Source for Rangoli terms-X. Pic Source – X. (~1890s, click for larger view).
Making an Alpana, Santiniketan, 1954.
Life Magazine, 7 February 1955.
From what I know, the use of rice flour or paste is intentional and is meant as a meal for insects, in particular ants. Hence too the daily application and not just on holidays – though holidays usually result in elaborate decorations.
At the age of 54, she took a post as a visiting professor at India’s Tagore International University and was charmed by India. She continued to visit India occasionally thereafter, and produced works incorporating motifs based on India’s scenery, landscapes, temples and so on.
Rangoli/Kolam in Akino Fuku’s paintings.
To end a personal post. My cousin and I making a kolam. The design is a simple version of kolams based on the parijat flower.
This struck me as a bit faded for the mid 90s and then I realised its 20 years since the mid 90s. Like truly retro:).
The salwar-kurta is a handloom ‘set’ – my mother bought it on a Chennai visit.
Vintage Indian Clothing 
