Kolams by Lakshmi Raghu, Bharathi Bhaskar






Rangolis by Lakshmi Raghu




Floral Rangolis by Lakshmi Raghu




Rangoli using leaves and flowers by Lakshmi Raghu




Dry fruits Rangolis by Lakshmi Raghu




Water rangolis
Kolam and text by Lakshmi Raghu

Step 1: Take a steel or glass bowl / tray (with glass you can get 3D effect),
Apply lubricant on the surface by using ghee or oil, pour water upto edges of the bowl.

Step 2: Spead fine rice powder or white distemper powder on the surface of the water.

Step 3: Draw the design and fill the colours as required.




Kolams by Lakshmi Raghu created using items that are given to Sumangalis on festival days
(betel leaf, turmeric, kumkumam, bangles, mirror, mehendi, cosmetics, flowers, fruits...)


Rangolis created for Ramanavami
Kolams & text by Lakshmi Raghu, Bharathi Bhaskar
The kolams have been created using items offered to Sri Rama on Rama Navami Day.
BUTTER,PANAKAM, BUTTER MILK, DATES, KALKANDU, FRUITS, SOAKED GREENGRAM DHAL, HONEY, FLOWERS, BETEL LEAVES, RAISINS.
There is a BHADRAACHALA RAMADASA keerthana - that SRIRAMA'S name is the sweetest, greater than all these items.
"SRIRAMA NEE NAAMAM YEMI RUCHIRAA? O RAAMA NEE NAAMA ENTHO RUCHIRAA.
Meaning of these two lines - O SRIRAAMA, HOW TASTY IS YOUR NAME. O RAAMA, YOUR NAME IS SO TASTY.



Rangolis created for Ugadi
Kolams & text by Lakshmi Raghu, Bharathi Bhaskar 
The festival of "UGAADI" is celebrated on the first day of Telugu/Kannada new year every year. Each year has got it's own specific name.
The name for this new year is "SARVADHAARI" (on the same basis, we have 2007/08 and so on as per English calander).
On this day Telugu people prepare "UGAADI PACHADI" (chutnee) using six ingredients (SHADRUCHIES) such as SALT,GREEN CHILLIES {in some places pepper is also used}, TAMARIND, NEEM FLOWERS, JAGGERY AND RAW MANGOES.
The philosophy behind this is that life is a mixture of experiences and we have to face it with an even mind.
The kolam is created with mango leaves, neem leaves, flowers, bananas. turmeric, kumkum boxes are only for decoration.
In the second kolam, pepper has also been used for decoration.



The five elements
Rangoli and text by Lakshmi Raghu, Bharathi Bhaskar

19.05.08 is Sri Annamaachaarya's birthday
We created a kolam, inspired by the sankeerthana "BRAHMAMOKKATAY PARABRAHMAMOKKATAY"
of the renowned telugu and sankrit poet,composer and singer SRI ANNAMAACHAARYA Born on the fullmoonday of vaisaakha maasam in 1405A.D in Thaallapaaka village, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India, he wrote 32,000 sankeerthanaas on lord Venkateshwara of Tirupathi. His 600th birthday celebratoins are being conducted from 06.05.08 to 03.06.08. Meaning of the first line - "there is only one supreme God - LORD BALAJI".

The PANCHA BHOOTHAAS (EARTH, WATER, AIR, FIRE AND SPACE) are serving the universe justly without having any expectations and without any discriminations of CASTE AND CREED, like the Lord himself.

We should also try to be like pancha bhoothaas.
There are changes in the world, but unchanged is THE PARABRAHMA.




Light
Rangoli and text by Lakshmi Raghu, Bharathi Bhaskar

ASATHO MAA SADGAMAYA
THAMASO MAA JYOTHIRGAMAYA
MRITHYOR MAA AMRITHAMGAMAYA
meaning of the second line is "LEAD ME (US) FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT."
When the room is dark we can not see anything, buy when we put on a light we are very comfortable. In the same way our minds are darkened with desires, anger, greed, hatred, pride and jealousy (kaama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya)leading to our lives becoming miserable.
Therefore we should always offer our prayers to the Lord for bestowing us with the light of knowledge.