A couple enjoys viewing illuminated autumn leaves with projection mapping at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden during a preview at the garden in Tokyo, Japan on November 22, 2023. The illumination will start on 22 November through 03 December 2023. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)

Rangoli, also known as kolam or Muggu, is a folk art from India in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals. It is usually made during Diwali, Onam, Pongal and other Indian festivals. They are meant to be sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed down through the ages, from each generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive. Similar practices are followed in different Indian states: in Tamil Nadu, there is Kolam in Tamil Nadu; Mandana in Rajasthan; Chaookpurna in Chhattisgarh; Alpana in West Bengal; Aripana in Bihar; Chowk pujan in Uttar Pradesh; Muggu in Andhra Pradesh and others.

Medieval jousters Luke Binks (L) and Andrew McKinnon pose for a photograph in Sydney, Australia, August 16, 2017 during a photo call for the World Jousting Championships to take place in Sydney on September 23 and 24. (Photo by Dan Himbrechts/Reuters/AAP)

People march past the Colosseum during the Gay Pride parade in Rome, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Italy joined the rest of Europe last month in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage. (Photo by Fabio Frustaci/AP Photo)

Fans dressed up in costume await the cast members on the red carpet at the world premiere of the film "The Avengers: Endgame" in Los Angeles, California, April 22, 2019. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

A couple watches office and residential buildings from the observation deck of Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest broadcasting tower, in Tokyo, Japan, August 18, 2021. (Photo by Marko Djurica/Reuters)

People visit the sunflowers installation, which is a part of the immersive exhibition “Van Gogh Alive” featuring large scale of Van Gogh artworks, produced by Grande Experiences during a media event in Tokyo on January 11, 2024. (Photo by Philip Fong/AFP Photo)

A woman walks past as South Korean soldiers participate in an anti-chemical and anti-terror exercise as part of the 2023 Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) at subway station on August 22, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. The 11-day exercise, which features drills including the handling of chemical and biological attacks, is a regular joint exercise between U.S. and South Korean troops. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)