Kolam is a beautiful decoration that is found at the entrance of almost all the houses of Tamil Nadu. A traditional kolam is done by sprinkling water on the entrance of the house and drawing beautiful geometric patterns with diluted rice flour paste. The kolam varies from simple geometric designs to highly complex designs.
According to the Hindu religion, it is a belief that the kolam is an auspicious factor that attracts positivity to our households and drives away all the evil energy. It is also believed that kolam welcomes Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth into our home.
Kolam is an important and mandatory part of Tamil culture. Beyond these spiritual reasons, some scientific benefits are hidden in this art of kolam.
Benefits
- Early mornings are filled with good oxygen levels. When women go out to draw kolam they inhale good air which makes them energetic throughout the day.
- Women tend to bend down when they draw kolam. This is a great exercise for the backbone of women since women are more easily prone to backbone pain than men.
- Drawing beautiful patterns in kolam increases the creativity of women to a greater extent.
- Creating something beautiful at the beginning of the day helps women to maintain a pleasant mindset throughout the day.
- Drawing kolam requires a lot of patience and focus. Performing this art at the beginning of the day helps women to manage their day productively.
- There is a type of kolam called ‘sikkal kolam’ which has highly complex designs. When women draw this kolam they simultaneous improve problem-solving skills which is an essential skill for a woman in her marital life.
Both our tradition and science prove to us that art is a mandatory part of our life. Life can be led efficiently when we infuse the subtle nature of art into our lifestyle.
“The purpose of art is washing the
dust of daily life off our souls” - Pablo Picasso