Message Rangolis
I have come across beautiful or meaningful paintings, sand sculptures and photographs conveying socially relevant messages. My childhood friend Sadhana (Sadhana Rajhans Tembhekar) is a very sensitive lady who believes in social commitment immensely. She is an excellent artist and possesses a hidden talent of which we all friends became aware recently.
The culture of drawing a Rangoli or making a Rangoli pattern in the front yard of the home is an integral part of Hindu culture and tradition. These rangolis are a creative art and showcase the mastery of the artist in colour combination, symmetry, neatness, fineness and drawing. The lady of the house, whatever may be her social status or strata of the society, gets up in the morning, cleans the courtyard and sprinkles it with water and at times, smears it with cow dung. Then with fine rangoli powder, she makes a rangoli pattern. The size of the rangoli does not matter. (As I write this article, in my mind's eye, arises a graceful lady, like the one in Raja Ravi Varma's portraits ,squatting down on her haunches and drawing a rangoli). Then she fills it in with colour or at times, puts a pinch of red vermilion and turmeric powder in it. On festivals and on the occasions of celebrations, huge colourful rangolis adorn the court yard. Now due to changes in the lifestyle of the people and work culture, the number of women drawing these rangolis has decreased. The flat culture or apartment culture too has affected this age old art due to space constraint. With the passage of time, the patterns of Rangoli have changed or new patterns have emerged. Free hand Rangoli is in vogue due to its adaptability and ease. Another noteworthy factor is that in modern times, the art of rangoli has become gender neutral.
I don't know if my usage 'Message Rangolis' is appropriate or not. I believe Rangoli with a message, as it is described, gives prime importance to Rangoli and a little less subservient status to the message. A message rangoli is drawn because of a felt need, out of social consciousness and a sense of commitment, to make people aware of certain social ills, stigmas and problems. Here the message is in the forefront.
So going back to the topic with which I began this essay, my friend Sadhana should be appreciated and applauded for her excellent craftsmanship. In these ten days of Ganesh Puja, Sadhana has each day drawn a Message Rangoli and has uploaded its photo on Facebook as well as on What's App to spread her message among people at large. Not only this, she has elaborated upon the importance of each day of Ganeshotsav in her write ups. Her attempt to take people back to their roots is laudable.
She wished all her friends on day one of the puja through the medium of rangoli and as she had done it in the past, this year too decided to depict ten different facets of Lord Ganesha to highlight ten social issues. The idea itseif was so exhilarating that after the day one, at least some time in the day, would be spent discussing her that day's rangoli with other friends and the theme of the next day's message.
On day one, her Ganesha arrived dressed up gorgeously in a red purple sovala and blue purple uparana and with a kamandalu in his hand and a chhatra overhead, walking elegantly, and bestowing upon the devotees the confidence and trust that the Rain God would accompany him to bless all his devotees. It was simply breathtaking. In her next effort, Ganesha arrived with the message of water conservation. At this time, when most of the Maharashtra was grappling with acute water scarcity, her message of 'Jal hai to kal hai' and 'Save water' was significant. Very aptly she projected a bucket overflowing with water, the scorching sun, cracked land surface and dry clouds. In the midst of all these, were palms holding a drop of water. A lot of previous planning, consideration and thoughtfulness must have gone into the execution of this rangoli. The next surprise was on a rare kind of donation-the most noble donation-blood donation.It gives one the satisfaction of giving and saving some one's life. God has the ability to give us life. All we can do is to save it. The rangoli conveyed the message that blood donation done once, can save up to three lives. Blood transfusion, the red colour of blood and blood being supplied to three human beings went on to complete this message.
Mahalakshmi Pujan or Gauri Pujan is done for three days during Ganpati. Adishakti has always been worshiped in our culture. In the same culture, female foeticide and infanticide is very common. It is a misconception that female foeticide is common in illiterate, uneducated, rural, poor classes of the society. Women's Studies reveal that the percentage of both is more in educated, urban, civilized sections of the society. Gender discrimination too is observed in our surroundings. As responsible members of the society, is it not our duty to make people aware of how unjust and wrong it is. This too is a part of social awareness campaign, according to the crusader Sadhana. Very symbolically she has shown a tear drop from a female eye. This tear drop is the womb of the foetus and a scissors is touching the umbilical cord. An imbalanced, lopsided weighing scale apperas with the message that her tears will not correct the imbalance. Timely action is necessary to save the girl child. What a message and the day on which it was delivered! Simply awesome timing.
In her next social endeavour, she sheds light on the epicurean life style of people.People are becoming more materialistic and addicted. In this rangoli, she mentions smoking.A cigarette is depicted as a man with a yellow butt end as a cap and hands on its waist and is shown smoking a man. The caption reads as 'Kill Smoking or It Will Kill You." In an informative comment, Dr. Anita (an erudite scholar) said that deaddiction from smoking requires immense will power and moral strength. She pointed out that the percentage of smokers is on the decline in the West due to its evil effects and in India, the young are falling prey to it "just for thrill." Another alarming fact in India is the increase in the number of female smokers in India. The rangoli unknowingly became a platform for dissemination of information and exchange of ideas. This kind of give and take is noticed in almost all the mesage rangoli posts.
to be continued . . .
Watch out for more tomorrow . . .
