2. PROJECT PROPOSAL Research Topic: PulliKolam Theme: Old story new media Project title: Bestow prosperity through dots and lines Ideation & concept: An installation created that helps user understand the method and value of PulliKolam. The concept is user have to make the PulliKolam patterns using a Infrared LED sensor towards the projection on the floor. This gives the user a real idea on how PulliKolam is being practiced. User need to combined the dots into patterns. Aim & Objective: I would like to design a creative game and develop it on a digital media application with the elements of multimedia. I also would like make the user recognize the installation’s original elements.
3. Problem Identification: There is no exposure of PulliKolam in Indian Culture and Heritage. Indian community rarely practices PulliKolam nowadays. Less percentages of Indian community in Malaysia practice PulliKolam than the Indians from South India. There is no proper awareness created to the public regarding the importance of PulliKolam. PulliKolam is not being practiced as a custom but it is being used for minor competition. PulliKolam needs to be showed and introduce to the younger generation and also to the other races. The value of PulliKolam needs to be engaged to the society as a form of art which includes good values.
4. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS Purpose: PulliKolams are thought to bestow prosperity to homes. Every morning in southern India, millions of women draw PulliKolams on the ground with white rice powder. Through the day, the drawings get walked on, rained out, or blown around in the wind; new ones are made the next day. Every morning before sunrise, the floor is cleaned with water, the universal purifier, and the muddy floor is swept well for an even surface. The PulliKolams are generally drawn while the surface is still damp so that it is held better. Occasionally, cow-dung is also used to wax the floors. In some cultures, cow dung is believed to have antiseptic properties and hence provides a literal threshold of protection for the home. It also provides contrast with the white powder. Decoration was not the sole purpose of a PulliKolams . In olden days, PulliKolams used to be drawn in coarse rice flour, so that the ants don’t have to work so hard for a meal. The rice powder is said to invite birds and other small critters to eat it, thus inviting other beings into one’s home and everyday life: a daily tribute to harmonious co-existence. It is a sign of invitation to welcome all into the home, not the least of whom is Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity. The patterns range between geometric and mathematical line drawings around a matrix of dots to free form art work and closed shapes. Folklore has evolved to mandate that the lines must be completed so as to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering the inside of the shapes, and thus are they prevented from entering the inside of the home. It used to be a matter of pride to be able to draw large complicated patterns without lifting the hand off the floor standing up in between. The month of Margazhi was eagerly awaited by young women, who would then showcase their skills by covering the entire width of the road with one big kolam.
5. Background: PulliKolam is a form of sand painting that is drawn using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home. It is widely practiced by Hindus in South India. A PulliKolams is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Generally, a PulliKolam is drawn with bare fingers using predetermined dots. The dots are either connected together to make a pattern or loops are drawn encircling the dots to complete a design. If rice and grated coconuts are used, the girl then fills her hand with the rice or coconuts and slowly allows it to fall as she forms the pattern following the dots. PulliKolam a very beautiful art of women ,related to Brahmin Culture ,which originated in South India more than 3000 years ago. PulliKolam is a symbol of Beauty and a welcoming Environment in every Brahmin families all over India ,particularly in Tamilnadu and some parts of Trivandrum , Thrissur, Kozhikode ,in Kerala. Drawing kolam’s also helps to improve mental discipline and concentration besides providing an opportunity for solving our day to day problems to be faced in our life. There are different types of Kolam’s. The kolam’s are referred as “Rangoli” in North India which are very colorful. While in South India it is mainly known as PulliKolam’s or NeliKolam’s. It is believed that the “Dots” are symbolic of Challenges which we have to face in our lives and the “Curvy” ,line around these Dots is the journey (Yathra ),during our life.
6. Patterns: A pattern, in which a stroke (Kambi, Sikku in Tamil) runs once around each dot (Pulli), and goes to the beginning point (endless/cycle), as a mostly geometrical figure. The stroke called as Neli from a snaky line. The stroke has Knot (Sikku) structure. A pattern could fill or use part of the dot grid. If that is the case, the same pattern, or a different pattern fills/uses up the remaining dot grids. Most of the times, these patterns together end up becoming a complex pattern. A pattern, in which a stroke runs around each dot not completely, but open. A pattern, in which strokes (Kodu/Kotto) are connected between the dots. Sometimes it represents kinds of objects, flowers, or animals etc. A pattern, in which dots are set in a radial arrangement, called Lotus. A pattern, which is drawn in a free style and mostly colorized. Links http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/arthist/icono/kavuri/kolam.htm http://web.me.com/melissaenderle/Travel_Journeys_by_Melissa_Enderle/Kolams.html http://www.saigan.com/heritage/alangaram/kolams/kolams.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbQcGdyT86M
8. Interview An interview was done with a PulliKolam artist. She was selected to be interviewed due to her experiences and the ability of her to talk very well on the details of PulliKolam. She also practices PulliKolam as a custom in her daily routine. My PulliKolam artist name is Madam AngelaiGanesh. During the interview, questions related to PulliKolam were asked such as history, reason of being practiced and patterns. I was also exposed to the patterns of own by Madam AngelaiGanesh. I conducted the interview to get the facts of PulliKolam but after interviewing the artist knowledge of making PulliKolam and the pattern works was also covered. I also interviewed the reason for lack interest towards younger generation on PulliKolam and the solution for these problems. There also was a question asked to see her opinion on New Media Technology in creating PulliKolam education. Madam Angelai was impressed and said it would really help to bring in more interest.
