Through the rainbow

Decorations are an intrinsic part of celebrations. But how many of us actually do more than the conventional flowers, kandeels, streamers...

Decorations are an intrinsic part of celebrations. But how many of us actually do more than the conventional flowers, kandeels, streamers and balloons? But if you are the kind that uses the medium of colour to communicate, then even a routine celebration becomes an avenue for artistic expression.

The Osho Commune wears a festive look this time of the year. But this year the decorations outside the main gate are so vibrant and joyful that it beckons even a passerby to join in the fun. Bright, colourful kites with gold tassels have changed the mien of the Commune.

Ma Bodhi Darpana, the lady behind these unusual form of decorations explains, 8220;I am a colour freak and they mean a lot to me. So I decided to use the concept of a rainbow in these decorations. There is a bit of Osho in the idea of the rainbow, because he used to say that we humans must be like the rainbow, we must go through all the experiences, happy and sad, to know life. Besides, I feel this Commune is like a rainbow where so many people from different countries come together to live in harmony.

8220;For the kites, I decided to use one basic colour that would go from dark to light, keeping the aesthetics in mind. So the kites have shades of blue, green, yellow, orange 8211; actually all the 12 colours of the colour wheel. They flow in patterns and are much like the waves of the ocean.8221;

Darpana believes that colours are very powerful and have the ability to affect our emotional well being. Says she 8220;Colours have the ability to induce different feelings, blue induces feelings of peace, orange creates sensuality, and so on.

8220;We took corrugated plastic sheets that are generally used as packaging material and painted geometric designs with Fevicryl paint. In all we were 15 people involved in the making of these kites. But more than anything else, there was great joy in doing the job and I think that is what shows up in the kites.8221;

Though there is a mandala studio at the commune that specialises in paintings that are geometric and induce meditation, Darpana insists that these are not the typical mandala ones. 8220;Mandalas are circular in shape because a circle signifies completeness, whereas we have used mostly squares.8221;

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Strips of gold foil hanging from the three corners of the kites gives these paintings their look of festivity. Simple and uncomplicated, yet potent enough to evoke joy.