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Shimmer and shine
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Glitter is in this festive season. Here is a quick guide to do up yourself and your home.
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A PROMISE of a bright joyous year is what you usher in with the numerous diyas that come alive in the house for Diwali. This joy is reflected in the preparations--the goodies, home decorations or doing up your own self. And if you are thinking how to, here is the season's forecast (read colours and glitter). It is time to wear all the flashy reds, pinks and bright yellows and pair them up with ethnic jewellery and then take a few hours to sit down with the rangoli, where the mantra this season is, `be creative'.
The festive couture...
For him... The look is essentially ethnic, a kurta pyjama teamed with a stole in crushed tissue to make the look complete, says Vivek Khurana, `Origins'. Ethnic ensemble in textured fabric, silk ikkat and kalamkari with a little embroidery on the collar and buttons, coordinated with a stole in silk is the look for the season, he says.
For her... The fusion look is in. "It is divided ghagras with short kurtas for the festive glimmer in crushed tissue and brocade layered with nets, embellished with antique work in dull bead embroidery, says Mukta Bajaj, `Perfections'. Check out gota patti with coloured kundan stones on saris and salwar kameez, kalamkari in the Indo-westerns or hipsters with halter blouses and stringy stuff for the season.
Accessories... If you are wearing spaghetti or sleeveless tops, go for trendy armlets. Metal bangles are in, so are traditional anklets in gold and silver mixed with colourful, modern anklets, says Mukta.
The look... "Subtle glitter," recommends Laila Kakade, `Begums'. Pair up your ensemble with sparkling maang tikkas. And it is a simple bindi decorated with bright colours. "Stones are in, -- to decorate the bindi or use them on the forehead and chin. Mehndi has gone creative with zardosi, but you have to be careful as the glitter can come out in the chores at the festival. Match the mehndi with the clothes, with a streak of colour and the gold and silver glitter. The colour can be used directly from the tubes available in the market," says Laila.
And for the home...
Apart from the conventional rangoli in colours, the options today comprise fresh and dry flowers, glitters, beads, dry fruits, dals, diyas and more. "You just have to be creative. Ideally it takes two to five hours to make a rangoli based on the pattern and size," says Kumud Dharia, `Ethnic Creations'.
Rangoli in simple steps... Plan a design. Or you can choose a pattern from the rangoli design books available in the market. Making a red `geru' mud base, draw the design with muggu powder or chirothi in dots or free hands tracing geometric, floral or traditional motifs like Ganesha or the peacock. Add colours, flowers, mix and match with pulses, coloured or golden rice (mix rice with clear polish and gold glitter to get the golden rice) and sprinkle over with glitter before arranging the diyas. Be creative... "You can weave a story with rangoli, a havan scene for instance. For the base of the rangoli felt paper can be used. To make a priest, on a walnut base place an areca nut (supari) and paint it with a smiley. Do a turban with the red thread, and a place a strip of dried coconut with slokas painted in hands made of two halves of cashew. You can use peacock feathers, whole haldi, dry fruits, betel leaves for the designs; you only have to get a bit innovative," says Kumud.
For the time-crunched lifestyle, you can do rangolis with oil paints that stay for about a year; they can be removed later with a thinner. Fevicol is used to keep the formation stay for a long time. Or you can buy the sticker rangolis available in the market. Rangolis can also be pre-arranged on a thali.
Rangoli on water... Floating rangolis made with flowers and diyas are gorgeous and can brighten up the ambience. You need a flat earthenware bowl for the floating rangoli. Cut a circular drawing paper to match the diameter of the bowl. Placing the paper on the ground, draw the required design and fill it up with petals, flowers and finely chopped grass. Place the paper carefully in the bowl and gently pour in water along the sides of the bowl till the paper reaches the level of the rim. Place a few lightweight ethnic bamboo stem diyas. Sprinkle the rangoli with glitter.
Decorate the floor surrounding the base of the bowl using chopped grass and glitter. Light the diyas and voila! you have sparkling rangoli ushering in joy and happiness.
SYEDA FARIDA
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