Rangoli Designs & Patterns to Download: 24 Free Designs

What is a rangoli?

A rangoli is a decorative pattern drawn on the floor, usually at the entrance of a home, using coloured powders, rice flour, flower petals or grains. The name comes from rang (colour) and aavalli (row): a row of colours. On Diwali, rangolis are drawn at the doorway to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November, and most homes make their rangoli from Dhanteras through Lakshmi Puja evening.

Rangoli designs
How to draw a rangoli
Colours and materials
Motifs and meanings
Rangoli across India
FAQ

A girl decorating a colourful Diwali rangoli at night

Rangoli is usually finished at dusk on Diwali, just before the diyas are lit.

Free rangoli designs to download

Tap any rangoli design to open it full size, or use the download icon to save it. The collection runs from simple rangoli designs that take ten minutes to detailed rangoli patterns with deities, lotus and mandala work.

Traditional floral and geometric rangoli design for Diwali — Classic petals framed by symmetrical geometric borders.

Square rangoli pattern with a central flower motif — A square frame around a single bloom; easy to scale up for a doorway.

Elaborate Diwali rangoli design with diyas and flowers — Lamps set among layered petals, a showpiece for Lakshmi Puja night.

Simple Diwali rangoli design with a diya — A single lamp motif with a few colours; a quick, simple rangoli design.

Mandala rangoli pattern with a diya in the centre — Concentric rings radiating from a lamp at the centre.

Colourful geometric rangoli design with diyas — Bold geometric blocks with diyas at the corners.

Colourful floral rangoli pattern for Diwali — Bright overlapping flowers; works well with marigold petals.

Stylised floral rangoli design on a transparent background — A modern take on the lotus-petal outline.

Abstract geometric rangoli pattern in vibrant colours — Free-form shapes and colour blocks for a contemporary look.

Geometric rangoli pattern with colourful swirls — Curling lines inside a geometric frame.

Rangoli design with a kalash pot and swastika symbol — The auspicious water pot and swastika, two classic Diwali symbols.

Mandala rangoli design with star and heart shapes — A star-centred mandala edged with small hearts.

Floral swirl rangoli design with diyas — Swirling vines and flowers circling a ring of lamps.

Simple peacock rangoli design — India's national bird with a fanned tail; one of the most popular rangoli patterns.

Vibrant floral rangoli design with swirls — Saturated colours and flowing petals.

Rangoli design with Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi — The two deities worshipped together on Diwali evening.

Lord Ganesha rangoli design for Diwali — Ganesha, remover of obstacles, at the heart of the pattern.

Traditional rangoli pattern with a pot and leaves — A kalash with mango leaves, a symbol of abundance.

Diwali rangoli design with Lord Ganesha, flowers and lit diyas — Ganesha framed by flowers and glowing lamps.

Lotus rangoli pattern with layered petals — The lotus, Lakshmi's seat, opened out in layers.

Hexagonal rangoli pattern with floral swirls — A six-sided frame filled with floral swirls.

Simple geometric rangoli design with circles, squares and triangles — Circles, squares and triangles in orange, red and yellow; one of the easiest rangoli designs to copy.

Colourful circular rangoli mandala — A round mandala in vivid, contrasting colours.

Geometric rangoli design with stars and hexagons — Interlocking stars and hexagons for a crisp, tiled effect.

How to draw a rangoli step by step

Pick the spot and size. The doorstep, the courtyard or the floor in front of the puja area are traditional. A 60 cm (2 ft) circle is a comfortable first size.
Clean and dry the floor. Sweep and wipe it; powder will not hold on a damp or dusty surface.
Mark the outline. Lay a grid of dots (the kolam method) or sketch the design lightly in chalk. For circles, tie chalk to a string and swing it from a centre point.
Draw the white outline. Trickle rice flour or white rangoli powder between your thumb and forefinger along the lines. A paper cone with a small hole gives thinner lines.
Fill in the colours. Work from the centre outwards so you don't smudge finished sections. Keep each colour in its own bowl.
Sharpen the edges. Tidy borders with the side of a card or a dry brush, then re-trace any outlines that have blurred.
Add the finishing touches. Place diyas around the edge, scatter marigold or rose petals, or add Lakshmi's footprints leading towards the door.

For flower rangoli, modern patterns and rangoli with diyas, see our guide to Diwali rangoli designs and patterns.

Rangoli colours and materials

Ready-made rangoli powder is the easiest option, but traditional rangolis use kitchen and garden ingredients. Natural colours are kinder to skin and to the floor.

