RangoliLotus rangoli
A lotus seen from above, with two rows of pink petals and green leaves showing behind them. The lotus is linked with Goddess Lakshmi, so this design is a favourite for Diwali and for the puja room.
- Level
- Medium
- Size
- About 60 cm across (2 feet)
- Time
- About 30 to 45 minutes
- Steps
- 6
- Good for
- Diwali, Navratri, puja days
Colours you need
YellowPinkDark pinkGreenWhite
Tap Outline to see the design as lines, then print it to practise on paper or to colour in.
How to draw it, step by step
Sweep the floor and wipe it with a damp cloth so the powder grips. Mark the centre with chalk. Then follow the pictures. Each one adds one part.
Make a small filled circle in yellow. This is the centre of the whole design, so place it carefully.
Draw eight short pointed petals around the centre, filled in pink. Mark the eight tips with dots first so the petals come out even.
Draw eight long pointed petals in the gaps between the earlier ones, filled in dark pink. Mark the eight tips with dots first so the petals come out even.
Draw sixteen long pointed petals in the gaps between the earlier ones, filled in green. Mark the sixteen tips with dots first so the petals come out even.
Place sixteen white dots in a ring. Drop a pinch of powder and press lightly for each dot.
Draw a thin white circle around the design. A string held at the centre, with chalk at the other end, keeps it round.
Tip: Draw the inner row of petals first. The outer petals then go in the gaps, each tip rising between two inner petals.
Where it works best
The lotus suits the puja room, the space before a Lakshmi or Saraswati picture and the main door on Diwali evening. It reads well from above, so a courtyard that people look down on from a balcony or stairs is a good place for it.
What usually goes wrong, and the fix
Two rows of petals in two pinks only show if the pinks are clearly different, so keep the dark pink for the inner row. Leave a hair of floor, or a thin white line, between neighbouring petals. Without it the row melts into one pink ring and the lotus is lost. More fixes are on rangoli problems and fixes.
Make it your own
- Swap one ring of petals for flower petals or for real diyas placed on the floor.
- Add one of the border designs around it to make it larger without drawing a harder centre.
- Print the outline and try two or three colour plans with pencils before you choose.
New to rangoli? Read how to make rangoli and colours and materials first.