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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian religions > Religions of Indic & Oriental origin > Hinduism
Every day millions of Tamil women in southeast India wake up before
dawn to create a kolam, an ephemeral ritual design made with rice
flour, on the thresholds of homes, businesses and temples. This
thousand-year-old ritual welcomes and honors Lakshmi, the goddess
of wealth and alertness, and Bhudevi, the goddess of the earth.
Created by hand with great skill, artistry, and mathematical
precision, the kolam disappears in a few hours, borne away by
passing footsteps and hungry insects. This is the first
comprehensive study of the kolam in the English language. It
examines its significance in historical, mathematical, ecological,
anthropological, and literary contexts. The culmination of Vijaya
Nagarajan's many years of research and writing on this exacting
ritual practice, Feeding a Thousand Souls celebrates the
experiences, thoughts, and voices of the Tamil women who keep this
tradition alive.
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