On the auspicious occasion of the 156th Gandhi Jayanti, celebrated on October 2, a unique and inspiring initiative was undertaken at the Om Shanti Retreat Centre. To honor the vision and values of Mahatma Gandhi, a magnificent 3D rangoli in the form of Gandhi Ji’s spectacles was created using organic millets and pulses.
The rangoli, measuring 8×8 feet, was the result of 31 hours of dedicated effort—3 hours of planning and paperwork, 8.5 hours of detailed pencil sketching on the floor, and 20 hours of intricate coloring. A total of 12 varieties of organic grains and pulses, weighing 8 kilograms, were carefully used to bring the rangoli to life. These included bajra, whole moong, moong peel, moong dal, whole masoor, masoor dal, whole urad, urad peel, rice, sela rice, porridge, and sago.
This creation symbolically represents Gandhiji’s famous spectacles, valued at ₹2.55 crore at the Rajghat memorial, inspiring the message of cleanliness and purity. Through this initiative, the Om Shanti Retreat Centre conveyed the importance of ‘Swachh Bharat’ as a stepping stone towards realizing the vision of ‘Ramrajya’.
Since 2014, the Centre has consistently promoted environmental awareness by creating rangolis with organic pulses and natural materials instead of chemical colors, reaffirming its commitment to cleanliness, sustainability, and harmony with nature.
