A man carries a dog and wades through a flooded street in Chennai, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, December 2, 2015. Weeks of torrential rains have forced the airport in the state capital Chennai to close and have cut off several roads and highways, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded in their homes, government officials said Wednesday. (Photo by AP Photo)

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.

A Sri Lankan activist, who wrapped himself with fire crackers, walks in Colombo on July 23, 2014 to symbolically demonstrate against people burned during Anti-Tamil riots on the island thirty-one years ago. Official accounts placed the death toll at 400 while human rights activists put the toll at thousands. (Photo by Ishara S.Kodikara/AFP Photo)

Traditional dancers from southern state Tamil Nadu prepare themselves as they wait to perform during a press preview of displays being featured for the upcoming Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 22, 2019. The Republic Day is an annual showcase of India's military hardware and cultural diversity. India celebrates its 70th Republic Day on January 26. (Photo by Sajjad Hussain/AFP Photo)

Coonoor is a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea. Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1,850 m above sea level and is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty. Coonoor is known for the massive private tea plantations that surround the hills. The local economy of Coonoor runs on tourism and tea production. (Photo by Qamar Abbas)

A car “crashed” into the ground at Hackescher Markt in Berlin, Germany on November 15, 2016, ahead of the launch of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May's new show, “The Grand Tour”, on Amazon Prime Video, on Friday. (Photo by Clemens Bilan/Getty Images for Amazon Prime Video)

Cara Delevingne poses onstage for Savage X Fenty Show Presented By Amazon Prime Video – Show Sneak Peak at Barclays Center on September 10, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Savage X Fenty Show Presented by Amazon Prime Video)

Vanessa Hudgens attends Savage X Fenty Show Presented By Amazon Prime Video – Arrivals at Barclays Center on September 10, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Savage X Fenty Show Presented by Amazon Prime Video)