Celebrate an Eco Friendly Holi

Ideally, the joyous festival of Holi is meant to celebrate the arrival of Spring while the
colors used in Holi are to reflect of the various hues of spring season. But unfortunately,
in modern times Holi does not stand for all things beautiful. Like various other festivals,
Holi too has become ruthlessly commercialized, boisterous and yet another source of
environmental degradation. To de-pollute Holi and make it in sync with nature, as it is
supposed to be, several social and environmental groups are proposing a return to more
natural ways of celebrating Holi.
The aim of this articles is to generate awareness amongst people about the various
harmful effects around Holi celebrations and encourage people to celebrate an eco
friendly Holi!
1. Harmful Effects of Chemical Colours
In earlier times when festival celebrations were not so much commercialized Holi colors
were prepared from the flowers of trees that blossomed during spring, such as the Indian
Coral Tree (parijat) and the Flame of the Forest (Kesu), both of which have bright red
flowers. These and several other blossoms provided the raw material from which the
brilliant shades of Holi colours were made. Most of these trees also had medicinal
properties and Holi colors prepared from them were actually beneficial to the skin.
Over the years, with the disappearance of trees in urban areas and greater stress for higher
profits these natural colours came to be replaced by industrial dyes manufactured through
chemical processes.
Around 2001, two environmental groups called Toxics Link and Vatavaran, based in
Delhi, did a study on all the three available categories of colours available in the market pastes, dry colours and water colours. The study revealed that all of these three forms of
chemical Holi colors are hazardous.
Harmful Chemicals in Holi Paste type colors
According to their researched fact sheet on Holi, the pastes contain very toxic chemicals
that can have severe health effects. Please check the table below to know about the
chemical used in various Holi colors and their harmful effects on human body.
Harmful Chemicals in Gulal

The dry colours, commonly known as gulals, have two components a colourant that is
toxic and a base which could be either asbestos or silica, both of which cause health
problems. Heavy metals contained in the colourants can cause asthma, skin diseases and
adversely affect the eyes.
Harms of Wet Holi Colors
Wet colours, mostly use Gentian violet as a colour concentrate which can cause skin discolouration and dermatitis.
These days, Holi colours are sold loosely, on the roads, by small traders who often do not
know the source. Sometimes, the colours come in boxes that specifically say For
industrial use only.
Action Taken by Environmental Groups
Following the publication of these studies several environmental groups took up the
cause to encourage people to return to a more natural way of celebrating Holi. Amongst
these,
Navdanya, Delhi published a book called Abir Gulal, which spoke of the biodiversity that
was the source of natural colours.
Development Alternatives, Delhi and Kalpavriksh, Pune have developed educational
tools to teach children simple ways of making their own natural Holi colours.
The CLEAN India campaign has been teaching children how to make beautiful natural
colours.
Make your own Holi colours
Holi festival lovers will be thrilled to know that it is possible to make simple natural
colors in ones own kitchen. Here are some very simple recipes to make natural colours:
Color Method of Preparation
Yellow 1) Mix turmeric (haldi) powder with chick pea flour (besan)
2) Boil Marigold or Tesu flowers in water
Yellow liquid color
Deep Pink

Slice a beetroot and soak in water

Orange - red paste

water.

Soak peels of pomegranate (Anar) overnight.

Henna leaves (mehndi) can be dried, powdered and mixed with

Purchase Natural Holi Colors

For those who do not have the time to make their own colours, there is the choice of
buying natural Holi colours. Several groups are now producing and promoting such
colours, although it is important to verify the ingredients of the colours and ensure you
know enough about the source.
2. The Holi Bonfire
The burning of fuel wood to create the bonfire for Holika Dahan presents another serious
environmental problem. According to a news article, studies done in the state of Gujarat
reveal that each bonfire uses around 100 kg of wood, and considering that approximately
30,000 bonfires are lit in the state of Gujarat just for one season, this leads to a wastage of
a staggering amount of wood.
Groups such as Sadvichar Parivar are now advocating one symbolic community fire,
rather than several smaller bonfires across the city as a way to reduce wood consumption.
Others are also suggesting that these fires be lit using waste material rather than wood.
3. A Dry Holi?
In the current situation, when most cities in India are facing acute water scarcity, the
wasteful use of water during Holi, is also being questioned. It is common for people to
douse each other with buckets of water during Holi, and children often resort to throwing
water balloons at each other. The idea of a dry Holi seems alien at first, especially as the
climate becomes warmer around Holi, and the water provides welcome relief from the
heat. However, considering that in some urban areas, citizens can go without water for
several days, it seems wasteful to use so much water simply for a celebration.
Environmental Consciousness Amongst People
It is a relief to notice that the awareness about the environmental impacts of celebrating
Holi are being brought to light by various NGOs. And gradually, more and more Indians
are choosing to turn to a more natural and less wasteful way of playing Holi.