Holi - Festival of Colors

 Holi – Festival of colors

Holi Colors

        Holi is celebrated in different areas of India on full moon day of Guajarati month Phalgun which is generally in March month as per English calendar which is now a days followed by majority people.              

        Holi – By listening or thinking about this name every mind as well as heart is happy by thinking of playing with different colors. Youngsters as well as kids are happy due to holiday in regular schedule, also they are happy because of playing with friends and family with different colors and pichkaris, balloons etc. Elders are happy due to their religious views. Youngsters listen religious story of “Holika dahan” from elder person in family.

        Now Holi has scientific as well as religious value and all aged people believe in it in different ways i.e. some believe scientifically as well as some believe religiously.

        Holi is generally played in spring season which is transition period of ending of winter and starting of summer. In this transition period there is growth of various bacteria in body as well as in atmosphere. When Holika dahan is happening it is believed that these bacteria burnt due to rise in temperature around 60 degree Celsius. In this way body get cleanse also.

Holika Dahan

         In some areas of country people put ash of Holika along with sandal and fresh leaves of Mango trees to promote good health. It is also observed that to awake body from laziness of winter to activeness of summer, people play dhol, manjira etc.

    Now a days there are synthetic colors available in market which are very harmful for body. Due to such colors sometimes partial blindness, eye allergy, dermatitis, asthma, impaired vision, hair damage, renal failure etc. happened. These side effects are not on the spot but it may take time i.e. long-time effects. So try to play Holi only with natural colors.

          Some of Natural Colors and its sources:

Green – Mehndi leaves

Yellow – Turmeric powder

Red – Red pomegranate, Red sandalwood powder

Purple – Beetroot

Brown – Dried Tea leaves

Black – Grapes Spices

Natural Colors

          These sources and process to obtain colors from them are not as easy as to make synthetic colors but it also have no side effects.

 Dos and Don’ts in Holi Playing with colors:

Dos:

• Apply oil or petroleum jelly on skin to prevent color direct coming in skin contact.

• Apply oil on hair to prevent it become rough due to colors.

• Always wear full sleeve clothes to minimize color contact with skin.

• Drink plenty of water to prevent from dehydration and to keep skin hydrated.

Don’ts:

• Never wear lenses as burning sensation happens due to colors.

• Never drink alcohol during playing Holi.

• Don’t remove color with soap on skin as soap contains esters due to which rashes done on skin. Always use cream to remove colors or apply oil to remove colors.

• If the color still there use only milk cream or besan with milk to remove remaining color.

• Stay away from sunlight it will create itching.

• Don’t use kerosene, petrol or spirit to remove color from body or clothes.

• Itching or redness lasts for long time consult doctor.

        At the end Holi is colorful festival and everyone is happy for their own fun. Along with fun one should also take care of own health or else fun for some time create lifelong problems.