Kolam
A pattern of lines and loops drawn daily with white rice flour at Tamil doorsteps.
Also: pulli kolam
Each morning, in many homes of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states, a woman sweeps the threshold, sprinkles it with water and draws a kolam. A grid of dots is laid down first, then a continuous line is looped around them or straight lines joined between them. The powder is traditionally rice flour, which feeds ants and birds, a small daily act of giving. Feet and weather wear the design away by evening. During the month of Margazhi, from mid December, kolams become larger and competitions are held. Mathematicians have studied their patterns.