For Holi is incomplete without bright hues of colours. Right? And nothing like it if the colours are made at home without harsh chemicals. We speak to denizens, who, in the run up to Holi, have started making colours at home. And they share some tricks and tips.
Asha Ravi, a Swachhta hero appointed by Municipal Corporation Gurugram, makes Holi colours by using maida or rice flour. “We can make dry colours very easily using maida or rice flour. Take one cup of rice flour or all purpose flour. Add food colour of your choice to two teaspoons of water and mix it to the flour to make a thick paste. Add some kesar/kewda/rose/sandalwood essence to the colour for the divine fragrance. Let it dry under the sun. Now blend in a grinder to use it as s powdered colour.You can make a variety of colours like red, pink, orange, yellow, green, blue etc, using this method.
But Gurugram-based environmentalist Sameera Satija, who runs Crockery Bank, says she follows a simple process of making colours at home. “I personally don’t prefer to use maida, which is a food item and I feel shouldn’t be wasted, so use talcum powder. Take talcum powder. Add food colour of your choice. Add in that two-three spoon of water, and then add this colour to talcum powder. Mix and mash it well so as to mix the colour evenly. Leave this to dry for a day. You’ll find some lumps in this powder but that’s fine. Now either churn it in a mixer or with in any container with hands. A tip is to add large quantity of food colour into the water for bright colours as after mixing with talcum powder, it gets little lighter.”
Madhumita Puri, from Delhi-based Society for Skill Development, which has been making Holi colours by collecting flowers from temples since 2005, says, “Identify anything in the kitchen, or your garden. Look around. You have to be gently with the rose petals. Air dry them. Neem makes beautiful green colour, too. One must dry it without sun. Cover it with a fine cloth so that dust doesn’t settle on it. Just a day should be sufficient. Put in a mixer and grind it,” she says.
{{/usCountry}}Madhumita Puri, from Delhi-based Society for Skill Development, which has been making Holi colours by collecting flowers from temples since 2005, says, “Identify anything in the kitchen, or your garden. Look around. You have to be gently with the rose petals. Air dry them. Neem makes beautiful green colour, too. One must dry it without sun. Cover it with a fine cloth so that dust doesn’t settle on it. Just a day should be sufficient. Put in a mixer and grind it,” she says.
{{/usCountry}}Entrepreneur Upasana Mahatani, who is making bright hues at home, says, “I usually boil and grate beetroot. Then dilute with water to make different shades of maroon/ burgundy/ magenta colour. Another trick is to mix haldi with chandan (sandalwood) paste to get a nice yellow shade.”
Author tweets @Nainaarora8
Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News, Merry Christmas 2025 on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News, Merry Christmas 2025 on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.