Rangoli kolam designs are drawn every morning at doorsteps across Tamil Nadu, and this gallery brings you 40 of them, from tiny daily kolams to big festival pieces. You will find white rice flour kolams, pulli kolam on dot grids, Telugu muggulu and modern kolams with colour.
Each design lists the size, level and time, so you can pick one that fits your entrance and your morning. If you are new, start with the dot grids in our dot rangoli designs page, or try the simple rangoli designs for a quick start.
Daily White Rangoli Kolam Designs for the Doorstep
These white rangoli kolam designs are the ones women draw every morning after washing the doorstep. They are free hand daily rangoli designs that take 5 to 15 minutes with just a bowl of rice flour.
1. Eight Point Star Kolam in Looping Lines
An eight-point star made with one long looping line. About 45 cm wide, it is a good first kolam for the daily doorstep and takes 10 minutes.
2. Wave and Dot Threshold Kolam Strip
A long threshold strip of waves with a dot inside every curve. Draw it in one sweep for a quick morning kolam across the whole door width.
3. Free Hand Six Petal Lotus Kolam
Six rounded petals with leaf flicks between them. Rice flour shows up beautifully on a cow-dung floor, and this one needs about 12 minutes.
4. Linked Diamond Kolam with Curled Corners
Three diamonds linked in a row, each corner curled into a small spiral. Simple to repeat and very neat when the floor is still damp.
5. Round Sun Kolam with Wavy Rays
A round sun with twelve wavy rays and a spiral centre. A cheerful free hand rangoli design for daily use that fits any small entrance.
6. Facing Swans Kolam with a Heart of Necks
Two swans face each other with their necks forming a heart. It looks detailed but uses only curves, about 15 minutes of work.Pulli Kolam Rangoli Designs with Dots (Chukki Kolam)
Kolam rangoli designs with dots start with a grid of pulli, also called chukki in Kannada and Telugu homes. The grid keeps everything even, so these simple rangoli kolam designs are perfect for beginners. Start with an easy rangoli kolam on a 5 by 5 grid.
7. Square Knot Pulli Kolam, 5 by 5 Grid
A 5 by 5 straight dot grid with lines looping around each pulli to make a square knot. The easiest grid to learn on.
8. Lotus Kolam on a 7 to 4 Grid
On a 7 to 4 dot grid, the middle row has 7 pulli and the rows reduce to 4. A lotus sits neatly inside it in about 15 minutes.
9. Flower Vine Chukki Kolam, 9 to 5 Grid
A 9 to 5 chukki grid turned into four flowers on a vine. Keep the dots 3 cm apart for a 60 cm kolam.
10. Big Mandala Kolam, 15 to 8 Grid
The 15 to 8 grid is for festival mornings. It fills a whole courtyard and needs about 45 minutes and a steady hand.
11. Interlaced Chain Kolam, 6 by 6 Grid
Chain links woven around a 6 by 6 dot grid. The trick is to keep every curve the same size as the one beside it.
12. Peacock Pair Kolam, 11 to 6 Grid
Two peacocks share an 11 to 6 dot grid, their tails drawn as loops. A favourite for weekends and small competitions.
13. Small Kalash Kolam, 5 to 3 Grid
A small kalash on a 5 to 3 dot grid with mango leaves on top. Five minutes of work, good for the pooja room door.Modern Rangoli Kolam Designs with Colours
Modern rangoli kolam designs with colours keep the white rice flour outline and add soft fills. These new rangoli kolam designs suit Sundays, birthdays and festival mornings.
14. Pink Lotus Kolam in a Yellow Ring
A white outline lotus filled with pink, sitting in a yellow ring. Fill colour with a paper cone to keep the white lines visible.
15. Green Parrots on a Blue Pot Kolam
Two green parrots sit on a blue pot. Bright colours stand out on a red floor, and the outline takes 10 of the 30 minutes.
16. Rainbow Petal Wheel Kolam
Twelve petals in rainbow order around a white kolam centre. A bright new rangoli kolam design that photographs well for family groups.
17. Orange Chakra Muggulu with Purple Border
A Telugu-style muggulu with an orange chakra and purple border. It mixes old dot work with new colour, about 35 minutes.
18. Three Colourful Butterflies Kolam
Three butterflies in a triangle, each in a different shade. Easy for children to colour once an adult draws the outline.
19. Teal Fish Circling a Lotus Bud Kolam
Two teal fish swim around a pink bud. Fish are a sign of good luck, and the round layout fits a small courtyard.Small Rangoli Kolam Designs for Daily Use
Small rangoli kolam designs are for busy mornings and narrow flat entrances. Each easy small daily rangoli here is under 40 cm and done in about 5 to 10 minutes, so they work as easy rangoli designs for daily purpose.
20. Looped Heart Kolam for a Flat Entrance
A small looped heart drawn in one line. Fits outside a flat door in five minutes with two pinches of rice flour.
21. Swastik in a Dotted Square for Pooja
A swastik inside a dotted square, often drawn on Fridays. Keep the arms equal by sketching a plus sign first.
22. Four Leaf Cross Kolam for the Tulsi Pot
Four leaves meet at a dot to form a cross. A tidy small kolam for the balcony or tulsi pot.
23. Haldi Yellow Flower Kolam on Dots
A 4 by 4 dot flower with a yellow fill. A touch of haldi colour makes a small kolam look festive.
24. Shankh Conch Kolam with Spiral Curls
A shankh drawn with three spiralling curls. Popular on pooja mornings and very quick once you learn the spiral.Margazhi and Festival Kolam: Attractive Designs with Flowers
During the Margazhi month, streets in Tamil Nadu fill with big kolams. These attractive rangoli kolam designs with flowers and festival themes also work as a rangoli kolam for Pongal and Diwali.
