Early at sunrise, women and girls clean the ground in front of their houses. They first outline an intricate geometrical pattern with individual dots, and then draw lines around these dots. No brushes or paints are used, rice flour or rice paste is used and the kolam is drawn with bare fingers.

Ideally, a kolam consists of one single uninterrupted line, but there are some variations. Originally purely geometric, kolam has evolved into a complex, almost mathematical art with its own rules. According to these rules, the most intriguing patterns may be composed.

Let us know if you would like to see a demonstration.