Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25 (PTI) A large rangoli depicting Lord Krishna’s Vishwaroopam is drawing attention at Kanakakkunnu as part of the Tourism Department’s Onam celebrations.
The striking artwork was created by Niruba Sathish, librarian at the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies, who has been practising the traditional art of rangoli for nearly three decades.
Tourism, Cinema and Culture Minister P C Vishnunadh on Tuesday said this year’s Onam celebrations had been designed with a strong focus on Kerala’s traditional art forms.
A wide range of programmes has been arranged to attract visitors to Kanakakkunnu, the main venue for the week-long Onam celebrations organised by the Tourism Department.
The large rangoli depicting Krishna’s Vishwaroopam is among the attractions, Tourism Department officials said.
Niruba took four days to complete the artwork. Working entirely with her fingers, she carefully blended multiple colours to create the facial features and intricate details.
Using colour powders, rice powder and other natural materials, the rangoli portrays the divine Vishwaroopam, the cosmic form of Lord Krishna revealed to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.
The artwork seeks to convey the idea of oneness and the profound spiritual message imparted by Krishna to Arjuna.
Niruba’s Vishwaroopam at Kanakakkunnu brings together devotion, tradition and visual artistry, adding a distinctive cultural attraction to this year’s Onam celebrations.
For Niruba, the artwork is a continuation of a family tradition.
“My mother used to create pictures during Pongal. I developed that tradition further through my own work,” she said.
She has been creating rangoli artworks, predominantly depicting gods and deities, for around 30 years. What began as an art form inspired by her mother has evolved into a distinctive creative practice that combines traditional rangoli techniques with detailed portraiture.
In Tamil Nadu, where the tradition of drawing kolam, a geometric floor art, at the entrance of homes is deeply rooted in everyday life and festivals, Niruba was introduced to the art by her mother.
Her mother regularly created kolams and also drew pictures during Pongal.
Inspired by her mother’s creativity, Niruba began experimenting with the art form and gradually developed her own style, focusing particularly on gods and deities.
Over the years, what began as an influence from her mother has evolved into a three-decade-long passion for creating elaborate rangoli artworks, a statement said. PTI LGK SSK
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