We don't always see culture and tradition come alive every day, but here in India, rich cultural traditions are hard to miss. One of these specific traditions is a type of street art called kolams.
Do you see street art in Brooklyn? Look out for it and see if you can see how it is connected to your local culture.
In the early hours of the morning, Indian women create kolams, which are beautiful drawings on the ground made of rice flour or chalk. These creations are usually made right out front of the house, but they can also be made in front of temples as an offering to God. Before the drawing is made, women clean the ground with water mixed with cow dung and then sprinkle the rice flour to create a floral-like pattern.
Kolams are designs in front of the house meant to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi into one's home. Goddess Lakshmi will then bless the home with wealth and prosperity. Many Indians try to live in harmony with all the creatures around them, so the rice flour also acts as food for ants and birds, not just art.
