Who can turn away an opportunity to frolic with colours and make a day out of it? However, it’s becoming more and more important to also be eco-conscious, not just for the environment’s sake, but also for your own. This Holi, break the chain and play with organic colours instead.
Sure, they won’t be as bright or attractive, but they will save you some major headache when it comes to washing them off and also in protecting your skin.
Why choose organic over chemical colours?
Well, the answer is obvious; all things natural are any day safer and better than chemically treated things. Chemical based colours can not only damage your skin, eyes and hair but can also be carcinogenic and cause serious health disorders. When colours containing harmful chemicals such as lead oxide, oxidized metals, industrial dyes and other toxic chemicals get into the water table, they also cause water and soil pollution, risking the lives of myriad life forms through the food chain, including our own.
The alternatives
Natural colours are very easy to source. While the market has been catering to an increasing demand for herbal colour, it’s fairly easy to make your own colours at home as well.
For instance, soaking beetroot in water overnight turns the liquid red. You can also mix sandalwood paste to get a vibrant red or even try rose powder. For yellow colour, you can mix turmeric with besan powder or even use dried marigold to create a shade of yellow.
For green, powdered henna leaves are best. You can also add some mint leaves for a cooling effect.
Brown isn’t a very popular colour, but if you’re looking for a slightly gothic tinge, try coffee powder. For coffee lovers, the aroma will make up for half the fun.
Many flowers dried and powdered can also be used, from hibiscus (red) to indigo and jacaranda (blue) and teshu/Flame of the Forest (orange).
If you don’t have the patience or the time to prepare your own, the city also has a few options.
Hyderabad Goes Green in association with Aurora Business School is selling five colours (blue, pink, orange, green and yellow) in packs of 100 gms each for `200. Besides selling at their store in Banjara Hills and Gachibowli, you can pick up the colours from Almond House (Himayath Nagar), Our Sacred Space (Secunderabad), Emerald Sweet House (Lower Tank bund) and N Convention Centre (Hi-tech city). Contact 74167 90905 / 90103 89994 / 98858 66918 for more details.
Daram is selling a box of five colours as well in packs of 50 gms each from the Rang Dular range at their outlet in Begumpet. Contact 040 2776 5503.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express Features – Hyderabad / March 15th, 2014