US Capitol pavements adorned with traditional Kolam rangoli designs to welcome Biden-Harris
Showcasing the multi-cultural heritage of America at the virtual kick-off inaugural ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris, the floors in front of the US capitol building were decorated with traditional Indian kolam designed tiles,women in Tamil Nadu draw Kolams on the ground to invite health and prosperity into houses where they are displayed.
A Twitter handle dedicated to the Indian diaspora in the USA called ‘Indiaspora’ posted the pictures of the event with caption ‘some beauty after the chaos’,It was a sort of tribute to Kamala Harris having Indian roots from her mother’s side in Tamil Nadu, people were seen drawing the traditional Kolam rangoli in front of Capitol Hill.
The historic event saw the online participation of 1,800 individuals from across the US and many from India.The initial idea was to have these Kolam patterns from across the country in front of the White House as a symbol of good beginning to the new administration but it could not pan out due to stringent security reasons.
Washington DC Public Schools arts director Mary Lamber said the District of Columbia Public School arts curriculum focuses on equity and believes cultural representation is an important part of that effort.
“This project provided an opportunity for our students to learn about another culture and the math skills needed for creation in the arts. As well, an opportunity to express their identity through visual arts and to see that united with others from around the country,” said Lambert.
