• What it is: Jains draw patterns on the floor using rice (or rice flour) before daily prayers. These designs are often called auspicious symbols or kolam-like patterns.

• Why Jains do it:

- It helps focus the mind before prayer, keeping attention on the virtues of the Tirthankaras and the path to liberation. - The designs are meant to be ephemeral—beautiful but temporary—reminding us that material forms are not the ultimate goal. - Using rice flour aligns with ahimsa: it invites life in a gentle, non-harmful way and is seen as an act of welcoming all beings.

• Do Digambar and Shwetambar traditions differ? There is no major difference in this practice between Digambar and Shwetambar communities; both traditions use rice-based designs as a simple, mindful pre-prayer ritual.

• Quick takeaway: The rice designs symbolize invitation to wisdom and nonviolence, help cultivate concentration on virtuous qualities, and remind devotees of the transient nature of worldly forms.

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