A retired teacher from Kolkata recently caught the attention of the city’s residents with her unique act of spreading joy. On Diwali and Kali Puja, 72-year-old Ratnabali Ghosh created beautiful alpana designs outside and on the stairs of random houses in Kolkata as a surprise for the residents.

Every year, Ghosh collaborates with her friend Mudar Pathera to do this work before Kali Puja and Diwali. Together, they decorated hundreds of houses in North and South Kolkata.

If you visit any Bengali home on these auspicious days or special occasions, you will find alpana adorning the floors, courtyards and entrances.

Traditionally, alpana is drawn with paints made from rice flour. Using their imaginations, artists create a wide range of designs, including a mix of hollow and solid geometric shapes, floral designs, paisleys, and symbolic representations of animals and other objects.

Talking about the tradition, Ghosh said, “I noticed that everyone was using artificial patterns and stickers, so I wanted to revive this art form. We must not forget that this is a traditional art form of Bengalis and it must continue. That’s why we decided to create alpana anonymously. Mudar insisted that I do this, as a child I saw my mother doing alpana, which inspired me for the last three years.

An elaborate alpana is usually drawn in front of idols, doorways and in the courtyards of houses.