Alpana

Alpana meaning

Alpana (अल्पना) is a Hindu girl's name of Bengali origin (from Sanskrit). By its first sound, अ, it is a Mesh rashi name (Krittika nakshatra) in the North Indian table.

Ritual painting on floors or walls, made with rice-paste pigment

Also used to mean: decoration, ornament

Alpana (अल्पना, Bengali আলপনা) is the name of a ritual art of Bengal: flowing white designs painted with rice paste on floors, courtyards and walls for festivals and worship, much like rangoli and kolam elsewhere. The Samsad Bengali–English Dictionary defines ālpanā as painting on the floors or walls of a house or temple with liquid rice-powder pigment. The word goes back to Sanskrit ālimpana, which Monier-Williams gives as whitening or painting the floor or wall on festive occasions. Name lists render it as decoration or ornament. It is a Bengali girls' name, also used across North India.

Source: Samsad Bengali–English Dictionary (Sahitya Samsad), via DSAL, p. 127 · entry ālapanā (আলপনা) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Samsad Bengali–English Dictionary, ālpanā, p. 127 · Monier-Williams, ālimpana, p. 154 · Wikipedia, Alpana

Fits your syllable

First sound अ

Krittika nakshatra, pada 1 · Mesh rashi

North Indian table. Tables vary by region and family tradition, so confirm with your priest.

Spellings

Alpana · Alpona

Related names

Also meaning art

Also starting with Alp-

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