MUGGU

Also known as rangoli, it is the art of creating patterns on the floor (usually in front of houses and temples) using flour, coloured sand or flower petals (chalk in our case). Its purpose is decoration, although it is said to bring good luck, too.

 

 

Design vary depending on the occasion. They are usually inspired by nature, but they can also be in the form of abstract art. So you can find geometric shapes, deity impressions or flower and petal figures. They can be every size and are generally done by girls and women, for festivals, auspicious observances, marriage celebrations and other similar gatherings.

 

 

If there's one thing Indians like doing (apart from making flower strings) is decorating their houses and worship places. Some would say that they always do it in a cheesy manner, but anyway that's the Indian way.

 

 

But muggu is different! For me it's a creative expression of art. Girls learn to do it from their mothers, so at a very early age they are experts! At school they make competitions to see which pattern is prettier and more original.

 

 

To do it, first you have to clean the surface where you are going to draw it; wet it lightly if it is on soil. Then you draft lines of dots. Each dot has to be in the middle of the two dots in the upper row. After that you link the dots building the desirable sketch. Finally you fill the model with different colours. And there it is! Muggu is ready!