rangoli colours

In the city today and took a detour through the suburb of Victria Park and a stop at an Indian grocers for Lime and Mango Pickle.

MUCH more interesting were these highly coloured bags of coloured sand (charoli) and decorations in store for Diwali the Hindu festival of Lights which happens this month.

The very patient and informative lass in the shop explained that the sands are used to create designs on doorsteps and floors during the festival to welcome Hindu deities and repel evil spirits.
All sorts of patterns and ancient symbols are composed with sands (and also flowers, rice, charcoal, sawdusts) and after a couple of days brushed away...a bit like the Buddhist sand mandalas made by monks and then when finished brushed away and sometimes poured into watercourses.
The rather blingy bejewelled delights are used as part of the rangoli as extra decoration.

So much for decluttering..am back there tomorrow for some bags of charoli and jewels.
Oh and I did get Diwali diyas today...more later on those.
Bliss!