Indian diaspora making kolams outside Capitol Hill to welcome Joe Biden, Kamala Harris

The Indian-American diaspora is decorating the front of the US Capitol building with thousands of kolam tiles to welcome Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Biden and Harris will be sworn-in as President and Vice-President on January 20. To welcome the new president in the White House, thousands of artists, citizens, and students of all ages from across the country are collaborating to combine their local pieces for the inauguration. 

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'Beauty after chaos' 

"Some beauty after the chaos," Indiaspora Forum tweeted with pictures showing artists making kolam tiles. On January 6, the US Capitol witnessed a deadly riot as hundreds of Trump supporters laid siege to the US Congress building while a joint session to certify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' win was underway. Five people died during the incident, including a Capitol Hill police officer. The incident has led to the second impeachment of Donald Trump.  

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The Indian diaspora in the United States posted images the next day showing people gathered from across the country to make kolam tiles, which is a form of drawing particularly famous in the southern part of India, where Vice-President Kamala Harris' mother came from. A kolam is an Indian art form of geometric patterns, used as a sign of welcome. It is drawn outside the homes using rice flour or coloured powder. 

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The Indiaspora Forum asked people across the United States to send their own kolams before January 14, which it said will be woven into a movie to welcome President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. It has also set up accounts with the name @2021kolam across all social media platforms for people to share their kolams. It aims to create America's largest collaborative kolam for the inauguration of Biden and Harris. 

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