DIY Glow in the Dark Rangoli

Learn about rangoli and its role in Deepavali, then make your own glow-in-the-dark rangoli at home using the activity guide provided.

Last updated 4 May 2026

Shimmering lights! Vibrant patterns! ✨ Discover how families celebrate Deepavali with beautiful rangoli designs and glowing diyas. Then, create your very own glow-in-the-dark rangoli at home through a fun and simple activity below!

Salt arranged in a decorative sun-like circular pattern on black paper, with craft supply illustrations on a blue background.

The Festival of Lights

Every year, streets and homes across the world come alive with a warm golden glow as people celebrate Deepavali — also known as the Festival of Lights. The name comes from Sanskrit and means “Row of Lights.”

For thousands of years, Hindu families have celebrated this festival as a reminder that good will always triumph over evil, and light will always overcome darkness. One of the most well-loved stories behind the festival tells of Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon king Narakasura — a symbol of truth and goodness prevailing.

To honour this triumph, families light up rows of small oil lamps called diyas. The gentle flicker of each flame represents hope, warmth, and new beginnings. Beyond its religious roots, Deepavali is also a time for reflection, renewal, and gratitude — a celebration of light that shines brightest in times of darkness.

A hand lighting small clay oil lamps arranged on yellow marigold petals in a dark setting.

Photo Credit: by Lara Jameson on Pexels

Deepavali in Singapore

In Singapore, Deepavali is celebrated with much enthusiasm and colour, especially in areas like Little India, which comes alive with bright street decorations, festive bazaars, and traditional music. Families mark the occasion by visiting relatives and friends, offering prayers, exchanging gifts, feasting on delicious Indian sweets, and wearing new clothes to symbolise a fresh start.

Colorful illuminated Deepavali Festival of Lights arch with Hindu deity figures over a busy night street.

Photo Credit: Jeyakumaran Mayooresan on Unsplash

Homes are cleaned and decorated in preparation for the festival, and rows of diyas are placed at doorways and windows to invite the goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth and prosperity. The warm glow of these lights is believed to bless households with good fortune for the year ahead. Many families also enjoy setting off sparklers and fireworks, adding to the lively, celebratory atmosphere.

Another cherished custom is creating rangoli — intricate, colourful floor art made near the entrance of homes. Crafted using coloured powder, rice, sand, or flower petals, rangoli is believed to invite positive energy into the home while keeping negativity away. Each design is unique, representing joy, harmony, and prosperity.

The Significance of Rangoli

Woman in red saree arranging a colorful flower rangoli with marigolds, rose petals, and small candles on the floor.

Photo Credit: Lara Jameson on Pexels

Rangoli is one of the most recognisable and meaningful symbols of Deepavali. This traditional art form dates back to ancient India, where it was believed that creating beautiful patterns on the ground would please the gods and bring blessings to the household. Over time, it has become both a cultural and artistic expression passed down through generations.

Each element in a rangoli carries symbolic meaning:

Geometric shapes symbolise balance and harmony.
Flowers reflect beauty and joy.
Peacocks represent grace and prosperity.

Some even feature the footprints of the goddess Lakshmi to mark her arrival! The materials used to create rangoli, such as rice flour or natural dyes, are chosen with care and intention, highlighting the importance of mindfulness in the process.

Colorful rangoli made of yellow, pink, blue, and white powder on a floor with a lit clay diya in the center.

Photo Credit: Siraj Alam on Unsplash

In many homes, small diyas are placed at the centre of the rangoli during puja (Hindu prayer rituals), creating a soft glow that enhances its beauty. Today, rangoli continues to evolve, from traditional designs to modern interpretations, but its essence remains the same: a heartfelt expression of joy, creativity, and devotion.

👉 Learn more about the origins and meaning of rangoli.

Make Your Own Glow-in-the-Dark Rangoli 🌟

Even if you don’t celebrate Deepavali, you can still join in the festive fun by making your own DIY rangoli at home — with a modern twist. Instead of oil lamps, your rangoli will light up with glow-in-the-dark paint!

Glow-in-the-dark paint contains special substances called phosphors that take in light energy and slowly release it afterwards. After your design “charges up” under a light source, it will shine beautifully when the lights go off.

To start making your own glow-in-the-dark rangoli, refer to the activity sheet below!

Deepavali craft activity flyer listing materials: salt, glow-in-the-dark paint, stirrer, cup, black paper, white pencil, flashlight.

Step-by-step craft guide from Science Centre Singapore showing how to make glowing rangoli using salt and glow-in-the-dark paint.

Step-by-step illustrated instructions for making a glow-in-the-dark salt rangoli, from Science Centre Singapore.

Deepavali-themed Science Centre poster showing glowing rangoli art with text explaining phosphor-based glow-in-the-dark paint.

Click on the link below to download a printable guide.

Void Deck DIY Glow in the Dark Rangoli Activity Guide

Written by Eng Gia Du (Lauren), Nur Ellysha Binte Mohamed Nizam, and Sophia Lai

Edited by Sofia Mohamed Khanafie

Published 17 October 2025