Another Rangoli Competition

Another Rangoli Competition

This is the best acknowledgement I have received for my blogs so far. 

On 7^th December, 2011 as I was leaving office, I got a call on my mobile. A lady spoke saying that she had seen my blog and would like to know if I can judge a Rangoli competition in their office.

For a second, I wasn’t sure if it was a crank call. I went on to ask her details of the kind of office, the competition and number of judges etc., not really taking her seriously.

Finally, I let myself agree to be the one and only judge for this competition in a software firm in Tidel Park, Thiruvanmiyur. This lady, Ahalya, said that one of her colleagues will call and take details of where to pick me up and advise me on the timings. The competition was supposed to be the next day.

Pat came the call from another girl in 30 minutes asking me if it will be convenient for me to come to their office on Monday, 12^th December as the competition had been postponed to then.

Monday evening by 3.30 pm they sent a car to my office to pick me up. This was my first visit to Tidel Park and I was zapped by its sophistication.

I entered the office where the competition was being held (I was specifically requested by Ahalya not to mention the name of the company as it is against the company policy) and they were a young cheery lot!

Ahalya & her colleagues

It was quite a sight with the hi-tech cubicles with software people working on one side and a very traditional Rangolis being made on the other side!

Peacock almost ready

Half done peacock

Beautiful looking floral pattern

Another floral pattern in progress

Christmas theme rangoli

Ganesha done by a couple of guys

Another Ganesha

There were totally seven Rangolis with two participants per team. All the Rangolis were very nice and quite difficult to judge.

The interesting criterion was the presentation or the explanation of their Rangoli by the respective teams. In this the team who made the Ganesha Rangoli won hands down! Their explanation of the Ganesha and the ambigram were very nice.

Lovely Rangoli with an ambigram which reads LIFE here

The ambigram reads DEATH here

I could not give another prize to another Ganesha and this is the only reason the other Ganesha Rangoli team did not get a prize! Their presentation was also beautiful explaining the various colours they used!

The second prize was for the very beautiful peacock. It was very colourful and the presentation given here was good fun with the other colleagues asking the participants to explain the name of the tree on which the peacock was perched!

I had to give the special prize to the Christmas Rangoli as it was very different from the usual ones. At least I have never seen Christmas depicted on a Rangoli! The presentation made by this team was also nice with the explanation of how Christmas signifies joy and gifts, etc.

The two teams with different floral Rangolis were very nice but not unusual. The colour combinations were so beautiful that seeing the photos, my husband asked me why I had not considered one of these for the first prize.

Another Rangoli was also of a peacock, not so colourful but with many gradations of colour as the team explained. They also had done a good job especially with entering the fray at the last minute.

All in all, it was good fun and the organizers gave me a memento to take home. I thank Ahalya and her team for this opportunity.

I also thanked Geetharani  in our colony who had conducted the Rangoli competition last year which gave me entry into this new territory!