ANCIENT DESIGN STYLE SHOWN.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Sita Srijaeraja and Padma Raghavan spent nearly eight hours using colored grains of rice to bring a centuries-old art form from India to Lancaster.

Inside the entrance of the Lancaster Library, the women created intricate geometric designs called ``rangoli,'' also known as ``alpana'' and ``kolam'' - the painted prayers of India.

``It comes from generation to generation,'' said Raghavan, 71, speaking through an interpreter, daughter Shalini Srinivasan. ``It gets passed on - for the weddings and for the temples, if there are any special occasions. ... It's an art. They enjoy doing it. It's a big thing in India. It's a big part of any festival.''

The designs by Srijaeraja, 53, a Sri Lankan who moved to the Antelope Valley in 1979 with her physician husband, and Raghavan, who is visiting from Madras in southern India, will be part of the library's Colorful People Celebration.

Food and artistry of ethnic groups from around the world will be available to see and sample from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Anna Davis Meeting Room at the Lancaster Library, 601 W. Lancaster Blvd. The event is designed to bring together cultural traditions from different ethnic groups.

``Traditionally we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This year we decided to include all the different ethnic groups, make it an international event,'' said Lancaster teacher Robert Alvarado, who will be master of ceremonies. ``Every year we try to have different things available for the community to see, to learn about some of the things that different cultures have to offer.''

Already on display are the examples of rangoli, a traditional art form practiced in India for thousands of years. A paste of rice flour is used to create the outline of a floral mosaic, then filled in with colored rice to create a vibrant floral display.

Raghavan has been practicing rangoli for nearly 60 years after learning the technique from her mother.

Srijaeraja said she also learned the art when she was a child after seeing it in front of people's houses.

``So it's like a part of culture,'' said Srijaeraja. ``It makes people happy to see some artwork. And also when you do this you need a lot of patience and focus. I think any art form ... keeps us good in our mind.''

Among the speakers at the Colorful People Celebration will be author and pediatrician Veena Damle; Bruce Jensen, editor of ``Spanish in our Libraries;'' Dr. Sinn Moorthy; and Walter Fox, a Sioux Indian storyteller.

``They will be speaking on tolerance, the importance of learning, differences between cultures and also things that make us alike, things that we have in common,'' said Alvarado.

There will also be face painters for kids, ethnic dancers and musicians. Admission is free.

``We're hoping to recruit more people for next year so they can be motivated enough to say I want to be a part of this,'' said Alvarado.

For more information on the event, call the library at [phone].

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Padma Raghavan, right, a visitor from Madras in southern India, looks at her traditional rangoli artwork at the Lancaster Library. Above is a detail of the geometric design in colored grains of rice.

(3) Padma Raghavan, a visitor from Madras in India, looks at her traditional rangoli art at the Lancaster Library, where there will be a festival Saturday.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer