Holi is known as ‘The Festival of Colors’. People enjoy this day playing with colors in different manners. But while playing Holi people use various kinds of harmful (chemical) colors which tend to damage their skin in long run. We suggest you to use herbal colors which are easy to make and use. There are two forms by which one can make colors at home – DRY and WET.
Here, we have listed several techniques of making herbal colors so that one can enjoy Holi without disrupting its significance.
Making of Red ColorDry: * Red Sandalwood Powder is used to prepare red color instead of Red Gulal.
* Dry red hibiscus flowers in the shade and powder it till it turns red in color. To increase the quantities add any flour to it.
* Annato in English has a water chestnut shaped fruit which gives out brick color red seeds.
Wet: * Pour two teaspoons of Red Sandalwood powder in five liters of water and boil. Then, dilute it with 20 liters of water.
* Peels of Red Pomegranate when boiled in water give dark red color.
* Boil a small twig of Madder Tree in water for a deep red color.
* Red color can also be obtained from juice of tomatoes and carrots. This can be diluted with sufficient quantity of water to remove the stickiness.
Making of Green ColorDry: * Use henna powder to attain green color. Or simply use dry henna which will not leave any mark of color on your face as chemical colors do.
* Dry some of the leaves of Gulmohur tree for a vibrant color.
Wet: * Mix two teaspoons of heena in one litre of water. Stir it well so that you can use it.
* Green color can also be obtained by mixing a fine paste of leaves like spinach, coriander, mint, etc. in water.
Making of Yellow Color
Dry: * Mix two teaspoons of turmeric powder with double quantity of besan. As Turmeric and Besan are extremely healthy for our skin and are also used widely as ‘ubtan’ while taking bath. As ordinary haldi is a fragrant and has enhanced therapeutic effects. Besan on other hand it can be substituted by atta, maida, rice flour, arrow root and even talcum powder.
* Flowers like Marigold and Yellow Chrysanthemums can be dried in shade and crush them to obtain a fine powder Capitulate different shades of yellow.
* Dry the skin of the Bael fruit and grind it to obtain a yellow colored powder.
Wet: * Add one teaspoon of turmeric to two liters of water and mix it well. This can be boiled to increase the attentiveness of color and it can be further thinned.
* Soak 50 marigold flowers in 2 liters of water overnight. Boil it in the morning and use it.