With the arrival of spring comes the celebration of the festival of colors. This Hindu festival celebrates the divine revelation of Radha and Krishna’s love for each other. We celebrate this festival by putting colors on each other and creating a vibrant and joyous atmosphere, much like the two deities did back in the day.
However, there is a growing consciousness and concern over the type of colors used for celebrating Holi these days. The colors that we use today are chemically infused colours, which were popularised by the commercialization of the festival celebration. These colours have a negative impact on the skin and the environment. This has led many people to go back to eco-friendly alternative colors that are organic for the Holi celebration so that the festive season remains fun, safe, and respectful.
Are you wondering what could possibly be the harmful effect of chemically infused colours and other alternatives for celebrating Holi? Continue reading to find out!
Section 2: Harmful Effects of Chemical Colours
Most of the colours that we purchase for Holi celebrations often contain harmful substances like lead, silica, mica, etc. These chemicals pose a significant threat to an individual, like skin irritations, allergies, eye problems, respiratory issues, and even more severe conditions like kidney failure.
To top it all off, the harmful effects of synthetic colours are not limited to humans. They even have an impact on the environment. Their polymer structure composition is such that it makes it rather difficult to decompose biologically. This results in soil, water, and air pollution. If you want to dive deep into the difference between synthetic and organic holi colours, check out our blog - organic holi colours vs synthetic holi colours.
Given the health risks and environmental impact associated with synthetic Holi colours, more safer and eco-friendly alternatives are not a want but a necessity at this point. So, let’s explore the eco-friendly alternatives, shall we?
SECTION 3: Eco-Friendly Alternatives Colours
A. Plant-Based Colors
Firstly, you have plant-based colours. These are made from flowers, leaves, and natural sources. Being 100% organic, they do not tend to have a negative impact on humans and the environment. Organisations like HelpUsGreen collected discarded flowers found around temples and lakesides to produce organic colours. You can buy the organic colours separately or celebrate Holi with our carefully curated Holi Hampers containing several other goodies like chandan tika, jaljeera masala, thandai mix, paan shots, t-shirt, shower gel, and body oil.
B. Homemade Colors
Do you know you can make colours at home? Well, you can! That too from your everyday kitchen ingredients. Making colours at home can add a personal touch to your Holi celebration. It can help to ensure yours and your loved ones’ skin safety and preserve the environment too. Homemade colours are gentle on the skin, avoiding irritation or allergic reactions often caused by chemical-laden alternatives. Moreover, their organic composition ensures easy decomposition, minimising environmental impact.
C. Waterless Holi
For many, Holi celebrations without water seem incomplete. Throwing water balloons, buckets of water, or even using a hose pipe to throw water at your friends and family is a common practice. However, this practice leads to a lot of water wastage. To prevent that from happening, consider celebrating Holi without water. It is another eco-friendly way to celebrate Holi. You won’t only save water but reduce the risk of injury involved by playing with water. Instead of using water, you can play Holi with HelpUsGreen’s 100% organic colours.
D. Phoolon ki Holi
Another way you can celebrate an eco-friendly Holi is by playing “Phoolom ki Holi”. This celebration can be traced back to its roots in Vrindavan. The Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan celebrates this unique kind of Holi on the Ekadashi, before Holi, where only flowers are used to play with each other. People use flower petals from various flowers like marigolds, roses, etc. It is believed that celebrating in such a manner establishes a strong connection with God, and it brings God joy as he is showered with flowers.
But can you imagine the amount of flowers that will be wasted? With HelpUsGreen’s 100% organic colours curated from the same flower petals that you throw, you can establish a much richer and stronger connection with God by preserving the resources God has gifted us all.
Related: How to Celebrate Safe Holi in 2024
SECTION 4: Benefits of Eco-Friendly Holi
Now that we have discussed the ways in which you can celebrate Holi eco-friendly, let’s move on to the benefits it has to offer.