Kolam tradition in South India: rangoli in Indian threshold design

Book Details

• Publisher: ADITYA PRAKASHAN Indological Publishers & Booksellers

• Language: English

• Edition: New Delhi

• Year: 2019

• ISBN-13: 9788124609279

• ISBN-10: 8124609276

• Subject: Fine Arts

• Binding: Hardcover (assumed – please confirm)

About the Book
This book explores Kolam, a traditional form of threshold drawing practiced by women in South India. Kolam is a sacred and aesthetic art that defines religious and cultural spaces, serving as both a prayer for protection and prosperity. The art form is based on a geometric grid, where dots (pulli) guide the crossings and smooth edges, creating elegant designs that harmonize with the concept of the cosmos.

The book delves into the mathematical principles underlying Kolam, with the infinite knot patterns following specific rules that blend artistry with mathematical elegance. Renowned mathematician Marcia Ascher describes the principles of numbers in Kolam as expressing the dynamics and motion in matter, demonstrating the multiplicity of the void. Kolam also traces unilinear paths, producing polyrhythmic music through its symmetry, a feature observed by dancer Chandralekha who linked Kolam to yoga.

In addition to its cultural and religious significance, Kolam has influenced fields such as computer graphics, ethnomathematics, ethnomusicology, the textile industry, and even therapeutic applications for the visually challenged. The book also highlights how the Kolam tradition relates to similar cultural practices across the world, from sand patterns in Africa and the South Pacific to the mosaics of ancient Rome.