Sunday, January 2, 2011

Rangoli, ringing out, ringing in.....

Hello hello hello....so how was everyone's New Years Eve to-do??? I hope you are all back from a wonderful evening, ready and fired up to take whatever 2011 has to offer!!!!

I spent a good part of the last day in 2010 running around looking for Rangoli powder and all the necessary accoutrements.....our watchman's daughter and my father-in-law's attendant, both young girls in the mid to late teens, felt it was sacrilegious to have a New Year without Rangoli! So we took them Rangoli powder shopping, and they came back super thrilled with 12 rainbow colors, a quarter kilo of each color!!!!! Then for a couple of hours after that there was much discussion, and hushed conversations and rough drafts and sketches, and a lot of giggling and finally at about 4pm they started on their masterpiece!!!

It always amazes me when I watch people do this....they take a pinch of the white powder, hold it deftly between their fingers and like magic the outline appears...when I try to do this it looks rotten! Then they mixed the colored powder with sand - something about it being easier to spread - and filled in all the outlines. Everyone joined in.....while I took pics! Our dogs sauntered across the pattern a few times - making the girls really mad - leaving deep pink and saffron yellow paw prints all over the place.
The outline
The powder all sorted out by colors
Mixing in the sand
Filling in the colors


Getting there slowly....


Almost done
This was followed by a lovely dinner on the rooftop......even though the music from the club down the street and the coffee shop behind the house was deafeningly loud! We had Pink Floyd, Eagles and Beatles hits being horribly sung from the coffee shop along with Bollywood hits being even more horribly sung from the club down the street! Kishore Kumar and Don Henley singing together is NOT a good combo, trust me!
Then we headed inside for a great "ushering in" of the year 2011!!! My son and son-in-law are here and thanks to them, my husband and I abandoned our usual "laying on the couch in a stupor watching the countdown on TV and sleepily toasting in the New Year" routine....for a really fun watching of The Great Race...one of our all time favorite movies. And we timed it perfectly, so just when a kooky Jack Lemmon, a suave Tony Curtis and a gorgeous Natalie Wood ended their silly capers, it turned midnight!!!!
I hope to be back to my regular blogging routine soon....! Have a wonderful 2011!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh lovely pattern.. I love when its put together so well.. and so fast.. I've got to learn a few tips for sure..

The dog paws would make super cute patters as well.. *smiles*

Hope you have a fabulous week ahead of you!

Kunal Bhatia said...

Have a wonderful start to 2011 Kamini. Hope the year is as colourful as these rangoli patterns.

I just wanted to drop in a quick word of thanks for supporting Mindless Mumbai. And an invitation to join me on Facebook at kb/photography.

Sixpence and A Blue Moon said...

This is beautiful! I am in awe of Indian talent and creativity. Happy New year!

GB said...

Oh it's gorgeous, K! Looks like you had a fab new year's eve!Rangoli for new year--how pretty (and I must do this for 2012!)

Anonymous said...

What fun! I was in a lazy and sleepy stupor this year as my younger one watched the ball drop on tv. And the older one who is visiting family in Bangalore gave me a call to wish me :-). Enjoying your blog.

My3

Unknown said...

Wish you & your family a very Happy New Year! The Rangoli looks gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

Lovely rangoli Kamini. Wish you and your dear family a very Happy New Year. Hope you blog more this year enriching our lives and spirits.
lots of luv and best wishes,

Manu

Sound Horn Please said...

Through childhood, all the building helpers always wanted to do colorful rangolis for Pongal. it was almost sacrilege to say No, though we didn't celebrate Pongal.

Ann said...

Happy New Year, i discovered your blog via Komali nunna, where we simultaneously both did reviews of her cookbook. I've been in a trance after visiting your site since, moved me in many ways.....

sm said...

beautiful rangoli designs
happy new year

Gulzar said...

Wicked!