Toran
A decorative hanging strung across the top of a doorway in South Asia, often of marigolds and mango leaves.
Also: bandhanwar, thoranam
A toran hangs over the main door to welcome guests and mark an auspicious occasion. The fresh kind is a string of marigold flowers alternating with mango leaves, put up for festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra and Gudi Padwa, and for weddings and housewarmings. Lasting torans are made of cloth, beads or metal. In South India a similar door hanging, the thoranam, uses mango leaves or young coconut fronds folded into patterns.