KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 20 -- Every Deepavali, you will see them all over shopping malls as part of the festive decorations but kolams - the line drawings made with coloured powders - are actually not just for festivals.

Kolams (pronounced "koh-lum") hold deep meaning in the Hindu culture and can be something drawn at the entrance of homes, temples or wedding halls to mark auspicious occasions.

"You make something beautiful knowing it won't last long. That's the whole point. It's creation, destruction and renewal. It's not supposed to stay forever," said Mehnaga Mathivanan, a kolam artist who has been practising the craft for over 20 years.

Traditionally, kolams are drawn at the entrance of homes to welcome the goddess Lakshmi, bringer of w...