Toran, the door garland

What it is

The simplest toran is a row of whole mango leaves hung by their stalks so that the points hang down. Marigold heads or short marigold strings are placed between the leaves, and longer strings may drop at each side of the door. In Tamil homes, leaves are folded over a cord and pinned with a sliver of the leaf's own stalk. Permanent torans of embroidered cloth, beads or mirror work, which are a craft of Gujarat and Rajasthan, hang over doors all year.

What it means

The doorway is where a household meets the outside world, and it is treated with care. A fresh toran shows that something auspicious is happening inside and invites Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, to enter. Mango leaves are thought of as pure and lucky and are used in many Hindu rites. They also stay green for days after cutting. Marigolds add the colours of saffron and gold. The same word, torana, names the carved stone gateways of ancient Indian shrines such as Sanchi.

How it is made

Choose fifteen to twenty mango leaves of equal size, wash and dry them. Thread a large needle with cotton string. Pass it through the stalk end of a leaf, then through the centre of a marigold, then the next leaf, leaving a small gap between each. Tie loops at both ends and hang the string from two nails above the door. It is put up early on the festival morning, after the threshold has been washed and a pattern drawn on the ground in front of it.

How to take part

1. Buy mango leaves and marigolds from a flower market the evening before a festival such as Diwali, Ugadi or Gudi Padwa.
2. String leaf, flower, leaf with a needle, and hang the toran across the main door.
3. Replace it when the leaves dry out, or take it down after the festival.

Good manners

• Take old leaves and flowers down and compost them. Do not leave a withered toran over the door.
• Take leaves from a mango tree sparingly, and ask the owner first.

The flowers

Aztec marigoldThe golden-yellow flower of Mexican altars and Day of the Dead offeringsChrysanthemumAutumn-blooming flower with thousands of varieties, cherished in East Asia and beyondArabian jasmineA small white jasmine with a strong, sweet scent, treasured in Asia for garlands and ceremonies

Also part of it, and being written: Toran, Mangifera indica.

Sources and further reading

• Toran (art) on Wikipedia