Nava Alpana: New Decorative Designs of India

This book is a presentation of new decorative designs by artist Kajal Dass Beck. Displaying her unique sense of creativity and imagination they are nonetheless based upon and inspired by the traditional folk art of Bengal known as alpana (alpona in Bengali pronunciation). Thus she has chosen the title Nava Alpana (New Alpana). Alpana belongs to the larger category of what is known as Indian rangoli in which patterns are created on floors of temples courtyards living spaces or other surfaces utilizing rice flour water and other materials for religious and domestic ceremonies. (From the Introduction by Guy L. Beck)The book contains sixty example images of alpana portraying animals vegetables and various ornate squares triangles and diamonds. The some of the images are in black and white and others in full color.