In celebration of the Hindu festival diwali, The Tiffin Girls’ School hosted a rangoli inter-house competition on Wednesday the 8th of November for years 7 to 9 and Thursday the 9th for years 10, 11 and 12. The competition was a raging success, as it has been for many years.
Rangolis are commonly drawn on the floor at the front of a house and are believed to bring prosperity to the house and family, as well as good luck. Although some families choose to draw them regularly, most families draw them on special occasions such as Diwali, Pongal and other special religious, or non-religious, events. Chalk and colourful powders are often used to draw the rangoli, an art form which originated in the Indian subcontinent.
Each class was given a 30x30cm piece of cardboard on top of which they had to design their rangoli, in order to ensure easier transport and less damage to the intricate designs. Unlike traditional rangoli designs, classes were encouraged to use more unique materials than the classic rangoli powder; this would not only ensure their house more points but result in a more unique end result.
Overall, the competition was a raging success; Bollywood music was played whilst the students worked to produce beautiful rangoli designs under stressful timed conditions. “The dancing, singing and cheering could be heard from miles away. It was a wonderful experience and I can’t wait for next year’s competition to see what creative designs my friends create,” said Ahavilie Prabhakaran, student at The Tiffin Girls’ School. Diwali is a beautiful festival, and this inter-house competition is, arguably, one of the best ways to celebrate its beauty.
