Let this Holi be natural

.....says actor Rahul Bose, who shares his own special recipes for making gulaal at home.

Holi is my favourite festival. My memories date back to celebrating the festival in Delhi with friends, having gol gappas, chaat, aloo-puri... [Memories of] pichkaris and buckets of water we either chased friends with or ran away from.

According to a researched fact sheet on Holi, colour pastes contain toxic chemicals that, in excess, can have severe health effects. Also, I share a few simple recipes to make natural colours at home.

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Tips to make natural colours at home

ColourMethod of Preparation

Yellow Mix turmeric (haldi) powder with chick pea flour (besan) or boil marigold/ tesu flowers in water.
Yellow liquid colour Soak peels of pomegranate (anar) overnight.

Deep pink Grate a beetroot into boiling water and soak overnight.

Orange-red paste Henna leaves (mehndi) can be dried, powdered and mixed with water.

Black Soak pieces of black grapes and amla in boiling water overnight.

Green Soak spinach, mint and neem leaves in hot water.