Biju K Chacko
Department of Media Studies, Christ University, Bangalore
Paper Title: "Kolam Practice Among
Christians - an Art Cuts across Religious
Boundaries"
Abstract
India without art is unimaginable! India is home to various art and culture.
Any festival or auspicious occasion is incomplete without an integration of
art. Kolam is a floor decoration at the entrance of the house with traditional
patterns. Kolam is an age old traditional religio-cultural floor art form
prepared in front of Hindu houses (labyrinth) everyday early morning by the
woman of the house in the southern part of India, Tamil Nadu. The woman of the
house draws an artistic design using lines and dots. From the basic geometric
design to complex art, ‘Kolam’ is represented in various ways and is
traditionally transferred from one generation to another. What makes ‘Kolam’ an
interesting area of study is the fact that it is not only practiced among traditional
Tamil Hindu families but also also followed among Tamil Christians. The aim of
this paper is to analyse various Kolam depicted by Tamil Christians and also to
understand the religious themes and symbols followed in the art. For this
study, a sample of 10-20 designs were photographed and collected through field
visits and analysis is done.
Fr. Biju K Chacko is a faculty and coordinator in the Department of Media Studies at Christ University. His area of interest and specialization are in art and media. Currently doing a research on Kolam, a floor art form of South Indian tradition in Tamil Nadu.
Fr. Biju K Chacko is a faculty and coordinator in the Department of Media Studies at Christ University. His area of interest and specialization are in art and media. Currently doing a research on Kolam, a floor art form of South Indian tradition in Tamil Nadu.