Indian mother-daughter duo's rangoli enters Singapore Book of Records

An Indian mother and daughter team has made it to the Singapore Book of Records by creating a 6-by-6 metre rangoli artwork using 26,000 ice cream sticks which depicts notable Tamil scholar-poets.

Sudha Ravi, already listed in the record book for creating a 3,200 sq ft rangoli in 2016, along with her daughter Rakshita, presented the rangoli last week during a cultural event organised as part of the ongoing Pongal festivities in the Little India precinct.

The rangoli, which took a month to create, depicts notable Tamil scholar-poets Tiruvalluvar, Avvaiyaar, Bharathiyaar and Bharathidasan and coincides with the celebration of their works by Kalamanjari, a Tamil cultural organisation here, which organised the event, and the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA).

Violin and mridangam artists regaled the audiences with Carnatic music and songs lauding the works of the poets in the event on January 21, the Friday weekly Tabla! reported.

“Kalamanjari and team did a vocal performance on the songs of these scholars,” said Soundara Nayaki Vairavan, the founder of Kalamanjari, which promotes Tamil literary works through music and dance.

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Ravi, a rangoli specialist who actively promotes Tamil culture, usually uses rice flour, chalks and chopsticks to make rangoli but switched to acrylics on ice cream sticks this time.

She is also known for making rangolis at community centres, drawing the attention of non-Indian admirers in Singapore.

“Sudha and her daughter are part of the Tamil cultural activities in Singapore, and this is an assurance that the younger generation will continue to lift our traditions,” said Vairavan, also a stalwart of Tamil language and culture.

Rajini Asokan, who runs a food and beverage business, was in awe of the rangoli, which she said, was an outstanding highlight of the event and made her even prouder of Indian culture.

Kalamanjari organised the event, supported by LISHA, as a part of ‘LISHA Pongal Festival 2023’.