Pulli Kolam 12 Dots

Design facts

Dot grid

12 to 4 dots — tapering from 12 dots across the middle down to 4

Video

4 min 15 s, uploaded 20 December 2024

Views

18,000 on YouTube as of 7 October 2026

Step by step: how to draw Pulli Kolam 12 Dots

1. Mark the 12-to-4 dot grid.
2. Draw four cow heads around the centre — above, below, left and right — each face pointing outward with its muzzle at the outer end.
3. Give each cow two curved horns sweeping in toward the centre and a pointed ear on each side of the face.
4. Draw almond eyes with dot pupils on each face, and a band across the muzzle holding two nostril dots.
5. Hang a garland of small scallops round the outer end of each cow's muzzle.
6. Along each of the four diagonals draw a sugarcane stalk — two parallel lines divided into joints — running out from the centre between neighbouring cows.
7. At the outer tip of the sugarcane draw long curling leaves.

Related designs

• How to Draw Multi Colours Kolam
• Muggulu Designs With 12×4 Dots
• 12 to 4 Dots Kolam

Further reading

• Venkatraman Gopalan & Brian K. VanLeeuwen, “A topological approach to creating any pulli kolam, an artform from South India”, Forma 30, 35–41 (2015). doi:10.5047/forma.2015.005