Garga Samhita, a puranic work by
Sage Garga, was the first literature to mention the romantic description of
Radha and Krishna playing Holi.
Let's see, what is gulal and how is it made,
which are safe to use?
During Holi, vibrant colors, often in powder form (gulal), are used to
celebrate the festival. These colors are traditionally made from natural
ingredients like turmeric, flowers, and indigo, with modern versions also
using food-grade dyes.
Here is a simple list of Natural
Holi Colors and Their Sources:
Red:
Kumkum (red): A traditional
red powder made from a specific type of red clay.
Turmeric plus lemon juice: Can
be used to create a red color.
Rose petals/Hibiscus
flowers: Dried and ground to create a natural red powder.
Yellow:
Turmeric: A common and
natural source of yellow color.
Saffron flowers: The stigmas
of saffron flowers are used to create a yellow-gold powder.
Green:
Mehendi (henna): Can be used
to create green and brown colors.
Spinach leaves: Can be used
to make a green color.
Blue:
Indigo: Derived from the
indigo plant, this provides a deep blue color.
Orange/Saffron:
Tesu (Palash/Flame of the
Forest/Dhak) flowers: Soaking or boiling these flowers in water can create
a yellow-orange color.
Henna: Good quality henna
mixed with water can also produce an orange color.
Pink:
Beetroot: Can be used to make
a pink color.
Rose petals: Can be used to
make a pink color.
Other colors:
Amla and corn flour: Can be
used to make a grey color.
Purple cabbage: Can be used
to make a purple color.
Modern Holi colors, or gulal, are
often made with a base of corn starch and food, drug, and cosmetic (FD&C)
grade dyes.
These pigments are the same ones
used to color candy and other food items. So they are highly safe to use.
HAPPY HOLI
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