Celebrate this Holi with Ayurvedic Colors ;

Lets mark the begining and turn to the eco friendly culture of INDIA


With the winter mists melting in the sunshine, Phalgun brings new life to every leaf and bud, announcing that Vasant Ritu or springtime has come with its great display of flowers and fruits. While nature wears verdant new robes, the vernal equinox brings hope to farmers. This joyful new beginning is celebrated on the full moon day of Phalgun at the most colourful festival of India – Holi.

Colour or gulal is invariably associated with holi. We don’t exactly know when this tradition of playing with colours on Holi started. Indians have played Holi for many centuries. Ancient scriptures like the Rig-Veda and the Gaduda Purana mention this ritual of people sprinkling colours on each other.

They played with gulal - powder made out of spring blossoms, leaf and fruit extracts. The red was Raktachandan (Pterocarpus santali-nus); the green was blended Mehendi and the yellow was dried Amaltas (Cassia fistula) and Marigold / Gainda (Tagetus erecta).

The Vedas suggested use of the colour of the palash (teshu or dhak) flower. This tree is also called 'the flame of the forest'. The flowers are bright red in colour and they used to be collected from the trees and spread out on mats, to dry in the sun. Once dried, they were then ground to a fine powder. This powder was then mixed with water to give a beautiful saffron-red colour. If clothes soaked in this colour are worn, the colour enters the pores of the skin providing protection from contagious diseases. It has miraculous medicinal effects. Earlier, young princes leaving for their Guru's Ashram used to carry a Palash Danad (stick). It is believed that the stick protected them from diseases and harmful viruses. Palash flowers and tree bark cure many skin diseases. If a pregnant woman consumes Palash flower juice, the child is bound to be immune to many skin and viral diseases.
It is said that Krishna made a concoction of these flowers and used it to shower the gopis with colour. This tradition continues even today. The gesture of throwing colours over each other (in many Krishna temples, even the idols are given a bath or sprinkling of colour) is a joyous celebration of the rejuvenation of nature and renewed hope of happiness and peaceful co-existence.
The playful throwing of colored powder has a medicinal significance too. The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The colours are
traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors.
We still play with gulal. But now the colours come from chemicals. The red is mercury sulphite; the green, copper sulphate; and the black paste has lead oxide. That is not all. Several dry colours use asbestos talc, chalk powder or silica as their base.
Unlike most Indian festivals, Holi has transcended the religious observances associated with it, and all of India cuts loose for a day of mirthful abandon. It is indeed a festival of joy and merriment, celebrated as both Man and Nature cast off their winter gloom. Holi heralds the arrival of spring - the season of hope and new beginnings and the rekindling of the spirit of life.