The Hindu festival of Holi marks the end of winter and the arrival of beautiful spring. Originally, the bright flowers that bloomed during this season were used to make the colors of Holi. However, with the huge popularity of the festival, inexpensive artificial colors, which can have many health risks, are starting to flood the market. This is Holi, stay safe and protect the environment by making your own natural Holi colors at home.
holi colors
Artificial Holi Colors cause many health problems.
Since Holi festival is a celebration of spring, in the beginning, gulal (the colored powders used during Holi) were made from plants and flowers that bloom during spring. Also, since influenza outbreaks were common during this time of year, most of the raw materials were obtained from plants with medicinal properties. With the increasing popularity of Holi and the expansion of industrialization, natural Holi colors have been gradually replaced by chemically treated artificial colors which, although cheaper, carry a number of health problems, from mild allergies to temporary blindness and even cancer of the skin.
Artificial Holi colours are also toxic to the environment.
holi colors
Additionally, artificial Holi colors can also be harmful to the environment because they are highly regulated polymers that are difficult to biodegrade. You can protect yourself and the environment by choosing to forgo toxic chemical colors and choosing to make them with natural ingredients, just as people have done in the past. It may take some time to prepare Jalal at home, but it is not that difficult. The ingredients are readily available in the market and can also be a fun activity to do with friends and family.
DIY Tips for Making Holi Colors
holi colors
Red
Dry the red hibiscus flowers dry until they`re crisp, then grind them into a fine powder. You can also use red sandalwood for this purpose. You can add rice flour in equal amounts to increase the volume of powder. For wet Holi colours, boil the pomegranate peels in water.
You can mix turmeric powder with gram flour in a 1: 2 ratio to make dry gulal. Alternatively, yellow flowers, such as marigold or yellow chrysanthemums, can be crushed and incorporated into the water to obtain wet Holi colors.
Green
For a beautiful green Holi colors or gulal, you can use henna or mehndi powder. To get a liquid paste, you can mix the henna powder with water or oil, or use any green leafy vegetable, like spinach. Remember that soaking henna in water can leave slight stains on your skin.
Magenta
holi colors
Soak the beetroot slices in the water, bring to a boil and leave to rest overnight. If you want a rosier shade, just dilute the mixture a little more. You can also use red onions for this holi colours.
Blue
Powdered blue hibiscus flower petals and rice flour can be used for a majesty of blue. For wet holi colours, you can use crushed and dried jacaranda flowers mixed with water.