Welcome Spring…in Marathi Way

After a gloomy, cold winter, it’s Spring!! The trees are blossoming again. The flush of colorful blooms everywhere feel refreshing. I even spotted a nest in our front yard a few days ago, and now see the mama bird feeding her three teensy-weensy chicks diligently. It’s a new beginning for everyone. And quite literally for me as I officially embark on my new journey as a writer. 

Let me introduce myself! I am Maitreyee Pandit (pronounced as My-tray-ee Pun-deet). I was born and raised in Pune, a city in the western part of India. I moved to the US when I was in my early twenties to pursue masters in biomedical engineering and then worked at various medical device companies as a quality engineer. Now I live in sunny California with my two darling daughters and a very supportive husband as I work my way up to becoming a children’s author.

India is very diverse with over a hundred languages spoken. I grew up in the state of Maharashtra where the primary language is Marathi (my mother tongue). Marathi is also the third most popular language in India (and 11th most popular language globally). There are over 90 million native Marathi speakers only within India. With language comes culture. And is there a better way to preserve it and spread it, than through the stories?   

As a writer, I love storytelling, obviously. I like telling stories that are funny, witty, and goofy! But I also want to tell the lesser known stories. Stories about my language, my culture, my heritage. They are unique but relatable to kids all over the world. These blog posts are tidbits of my life, my stories that are a combination of my culture that’s adapted for an American life. You might find a recipe here, or a tradition or a craft or just might just learn a new Marathi word here as I teach it to my kids! 

So what are we doing this week? Just this past week, we celebrated the Marathi New Year called ‘Gudhi Padwa’ (more about that in the next post). Irrespective of a culture, any celebration is incomplete without decorations. For celebrating Gudhi Padwa we decorated our home with a Flower Rangoli. Today I will share how you can create one! 

What is Rangoli?

Rangoli is an art form in which intricate designs and patterns are created on the floor or in water. The patterns are typically created with colored sand or flower petals. 

With the colorful spring flowers blooming everywhere, let’s create a flower rangoli. 

DIY FLOWER RANGOLI

What you will need?

Colorful flowers! A good excuse to be in nature to get some vibrant ,colorful flowers! Just step into your backyard or go for a walk around the neighborhood or pick some wildflowers from a nearby trail. Pick as many different colors, shapes, sized flowers as your heart desires. Be mindful and always ask for permission if you are picking flowers from someone’s private property! Pick some leaves for a pop of green or brown pinecones, because why not?

Tell me which design you liked the most? I would love to see pictures of your flower rangoli! It could be the center piece for your next family gathering or celebration!! :) 

Thanks and see you in the next post!