US: Kolam artistry part of Biden-Harris inauguration ceremony

Kolam, an Indian art form of geometric patterns used as a sign of welcome, was part of virtual kick-off ceremony of the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris here on Saturday.

Thousands of kolam ties were made as a tribute to the first woman and first India origin vice president Harris.

"Kolam is a traditional art form from Tamil Nadu South India. Women draw it on the floors outside their houses powered rice. These geometric pattern consisting of dots and lines are a symbol of welcome and also the reminded to enter the house with positive energy," said Shanthi Chandrasekar, an award-winning multimedia and multidisciplinary artist from Maryland.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee hosted the virtual event called "An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating America's Changemakers."

Inauguration Kolam 2021 is part of the official Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) Kick-off event.

In South India, where Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has roots, women draw kolams on the ground to invite health and prosperity into houses where they are displayed, according to Inauguration Kolam 2021.

Hundreds of artists, citizens and students of all ages from across the country collaborated online to combine their local pieces with global strength for the inauguration.

A kolam is an Indian art form of geometric patterns, used as a sign of welcome.

Drawn outside homes, the beautiful designs made of dots and lines provide a sense of joy and calm to all who enter.

Traditionally hand-drawn with rice flour, kolams are inclusive and eco-friendly. The dots on a kolam depict hardships in life, and the lines drawn around the dots represent the way we navigate around our struggles and turn our lives into a beautiful mosaic work of art.

( With inputs from ANI )