malaymail

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