Kolam and Andal necklaces for Margazhi

Today is the last day of the Tamil Month of Margazhi. Tomorrow, we celebrate our harvest and Thanksgiving festival Pongal or Sankranthi that marks the beginning of a new cycle. More than ever, this year, there has been a lot of buzz about kolams for margazhi. Kolams are transient art drawn using chalk and rice powder in southern India. If you are unaware of what kolams look like, then check out this post to know about the different types of kolams. As a lot of people are working from home, the need to rush to office early in the morning is no longer there. This in my opinion has freed up more time to draw kolam, on the ground, in the morning as it is traditionally practiced.

Kolams for Margazhi

With focus on online education, several Instagram and Youtube channels are teaching people how to draw kolams. Two pages that I follow are Kolum Podu and Lotus Shakti. While both discuss kolams, they do so from different points of view. Bharghavii Mani of Kolum podu goes with a scientific modern approach and try to rationalise the practice. Furthermore, she approaches the drawings from a design point of view rather than as an art. However, Hema Kannan of Lotus Shakti focusses more on the aesthetics and the religious approach. Both are inspirational. Here is a video from Kolam podu which almost sounds like a highlights reel of all kolam posts that I have written so far.

Kolam and Andal necklaces for Margazhi

While others drew kolams on the floor, I took to making a few Kolam and Andal necklaces. I made four kolam based pieces, of which two are below. Both are sold.

The first one is a traditional white line pulli kolam on a purple background. I used glass beads and an agate teardrop to create the piece. I saw wooden bezels/frames at a craft store and I was very excited to try one with resin. To my surprise, it turned at pretty great at the first try and looked gorgeous. Subsequent attempts with wood and resin have been a complete failure though.

I was in a blue daze in December and just had to use my new turquoise blue beads. It seemed the only thing that calmed me down on crazy days. The pendant has a cross pulli kolam which looks like a Celtic knot. It is sold.

I also made one necklace based on Andal, the poetess-saint-goddess who composed and sang a song for every day in the month of Margazhi. This necklace with glass beads is for sale.

That’s it about kolam and Andal for the day. I am trying to make and launch a new collection tomorrow and at the moment it is a swim or sink situation. Stay tuned for the gallery post soon. I have been posting teasers on Instagram for the last two days and hopefully it will be much appreciated.

I hope you found it interesting
Cheers