The very first time I went to the house of my Tamil teacher, Dr. K. V. Ramakoti, I was greeted by beauty even before I entered the yard. On the ground before the gate was a simple but beautiful design made with rice flour.
Handmade Beauty
As I’d learn, the design was called a kolam, which is one of the words in Tamil for “beauty.” Each morning my teacher’s wife, Mrs. K. R. Padmavathi, who I addressed as Amma, “Mother,” made a different kolam by hand.
In fact, nearly every house in his neighborhood featured a new kolam each morning. All across south India you can find them in front of even the most humble of dwellings.
Here’s a kolam that caught my eye on one of my recent trips to India, more elaborate than usual in honor of a celebration called Karthigai:
What struck me at the beginning, and continues to strike me now, is not simply how beautiful Amma’s kolams always were, but also how centered and present and relaxed she was in making each one of them.
On ordinary days, they might be very simple and would only take her a minute or two to make, but they would always be beautiful and new.
She taught me how art-making can be a form of meditation without saying a word.
Meditate With Kolam Art
I’m thus delighted to tell you about a new book by my friend Guruprasad Vijayarao and the artist Sandhya Deepak. It’s called Meditate with Kolam Art and is a guide for anyone interested in the art of making kolams and the ways doing so can cultivate mindfulness.
If you or anyone you know might wish to explore combining beauty with meditation, I encourage you to take a peek at this beautiful book.
By the way, I’m sharing it out of friendship and my love for kolams rather than any sort of affiliate relationship. I like to do things the way Amma liked to do things–freely, joyfully, for the love of the people in her home and in her life.
All good wishes to you and yours for the holiday season!
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