Students at the workshop on Wednesday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, Oct. 28: Using coloured rice, pulses, flower petals and powdered colours, around 150 students made bright rangolis on the BIT, Mesra, campus.

The three-day rangoli making workshop began at the tech institute today and was organised by the department of hotel management and catering technology. Lending a helping hand to the enthusiastic hotel management students were faculty member of the department Sonia Gupta.

“The students were taught how to make rangolis as they are often made in Indian hotels to welcome guests during international conferences, banquets, marriages and parties,” said a department official.

A kind of rangoli design called mandhana was also taught to the students.

“Mandhana is made in villages of Rajasthan. It is made by mixing red and white coloured clay which gives an ethnic look to the house. This kind of rangoli is made during festivities to appease gods. Many of the students took interest in this art form,” Sonia Gupta said.

A fourth-year student of the department, Shashi Raj, said that rangoli was part of their syllabus as it was prepared to greet guests in many hotels. “It also highlights the rich cultural heritage of our country in front of foreign visitors who frequent hotels,” Raj added.

Another department student Nidhi Naina said it was the first time she made rangolis using flowers, cereals and pulses. “It was a new thing for us. Once we pass out from the institute and join the hospitality industry we will get a chance to depict this art there to greet guests at parties, marriages and also during cultural events,” she pointed out.

Faculty member Gupta said the workshop was organised with an objective to make the students learn how to design rangolis later in their lives.

.