The festival of Holi is right here and surely this happens to be one of the most awaited merriment of our country. It’s that time of the year when colours make a special appearance in our lives, making it all the more happy and vibrant. No matter what age we may belong to, most of us love to absolutely enjoy and indulge ourselves in the celebration, together with our friends, family and closed ones. It is almost as if the word Holi is itself a perfect synonym for a variety of colours and hues, all waiting to be splashed right onto each other! Although this festival is celebrated in many countries world over, but what makes Holi so special is the zest and zeal that overcomes one and all on this auspicious occasion.
Please take heed
But be careful, since the colours you are playing with could almost play with your skin, hair and inflict some real havoc on your overall health. The synthetic colours available in the markets are usually loaded with harmful, sometimes carcinogenic chemicals and metallic toxins. And they have chances of leading us to some serious skin problems and allergies. They also do a great deal of damage to our hair, and leave them rather rough and dry, beyond scope for any immediate repair. It usually takes a long time for us to get back to our natural skin– and hair-type; such is the extent to which the inorganic, synthetic colours can prove rather harmful!
Better option is there
However, that’s no stopping us from enjoying the festival minus the colours, thanks to the herbal substitutes. As the name suggests, these colours are made all naturally using herbs, flowers, leaves and other plant extracts, and are in fact great for our health. The simple, DIY preparation can easily be managed overnight by sourcing most of the ingredients straight from the kitchen. They can also be purchased from the market at a very reasonable price. Let’s read on to have a look at some of these, what they contain and how exactly they are prepared.
Yellow Colour –
This colour is essentially made using Curcuma longa (Haldi). Curcumin, one of the active compounds found in turmeric, is what lends the lovely yellow colour. In order to increase the overall volume, some gram flour may be added to the colour, and mixed well. On the other hand, dried petals of flowers such as marigold can also be crushed and used as a substitute for the yellow holi colour.
Blue Colour –
The blue colour for playing on holi can be prepared using petals of flowers such as jacaranda or blue hibiscus. Some indigo can also be added to it to turn it into a darker shade of blue, by crushing some berries obtained from the indigo (Indigofera Tinctoria) tree.
Green Colour –
To obtain the most natural form of green colour, you can simply dry some henna leaves and crush them to obtain a powdered form. Yes, it is as simple as that! If you wish to have a nice and wet green colour, soak the henna leaves in just a little bit of water overnight. And yet if you want your green to be on the lighter side and also have some volume added to it, just add some wheat or refined flour to the powder.
Pink Colour –
The dazzling shade of pink can be prepared using dried and crushed rose petals.
Watch Video: TV Talk Show Diwali Special (Hindi)
About the Author:
Dr Sonica Krishan is Author and Speaker in the areas of Healthy and Joyous Living through Ayurveda, Meditation, Yoga and other Contemplative practices. She is a leading Ayurveda Professional in India. She is also Health Writer, Columnist, Editor, Ayurveda Consultant and Holistic Healing Coach. Dr Sonica is open for National as well as International Collaborations with interested people / institutions in fields of Ayurveda, Meditation and Yoga.
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