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Volunteers from BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir participated in the Kew Gardens ‘Full of Spice’ festival by creating a colourful rangoli made with an array of spices.
Rangoli is a traditional art form originating in India that uses colours to create intricate designs and patterns.
Visitors at the launch of the event on Saturday 23 May were treated to an artistic depiction of a peacock with supporting flora and fauna.
The volunteers took several hours to create the rangoli using a range of spices and seeds found at Kew. This included turmeric, chillies, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, mustard seeds, fennel, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, and others.
Similar rangoli decorations can be seen at the Mandir during large festivals, such as Diwali, where the colourful designs can take days, if not weeks, to create, due to their size and intricacy.
Dipti Parekh, a volunteer from the Mandir, was part of the team of ten creating the rangoli to mark the launch of the ‘Full of Spice’ festival. She explained: “Rangolis are beautiful pieces of art that can brighten up any surrounding, and we’re really pleased to be able to bring a flavour of India to Kew Gardens in this way. The rangoli, as well as everything else on offer during the festival, really will be a feast for all the senses and we hope people can enjoy and learn from what’s on offer here.”
The Full of Spice festival at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew explores the botanical origins of these mystical commodities, from the distant lands in which they grow, to the botanists authenticating them at Kew for hundreds of years.
To learn more about the Full of Spice festival, running at Kew from 23 May to 6 September, please click here.
Disclaimer: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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