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Holi
๐ Colors
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Traditional Sources of Colors
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The playful throwing of natural colored powders, called gulal has a medicinal significance: the colors are traditionally made of neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by ฤyurvedic doctors.
Many colors are obtained by mixing primary colors. Artisans produce and sell many of the colors from natural sources in dry powder form, in weeks and months preceding Holi. Some of the traditional natural plant-based sources of colors are:
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Orange and Red
The flowers of palash or tesu tree, also called the flame of the forest, are typical source of bright red and deep orange colors. Powdered fragrant red sandalwood, dried hibiscus flowers, madder tree, radish, and pomegranate are alternate sources and shades of red. Mixing lime with turmeric powder creates an alternate source of orange powder, as does boiling saffron (kesar) in water.
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Green
Mehendi and dried leaves of gulmohur
tree offer a source of green color. In some areas, the leaves of
spring crops and herbs have been used as a source of green pigment.
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Yellow
Haldi (turmeric) powder is the typical source of yellow color. Sometimes this is mixed with chickpea (gram) or other flour to get the right shade. Bael fruit, amaltas, species of chrysanthemums, and species of marigold are alternate sources of yellow.
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Blue
Indigo plant, Indian berries, species of grapes, blue hibiscus, and jacaranda flowers are traditional sources of blue color for Holi.
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Magenta and purple
Beetroot is the traditional source of magenta and purple color. Often these are directly boiled in water to prepare colored water.
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Brown
Dried tea leaves offer a source of brown colored water. Certain clays are alternate source of brown.
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Black
Species of grapes, fruits of amla (gooseberry) and vegetable carbon (charcoal) offer gray to black colors.
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Synthetic Colours
Natural colors were used in the past to celebrate Holi safely by applying turmeric, sandalwood paste, extracts of flowers and leaves. As the spring-blossoming trees that once supplied the colors used to celebrate Holi have become rarer, chemically produced industrial dyes have been used to take their place in almost all of urban India. Due to the commercial availability of
attractive pigments, slowly the natural colors are replaced by synthetic colors. As a result, it has caused mild to severe symptoms of skin irritation and inflammation. Lack of control over the quality and content of these colors is a problem, as they are frequently sold by vendors who do not know their source.
Holi Powder
Health Impact
A 2007 study found that malachite green, a synthetic bluish-green dye used in some colors during Holi festival,
was responsible for severe eye irritation in Delhi, if eyes were not washed upon exposure. Though the study found that the pigment did not penetrate through the cornea, malachite green is of concern and needs further study
Another 2009 study reports that some colors produced and sold in
India contain metal-based industrial dyes, causing an increase in skin
problems to some people in the days following Holi. These colors are
produced in India, particularly by small informal businesses, without
any quality checks and are sold freely in the market. The colors are
sold without labeling, and the consumer lacks information about the
source of the colors, their contents, and possible toxic effects. In
recent years, several nongovernmental organisations have started
campaigning for safe practices related to the use of colors. Some are
producing and marketing ranges of safer colors derived from natural
sources such as vegetables and flowers.
These reports have galvanised a number of groups into promoting
more natural celebrations of Holi. Development Alternatives, Delhi and
Kalpavriksh, – Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, Pune, The CLEAN India campaign and Society for Child Development, through its Avacayam Cooperative Campaign
have launched campaigns to help children learn to make their own colors for Holi from safer, natural ingredients. Meanwhile, some
commercial companies such as the National Botanical Research Institute
have begun to market "herbal" dyes, though these are substantially more
expensive than the dangerous alternatives. However, it may be noted that
many parts of rural India have always resorted to natural colors (and
other parts of festivities more than colors) due to availability.
In urban areas, some people wear nose mask and sunglasses to avoid inhaling pigments and to prevent chemical exposure to eyes
Environmental impact
An
alleged environmental issue related to the celebration of Holi is the
traditional Holika bonfire, which is believed to contribute to
deforestation. Activists estimate Holika causes 30,000 bonfires every
year, with each one burning approximately 100 kilograms (220.46 lbs) of
wood.
This represents less than 0.0001% of 350 million tons of wood India
consumes every year, as one of the traditional fuels for cooking and
other uses.
The use of heavy metal-based pigments during Holi is also reported to cause temporary wastewater pollution, with the water systems recovering to pre-festival levels within 5 days
Influence on other cultures
Holi is celebrated as a social event in parts of the United States. For example, at Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, NYC Holi Hai in Manhattan, New York[ and Festival of Colors: Holi NYC in New York City, New York, Holi is celebrated as the Festival of Color, where thousands of people gather from all over the United States, play and mingle.
Holi-inspired events
A
number of Holi-inspired social events have also surfaced, particularly
in Europe and the United States, often organized by companies as
for-profit or charity events with paid admission, and with varying
scheduling that does not coincide with the actual Holi festival. These
have included Holi-inspired music festivals such as the Festival Of Colors Tour and Holi One (which feature timed throws of Holi powder), and 5K run franchises such as The Color Run, Holi Run and Color Me Rad, in which participants are doused with the powder at per-kilometre checkpoints. The BiH Color Festival is a Holi-inspired electronic music festival held annually in Brฤko, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
There have been concerns that these events appropriate
and trivialize aspects of Holi for commercial gain—downplaying or
completely ignoring the cultural and spiritual roots of the celebration. Organizers of these events have argued that the costs are to cover
various key aspects of their events, such as safe color powders, safety
and security, and entertainment.
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Why Colors are used in Holi?
Due to the love story of Krishna and Radha, holi is also celebrated as the day of colored love for couples. ... Red color reflects fertility, blue is the color of Krishna, yellow is the color of turmeric, and green symbolizes the start of spring and something new.
Due to the love story of Krishna and Radha, holi is also celebrated as the day of colored love for couples. ... Red color reflects fertility, blue is the color of Krishna, yellow is the color of turmeric, and green symbolizes the start of spring and something new.
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Holi 2026 March 4th Wednesday
Holi 2027 March 23rd Tuesday
Holi 2028 March 12th Sunday
Holi 2029 March 1st Thursday
Holi 2030 March 20th Wednesday
Holi 2027 March 23rd Tuesday
Holi 2028 March 12th Sunday
Holi 2029 March 1st Thursday
Holi 2030 March 20th Wednesday
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