Bengaluru artist creates Sankranti rangoli

Bengaluru-based rangoli artist Kusum Krishnamurthy has created a Makara Sankranti mandala series that showcases the various aspects of the harvest festival through thoughtfully selected motifs and colour palettes.

It features traditional Sankranti elements such as the rising sun god, symbolising the start of Uttarayana, surrounded by vibrant kites that evoke joy and celebration. ‘Ellu bella’ is represented with motifs of sesame seeds, jaggery, and sugarcane, signifying sweetness and warmth. Pots overflowing with milk and grains symbolise abundance and prosperity. The use of earthy yellows, reds, greens, and whites reflects the colours of the harvest

Kusum’s designs are primarily based on mandalas — circular forms that start at the core and expand outward with symmetry, repetition and balance. Her work is rooted in tradition but shaped by imagination; her rangoli work moves beyond familiar patterns to explore
festivals through geometry and symbolism.

While rangoli has long been associated with daily rituals near the tulasi brindavan or temple spaces, Kusum approaches it as a canvas for storytelling.

She creates her mandala designs intuitively, allowing each layer to evolve organically rather than following templates.

“I prefer freehand drawing,” she says, explaining that copying existing designs limits expression. The artist frequently incorporates gentle lines, flower-like shapes, and textures that resemble grains into her creations.

By blending cultural symbols with structured geometric forms, Kusum’s rangolis offer a contemporary take on a traditional art.