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 little girl seen waiting in a queue to participate in the Kumari Puja ritual in Kolkata, India on March 30, 2023. Kumari Puja is an Indian Hindu Tradition mainly celebrated during the Durga Puja / Basanti Puja / Navratri according to Hindu calendar. Kumari actually describes a young virgin girl from the age 1 to 16 who is getting worshipped during the transition of Ashtami / Navami tithi of Durga Puja / Navaratri according to Hindu mythology. (Photo by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/Rex Features/Shutterstock)
Cadets of Tamilnadu Police perform an acrobatic stunt during a full dress rehearsal for the upcoming Republic Day Parade in Chennai on January 24, 2021. (Photo by Arun Sankar/Profimedia/AFP Photo)
A girl watches an acrobatic performance at the Longtan park as the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Monkey, is celebrated in Beijing, China February 9, 2016. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)
Inspired by traditional Indian travelling photography studios, Arthur Crestani photographed the inhabitants of Gurgaon, a city built almost entirely by private companies. Arthur Crestani’s “Bad City Dreams” contrasts the glossy ideal sold by developers with urban reality. Here: Luxury Living Bhiwadi: “Sky Club on 18th Floor”. (Photo by Arthur Crestani/The Guardian)
Brazil's team performs in the artistic swimming acrobatic routine final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Friday, November 3, 2023. (Photo by Matias Delacroix/AP Photo)
Members of Team Japan compete in the Artistic Swimming Team Acrobatic Final on day four of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 17, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)