A rangoli is a colourful design made on the floor near the entrance to a house to welcome guests. At Diwali, Hindus draw bright rangoli patterns to encourage the goddess Lakshmi to enter their homes.

Rangoli patterns are traditionally drawn with the fingers using rice flour or coloured chalk.

Rangoli were originally small patterns of about 60cm square, but now entire areas of floor can be covered in intricate designs, often produced by first drawing gridlines in light chalk.

To make a rangoli pattern to hang in your house as a welcome greeting, download the worksheet opposite and follow the instructions.

If you would like to design your own rangoli pattern, download the grid sheet opposite.

Remember, rangoli designs can be any shape but they must be symmetrical.

Symmetrical means that if you fold an object in half, the two sides are mirror images.

Rangoli designs are usually made up of geometrical shapes. They can be square, rectangular or circular ’Äì or a mix of all three. Rangoli motifs are often taken from patterns in nature.

When you have finished your design, colour it in and stick it to a piece of card.

Cut around it and make a hole in the top to thread through some string or ribbon.

Use the string or ribbon to hang your design near to the front door as a welcome greeting to guests.

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