9. IDEA DEVELOPMENT I propose to create a pattern drawing game for this project. The concept is like “Do-A-Doodle program” in yahoo messenger. It is like we need to pick a color and draw on the surface give either using tablet or mouse. Same here user need to draw any designs of PulliKolam they want using the grid surface given. They can either pick the examples of design given or try out something on their own. This will make them think out of the box as it is not easy to draw PulliKolam designs on the dots of grid given at the surface. It usually will be done be expertise who has experiences. It is more likely a drawing and creating a design. The ideation of this particular project is on a monitor where we use tablet or mouse to draw the patterns and save the patterns for the user as that is their own design. There is also another way on this project where I can place the entire work on monitor on a surface which is ground as Kolam is usually done on the ground. I need to use the projector to project the whole layout and work on the floor and Wii-mote/ Infrared LED technique is used. The whole usage of mouse or tablet will be done by the led light sensor to draw the patterns on the floor.
10. Kids game as a reference for my project. Step 1 Prepare a grid of the required dimensions. Most Kolams are made with simple geometric shapes and are generally symmetrical. Then it becomes easy to follow the pattern. Step 2 Join the dots one by one and form interesting shapes. Step 3 Repeat the same design at the other end of the grid. Step 4 Fill up the complete grid with simple shapes and patterns. Step 5 you can create beautiful designs by varying the grid size and patterns within.
11. Johnny Chung Lee wii Projects: Tracking Your Fingers with the Wiimote Low-Cost Multi-point Interactive Whiteboards Using the Wiimote Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the Wii Remote Links : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czs2oJZY7hU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgOuZ2jJQBc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REIH4AjQxXM
13. CONTEXTUAL STUDIES Social context: The attitude of the Indian society in not knowing what is PulliKolam all about and not practicing it in their daily routine. Those days’ women practice this particular custom and they also take it as a healthy competition between the housewives at the neighborhood. Nowadays women are busy with their career and having less interest on doing Pullikolam at their places. Houses that they live actually are apartments and flats which maybe the reason they don’t have enough space to do PulliKolam. Cultural context: This custom has been a tradition among the South Indians family where it has been carried along by the generation. It also has a very good factor when PulliKolam is been done, it is like feeding the ants and birds. This shows that you are doing something good early in the morning. Each and every pattern that has been done is filled with meaning. It has been done using grids and dots which you may need talent and intelligence to make a PulliKolam. PulliKolam can be done occasionally where the patterns may follow the value of the occasion. Personal context: I would like to create awareness to the society and for myself about PulliKolam. I would like the society to understand the value of such beautiful and meaningful art by the South Indian custom. I would like to personally adopt and teach the rest of my friends on PulliKolam to make it look interesting.
20. FINAL SYNOPSIS PulliKolam a very beautiful art of women related to Brahmin Culture, which originated in South India more than 3000 years ago. PulliKolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops which is drawn around a grid pattern of dots. It is believed that the “Dots” are symbolic of challenges which we have to face in our lives and the “Curvy”, line around these dots is the journey (Yathra ) during our life. The installation is mainly about drawing PulliKolam patterns using the Infrared LED where the Wiimote will be the sensor of the infrared LED. The user will be drawing the patterns by connecting the blinking dots as a guide on the floor projection. This installation will introduce the method and the patterns of PulliKolam to those who have not know about it. This gives the user a real idea on how PulliKolam is being accomplished. This will give a huge challenge to each user as it is not easy to draw PulliKolam designs on the dots of grid given at the surface. It usually will be done be expertise who has experiences. It is more likely a drawing and creating a design with a guide. The user has to watch a small video before starting to apply the installation. After watching the video, user has to click the next button to start drawing the pattern. The background with dots will be projected on the floor. There will be blinking dots as a guideline for the user to start connecting. The user will have to take the chalk (LED infrared) given and start drawing. As the dots connected the pattern appears. Once done the user may click to go next for more patterns drawing or quit to stop the installation.
