Introduction
Holi is a festival that brings unparalleled joy in the brief cusp of spring and summer. It is a popular festival celebrated by Indians, all over the world. People smear colors on each other's face and indulge in delicious food while enjoying the whole day. This year, Holi will be celebrated on 14th March 2025. While different families have different rituals being followed on the day, one that is common among everyone is playing with colors.
During Holi, Indian market gets flooded with a variety of colors that claim to be of high quality. However, many times these colors are made from synthetic dyes and artificial material that may harm the skin and lead to rashes or even serious skin allergies. Thus, parents should be extremely mindful while choosing Holi colors to ensure safety and that they are also environmentally friendly. A great way to avoid these problems is to make organic Holi colors at home.
DIY Holi Color: Organic Recipes to Make at Home
Making Holi colors with natural ingredients at home from scratch is a great way to enjoy an eco-friendly Holi, where one doesn't have to worry about skin issues and rashes. This can also be a significant opportunity for parents to bond with their kids and do something unconventional yet interesting. Here are some organic Holi color recipes that parents may use.
Green Color Recipe
To make organic green color at home, you would need to arrange for the following ingredients.
- Coriander
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Spinach
- Henna Powder
Now to make a dry Holi color mixture, one has to mix the Henna powder with corn flour. You will see that this makes a very smooth mixture which changes to a dark green color. This can be used as an alternative to the store-brought green color
However, if you want to make a green Holi color that is slightly moist, then you would have to mix coriander and spinach in a mixer and strain them. Now, strain the mixture and separate the juice from the fiber. In this juice, add a bit of cornstarch and keep mixing it until the color becomes even and there are no lumps. Spread this on a tray and let it sun dry for a while before passing it again through a strainer. The color will be ready.
Red Color Recipe
To make red color at home, you would need-
- Dried rose petals
- Cornstarch
Assemble the ingredients and the next step will be to take the dried rose petals and soak them in water for an hour before grinding them to a fine paste. In this paste, add corn flour and then mix them well to turn it into a fine powder. The last step will be to dry the mixture at sunrise or to microwave it. To give it a little extra fragrance, you may also add sandalwood powder to the mixture.
Yellow Color Recipe
Yellow Holi color is a vibrant and joyful powder color that looks beautiful in the daytime. It can be easily made at home with some organic ingredients such as
- Cornstarch
- Rose Water
- Turmeric
- Water
The process begins with boiling one cup of water and 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder in it. After boiling, one has to pour this mixture into a larger tray and let it cool down for a while. Once the mixture cools down, you will have to add at least 2 tablespoons of rose water along with 3 cups of corn flour. The rosewater is added to provide the color and enticing fragrance. One has to make sure that the mixture has to be perfectly mixed so that there are no lumps after which it has to be sun-dried.
Pink Color Recipe
Pink Holi color has a stunning shade and looks beautiful when applied on the face and on clothes. It is even used during marriages and other celebratory occasions in India for decoration purposes. To make pink color at home, you would need
- Beetroot
- Cornstarch
- Rosewater
One has to begin the process by grating the beetroot and squeezing the juice out of it. This can be done with the help of bare hands, or you may even use a cloth. Now this juice has to be mixed with corn flour and a little bit of rose water. Keep mixing everything until you get an even mixture. Put this mixture on a tray and let it dry for some time. Now let the mixture pass through a strainer and leave it for some time before using it.
Orange Color Recipe
Orange Holi color or saffron color is yet another pleasant color. The beautiful shade can be obtained by using some natural ingredients. To make this at home, you would need the following ingredients:
- Turmeric
- Saffron
- Cornstarch
- Orange Peels
The process begins with grinding the peel of an orange and making it into a smooth mixture. Now into this powder mix, one has to add some corn flour, a little bit of turmeric, and saffron. Run this mixture through a sieve to separate the smooth and the rough particles.
Conclusion
Holi is a joyful celebration where people come together and celebrate the festival happily with colors. However, during this time, one should be careful, specifically when it comes to kids because a lot of harmful Holi colors in the market are made from hazardous material. Making a small effort such as making Holi colors at home can make a huge difference and make the festival happier and safer.
Reference
https://www.ijcmas.com/10-2-2021/Puja%20Basumatary,%20et%20al.pdf
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
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