Natural rangoli colours
Colour	Natural material
White	Rice flour or rice paste; finely ground white stone powder
Yellow	Turmeric powder, often mixed with rice flour
Red	Kumkum or sindoor; crushed red brick powder
Green	Dried henna (mehndi) leaf powder
Orange and pink	Marigold and rose petals
Brown and texture	Lentils, pulses, rice grains and dyed sawdust for a raised, 3D effect

Other tools that help: a chalk stick, a ruler, a length of string, paper cones, a tea strainer for even shading, and stencils for repeating borders.

Rangoli motifs and what they mean

Common rangoli symbols
Motif	Meaning
Lotus	Purity and new life; the seat of Goddess Lakshmi
Lakshmi's footprints	Prosperity entering the home; drawn pointing inwards from the door
Diya	Light over darkness, the core idea of Diwali
Kalash	A pot of water with mango leaves; abundance and good fortune
Swastika	An ancient Hindu symbol of well-being and auspicious beginnings
Om	The sacred sound, placed at the centre of devotional designs
Ganesha	Remover of obstacles, worshipped alongside Lakshmi on Diwali
Peacock	Beauty and grace; India's national bird
Mandala and geometric shapes	Balance and harmony; circles, triangles and squares repeat outward from a centre
Sun, moon and stars	Celestial blessings and the cycle of time

You don't have to stick to traditional symbols. Many families design their own rangoli patterns each year, mixing flowers, animals and geometric borders.

Rangoli across India: regional names and styles

Rangoli is practised all over India and goes by many names. Designs differ by region, but the idea of a welcoming floor pattern is shared everywhere.

Regional names for rangoli
Name	Region	Style
Rangoli	Maharashtra, Gujarat	Coloured powder in bold, geometric and floral designs
Alpona	West Bengal	Flowing white rice-paste patterns drawn with the fingers
Kolam	Tamil Nadu	Rice-flour lines looped around a grid of dots, drawn each morning
Muggu	Andhra Pradesh, Telangana	Dot-based line patterns, similar to kolam
Rangavalli	Karnataka	Dot grids filled with colour
Mandana	Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh	White lime or chalk designs on red earth floors and walls
Aripan	Bihar	Rice-paste motifs from the Mithila tradition
Chowk purana	Uttar Pradesh	Square ritual designs made for pujas
Jhoti or chita	Odisha	White rice-paste line drawings

In Kerala, the flower carpet called pookalam is made for Onam rather than Diwali. Read more about Diwali traditions and how Diwali is celebrated.

Tips for a neat rangoli

Practise the design on paper first, or print one of the rangoli designs above to copy from.
Keep the design symmetrical by working one quarter at a time and mirroring it.
Choose two or three main colours with one contrasting outline rather than every colour at once.
Draw the rangoli close to the time you need it; indoor and doorway designs smudge with foot traffic.
Keep lit diyas at a safe distance from loose clothing, dupattas and curtains.

Rangoli designs: frequently asked questions

What is a rangoli?

A rangoli is a decorative pattern drawn on the floor, usually at the entrance of a home, using coloured powders, rice flour, flower petals or grains. The name comes from 'rang' (colour) and 'aavalli' (row), meaning a row of colours. Rangolis are made for festivals such as Diwali to welcome guests and Goddess Lakshmi.

Why is rangoli made on Diwali?

Rangoli is drawn at the doorway on Diwali to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, into the home. Many families also draw small footprints of Lakshmi leading inside. Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November, and rangolis are usually made from Dhanteras through the main Diwali evening.

How do you make a simple rangoli design?

Clean and dry the floor, mark a grid of dots or a light chalk outline, then fill the shapes with coloured powder held between the thumb and forefinger. Outline the edges in white, and finish with diyas or flowers. Start with a small circle or square design and build outward.

What can I use instead of rangoli colours?

Natural alternatives include rice flour for white, turmeric for yellow, kumkum for red, dried henna leaf powder for green, and flower petals such as marigolds and roses. Coloured chalk, sand, sawdust or dyed rice also work well.

What is rangoli called in different parts of India?

Rangoli is called alpona in West Bengal, kolam in Tamil Nadu, muggu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, rangavalli in Karnataka, mandana in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, aripan in Bihar, chowk purana in Uttar Pradesh and jhoti or chita in Odisha.

Can I download these rangoli designs for free?

Yes. All 24 rangoli designs on this page are free to download for personal, non-commercial use, such as copying them at home or printing them as a reference. Use the download icon on each design to save the full-size image.

Which rangoli design is easiest for beginners?

Simple geometric and single-diya designs are the easiest, because they use a few straight lines, circles and two or three colours. Try the Simple Diya Rangoli or the Simple Geometric Rangoli Design on this page first, then move on to mandalas and floral patterns.

Usage terms

All rangoli designs on this page are free to download for personal, non-commercial use, such as copying them at home or printing them as a reference. Please do not resell them, republish them on other websites or use them in advertising. Images © KidsGen.com.