DIY prabhavali / DIY thiruvachi

 DIY Prabhavali, also known as Thiruvachi, is currently in trend, and everyone wants to incorporate it in their festive decor. Prabhavali/Thiruvachi is an arched frame that is often added as an embellishment to the deities at the temples. Still,  nowadays it has become a popular home decor as it is used in frames, backdrops, or simply as a decorative piece. While brainstorming ideas to use for my golu, I decided to use the prabhvali to frame my mini golu. But how? It took a couple of trials for me to come up with this idea of scaling up the image and splitting it. I am going to share how I did that so you don't have to make the same mistakes I did. Let's go

Materials used:

Ink Jet Printer

8.5" X 11" paper

Scissors

Glue sticks

Cardboard or foam board for backing

Nano tape(Double-sided sticky tape) - optional

LED strip with remote - Optional

Step 1:  Search for a prabhavali image that you like to use as an actual prabhavali. Unfortunately, there aren't many images that I wanted. I was actually looking to buy an image from websites like Shutterstock, but there were no results for Prabhavali, so I ended up using the image I got from Pinterest. I will link the source image that I used --> here. Download the image. If it is in high resolution, you can skip the next step; otherwise, you need to increase the image resolution to make a big and beautiful prabhavali. 

Step 2: Use a high-resolution image converter to increase the image resolution. There are plenty of free websites available online. I used this one   -->  High- resolution image converter. I used the 16x and downloaded the image. 

Step 3: Now that we have a large, beautiful image of the prabhavali, we will print it by splitting the image into multiple sheets, allowing us to do it from the convenience of our home. If you plan to use it year after year, it is worth spending some money to print it as a big poster or wallpaper, then pasting it onto cardboard. But since it is a one or two-time use, I prefer to print at home. 

To print it at home, use an image splitter. Again, there are many free websites available, and here is the one I used -> Image splitter. 

Now comes the crucial part: based on the size requirement, you have to split the image. For example, I wanted my golu steps to fit inside the prabhavali. My golu steps are approximately 23" in width and 28" in height, and add some 10" to the height for the dolls, considering the size of the dolls, and with the fact that the curve of the prabhavali decreases a couple of inches of height on the sides. With the above calculation, I went with 6 rows and 6 columns. With this, I got approximately 48" in height and 34" in width. I should have gone with 5 rows and 6 columns, as I had more room in the middle. So, when you calculate, keep my math equation in mind ;)

Step 4:  As a result of the previous step, you will receive a PDF file with pages to print. Omit the blank page and print the pages with designs. Cut along the design outline with the scissors on each page, leaving the overlap space. Arrange the designs, then decide which sides you want to leave the overlap (you only need overlap for one design when you attach), and which side you need to cut with scissors so you can place the designs one on top of the other and glue them together. 

This is the output of printed Prabhavali at home

Once the overlap is cut and assembled, this is how the DIY Prabhavali/DIY Thiruvachi looks.

Step 5: Use a glue stick on the overlap space and attach the whole design together as it should be. 

Step 6: You can place the whole design on top of a foam sheet or cardboard, trace and glue it for a strong backing. Since I wanted to fold and save it, so it is easy to transport if I have to pass it on to someone, I backed it up with pieces of cardboard, I used nano tape and a piece of cardboard to make it stiff, and glued it together.(see the picture below to understand how the whole prabhavali stands) I used additional support (L shaped cardboard piece for the bottom sides) and tape to glue it onto the backdrop so that it doesn't fall. The prabhavali is now ready. 

The design is traced onto the cardboard

This is how each piece of cardboard is glued at the back with a small gap between the pieces to fold. 

I used a piece of tape to make the surface glossy so that the tape doesn't pull off, and used the same on another piece of cardboard and attached it on top.

This is how the back side of the prabhavali looks after attaching the pieces together

Step 7: If you want to add LED lights to the back for some special effects. I just used a strip of double-sided tape and attached the LED strip as shown. We were able to use a remote control to control it. 

The final look of my golu with the Prabhavali

Other golu posts you might like 

Navratri - the Indian festival

Everything you need to know about Navratri golu 101

DIY steps using Cardboard for Navratri golu