Small rangoli designs

One motif each, about 30 to 60 cm across: for a flat’s doorstep, a balcony, the corner by the puja or beside a single diya. Most take ten to fifteen minutes.

• Lotus bud

  Simple

  A lotus bud is a promise: what is closed today will open in the light tomorrow.

  You’ll need Magenta, white, green and yellow colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one upright line. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw a short upright chalk line, and a line across it near the bottom for the leaves.

  2. Outline. Draw a tall pointed petal on the line, a smaller petal either side, two small leaves at its base, a stem and two long leaves.

  3. First colours. Fill the middle petal with magenta, the side petals with white and the stem and long leaves with green.

  4. Finished. Add the small green leaves, a white streak up the middle petal and yellow dots round the bud.

• Bell

  Simple

  The bell is rung as the puja begins, to call good thoughts in and send the rest away.

  You’ll need Yellow, saffron, magenta and white colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one upright line. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw an upright chalk line, and a line across it low down for the rim of the bell.

  2. Outline. Draw the bell round the line, narrow at the top and flaring at the rim, a ring on top, a bow and a round clapper below.

  3. First colours. Fill the bell with yellow, and the rim band, ring and clapper with saffron.

  4. Finished. Colour the bow magenta, draw a small magenta flower on the bell and add white dots.

• Tulsi planter

  Simple

  Tulsi, holy basil, grows in a planter in the courtyard of many homes and is watered and lit for each evening.

  You’ll need Saffron, green, magenta, yellow and white colours, and chalk. No dot grid: a square and one upright line. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw an upright chalk line and a square across its lower half for the planter.

  2. Outline. Add a rim on top and a step below, an arched niche on the front, then the plant: a stem, pairs of leaves and three flower spikes.

  3. First colours. Fill the planter with saffron, the rim and step with magenta, and the stem and leaves with green.

  4. Finished. Colour the niche yellow with a saffron flame in it, the spikes magenta, and add yellow and white dots.

• Dot flower

  Simple

  Dots pressed one by one with a fingertip: the first rangoli most children make, and still one of the prettiest.

  You’ll need Magenta, saffron, yellow and white colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one circle and a cross. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw a small circle with chalk and four lines through it, making eight spokes.

  2. Outline. Mark a row of dots along each spoke, large near the middle and small at the tip, and a shorter row between each pair.

  3. First colours. Press the spoke dots in magenta, the rows between in saffron and fill the centre with yellow.

  4. Finished. Add magenta and white dots round the centre, yellow dots between the petals and a ring of white dots.

• Mango

  Simple

  The mango is the king of fruits and a sign of plenty; its leaves hang over doors at every festival.

  You’ll need Yellow, saffron, green, magenta and white colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one circle. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw a chalk circle a little below the middle, and a wider one round it for the dots.

  2. Outline. Draw the mango on the circle, round at the bottom with a small dip on one side, a short stem on top and a long leaf.

  3. First colours. Fill the mango with yellow and the stem and leaf with green.

  4. Finished. Shade the right side of the mango with a saffron crescent, draw a yellow vein down the leaf and add white and magenta dots.

• Little star

  Simple

  A small star at the door, drawn in a few minutes, stands for one more light on Diwali night.

  You’ll need Deep blue, magenta, yellow and white colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one circle and five lines. About 30 to 60 cm across.

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  Step by step4 stages

  1. Chalk guide. Draw two circles round one centre with chalk and five lines out from the middle, evenly spaced.

  2. Outline. Join the ends of the lines to the inner circle to make a five-pointed star, and draw a round petal between each pair of points.

  3. First colours. Fill the star with magenta and the petals with deep blue.

  4. Finished. Draw a yellow star inside, a magenta centre, and add white dots at the tips and yellow dots on the petals.

Magenta, white, green and yellow colours, and chalk. No dot grid: one upright line. About 30 to 60 cm across.

1. Step 1 · Chalk guide

   Draw a short upright chalk line, and a line across it near the bottom for the leaves.

2. Step 2 · Outline

   Draw a tall pointed petal on the line, a smaller petal either side, two small leaves at its base, a stem and two long leaves.

3. Step 3 · First colours

   Fill the middle petal with magenta, the side petals with white and the stem and long leaves with green.

4. Step 4 · Finished

   Add the small green leaves, a white streak up the middle petal and yellow dots round the bud.

• Simple and easy rangoli designs12
• Flower rangoli designs6
• Kolam and dot rangoli designs6
• Border and corner rangoli designs5
• Diya and Lakshmi Puja rangoli designs5
• All rangoli designs for Diwali40