Rangoli
Rangoli, as it's commonly known in many parts of India is a popular traditional art form of the country. It is a design made at the entrance of a house, which is believed to bestow good fortune to the household. Rangoli can be wall art as well as floor art.Symmetrical patterns are drawn and then layered with coloured rice powder or sand. Rangoli is known as Muggulu in Andhra Pradesh, Rangavalli in Karnataka, Kolam in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Chowkpurana in Uttar Pradesh, Madana in Rajasthan, Aripana in Bihar and Alpona in Bengal. The term rangoli is derived from words rang (colour) and aavalli ('coloured creepers' or 'row of colours'). Festivals like Diwali are incomplete without Rangoli.
 Traditionally, the lady of the house starts her daily chores with the drawing of a rangoli. The designs are symbolic and common to the entire country, and can include geometrical patterns, with lines, dots, squares, circles, triangles; the swastika, lotus, trident, fish, conch shell, footprints (supposed to be of goddess Lakshmi), creepers, leaves, trees, flowers, animals and anthropomorphic figures. These motifs often are modified to fit in with the local images and rhythms. One important point is that the entire pattern must be an unbroken line, with no gaps to be left anywhere for evil spirits to enter.
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Kolam
 The less flamboyant version of Rangoli, Kolam is practiced in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Early in the morning women can be seen drawing Kolams. As elsewhere in the country Kolam has both a cultural aspect as well as a religious one. Kolams are drawn to welcome visitors, specifically the Goddess of wealth - Lakshmi. The month of Margazhi is especially significant with respect to Kolam, when women cover the entire width of a road. What makes the task even more daunting is that no pattern can be repeated during the period.
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Alpona
The women folk of Bengal have been practicing the traditional art form of Alpona for ages. Like Rangoli Alpona too are designs painted on the floor to welcome good fortune and chase away evil spirits. These designs have been used for ceremonial as well as religious purposes.
It is believed that the word alpona might have originated from the Sanskrit alimpana, which means 'to plaster', or 'to coat with'. The designs are made with a small piece of cloth soaked in a solution of ground rice. Some of the other materials used in this art form include rice powder, coal, and powder of dried leaves. Alpona designs vary according to the occasion, as in the case of Laksmipuja a circular design is created while during Bhaidooj, the designs are geometric and symmetrical with motifs like birds and flowers. Some of the popular motifs used in Alpona include sun, owl, footprints of Laksmi (the goddess of prosperity), betel, fish, shankhalata and lotus.
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