Kolam

• Kolam or also known as Muggu is a form of drawing that is drawn by using rice flour, chalk, chalk powder or rock powder, often using naturally or synthetically colored powders.
• It is mainly done in Sri Lanka, the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and some parts of Goa, Maharashtra as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and a few other Asian countries.
• A Kolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots.
• In South India and Sri Lanka, it is widely practised by female Hindu family members in front of their houses.
• Kolams are regionally known by different names in India, Raangolee in Maharashtra, Aripan in Mithila, Hase and Rangoli in Kannada in Karnataka.
• More complex Kolams are drawn and colors are often added during holiday occasions and special events.

Significance of Kolam:

• Kolams are thought to bring prosperity to homes.
• The mathematical properties of Kolam are being used in the computer science field.
• Kolam patterns are studied and algorithms are developed for regenerating kolam designs with different patterns has been done.
• Algorithms for drawing kolams are used in the development of Picture drawing Computer software.
• Kolams are used for research in the Computational Anthropology.
• As Kolams have a strong relationship with contemporary art and art history, they are used in the artwork and media field.
• Kolams are also used to simplify the representation of complex protein structures for easy understanding.

https://www.thehindu.com/society/meditation-on-rice-flour/article33509868.ece?homepage=true