25. Pongal Pot and Sugarcane Kolam
A pongal pot boiling over, flanked by two sugarcane sticks. Easy rangoli designs like this are drawn on the eve of Thai Pongal.
26. Marigold and Rose Petal Flower Kolam
A flower rangoli kolam: marigold and rose petals fill a white kolam frame. Lay petals last so they stay fresh for the day.
27. Kuthu Vilakku Lamp Street Kolam
A tall brass lamp with five flames, the centre of a big street kolam. Plan about one hour and half a kilo of colour.
28. Diwali Kolam with a Ring of Diyas
Eight diyas in a ring joined by white loops. Light real diyas at dusk and the kolam glows.
29. White Chrysanthemum Star Kolam on Granite
White chrysanthemum petals form an eight-point star inside a dot kolam. Very elegant on dark floors.
30. Sun Wheel Kolam for Puthandu Mornings
A sun wheel with leaf rays for a fresh start. Good for New Year and Tamil Puthandu mornings.Telugu Muggulu Rangoli Designs
Muggulu is the Telugu name for kolam, and Telugu families simply call the rangoli muggulu. These muggulu rangoli designs use chukki grids and often add a gobbemma or a kalash for Sankranthi.
31. Gobbemma Muggulu for Sankranthi
Small gobbemma cow-dung balls topped with flowers sit on the muggulu. A Sankranthi custom from Andhra homes.
32. Kalash and Coconut Muggulu with Haldi
A kalash with coconut on a 7 to 4 grid, filled with haldi and kumkum. Neat and auspicious for any pooja.
33. Temple Chariot Ratham Muggulu
The ratham muggulu is drawn on Kanuma and joined to the neighbour's kolam with a line. A unique and happy tradition.
34. Lattice Muggulu, 10 by 10 Grid
A 10 by 10 lattice of curves. Patience matters more than skill here, about 30 minutes.
35. Peacock Feather Fan Muggulu in Colours
Five peacock feathers fan out from a dot base. Blue, green and gold give this muggulu a modern feel.Sikku Kolam: Line Kolam Designs Rangoli Makers Love
Sikku kolam uses one or two lines that loop around every dot and never break. These kolam designs rangoli experts practise for years, but simple ones are easy to start.
36. One Line Sikku Kolam on a Diamond Grid
One unbroken line loops around a 5 to 1 diamond grid. Start at the top dot and do not lift your fingers.
37. Braided Square Line Kolam
Two lines braid through a 7 by 7 grid like a plait. Draw both lines slowly so they cross at the same angle.
38. Coiled Naga Sikku Kolam for Nagapanchami
A coiled naga made in one line, drawn for Nagapanchami and Aadi Fridays. Takes practice but looks magical.
39. Four Petal Chain Border Kolam
A long chain of four-petal sikku units. Repeat the same unit across the door, as long as you need.
40. Temple Gopuram Sikku Kolam
A gopuram tower built from looping lines. A proud piece for temple festivals and competitions.How to Draw a Kolam with Rice Flour
Wash the doorstep with water and let it stay a little damp. Wet floors hold rice flour better. Take a pinch of flour between your thumb and first finger and let it fall in a thin line while you move your hand steadily.
- Put the dots (pulli) first. Keep them 2 to 3 cm apart for small kolams and 4 cm for big ones.
- Draw the curves around the dots from the centre outwards.
- For colour, finish all white lines first, then fill with a paper cone or a spoon.
- Mix a little white stone powder into rice flour if the floor is very smooth. It flows more evenly.
How Much Flour and Colour You Need
| Kolam size | White rice flour | Colour powder | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (30 cm) | 2 tablespoons | 1 tablespoon | 5 to 10 min |
| Medium (60 cm) | half cup | 50 g | 15 to 30 min |
| Big (1 to 1.5 m) | 2 cups | 250 to 500 g | 45 to 60 min |
Rice flour also feeds ants and birds, which is part of why kolam is made with it. For more colour ideas see our rangoli designs with colours.
Tips to Make Your Kolam Neat
- Practise new grids on black chart paper with chalk before you draw on the floor.
- For round kolams, press a bangle lightly on the floor to mark a perfect circle.
- Sprinkle a little water around the edges in summer so the wind does not blow the flour away.
- Sweep the old kolam gently with a soft broom and rinse before drawing a fresh one.
Common questions
What is the difference between kolam and rangoli?
Kolam is the South Indian form of rangoli, drawn mostly in white rice flour with lines around dots. Rangoli is the wider term and often uses more colour. Many people now search for rangoli kolam designs because both styles mix today.
Which are the best simple rangoli kolam designs for beginners?
Start with a 5 by 5 dot grid or a 7 to 4 grid. Draw a lotus or a square knot around the dots. These simple kolam designs take about 10 minutes and teach you how to keep curves even.
Can I draw kolam without dots?
Yes. Daily free hand simple rangoli designs like the sun, lotus and wave strip on this page need no dots. Mark a centre point and draw outward, turning the design as you go.
What does 7 to 4 dots mean in pulli kolam?
It means the middle row has 7 dots and each row above and below has one less, down to 4. This makes a diamond-shaped grid. The same rule applies to 9 to 5 and 15 to 8 grids.
How do I make modern rangoli kolam designs with colours look neat?
Draw the white outline first and let it settle. Fill colours with a paper cone, keeping a thin gap from the white line. Use bright shades on dark floors and darker shades on light floors.
Why is kolam drawn with rice flour?
Rice flour is cheap, white and easy to clean. It is also food for ants and small birds, so the kolam is seen as a daily act of sharing. For festival days you can add colour, see our Sankranti rangoli designs.
