With unpredictable weather conditions and scarcity of water celebrating Holi in complete fervor could be difficult. The essence of the festival could be kept intact if we planned to celebrate it a little differently and responsibly at the same time. Do you know that in Pune alone about 1300 million liters of water is released each day? The wastage of water during Holi could be estimated in the following way, a bucket is of 15 liters, and if a person uses at least two buckets of water, this means about 30 liters of water will be wasted by one person on Holi. If about five lakh people play with water, then 150 lakh liters of water would be consumed. And with summer knocking on the door can we afford so much water wastage on Holi alone? Last year the PMC did not release extra water on Holi and in fact asked the citizens to use the water cautiously. With the center taking measures to preserve water, it is our responsibility too to save water.
So let’s tweak your holi preparations, make them a water-less, organic and environment-friendly. Are you ready?
1. Make your own colors:
Commercially available colors tend to harm the skin and are difficult to remove from the clothes too. They are hazardous to our body and the environment too. Hence, we would advise that you make your colors using gram flour, turmeric, Multani mitti, sandalwood and henna powder. Along With these, you could use flowers like marigold and Gulmohar, and vegetables like beetroot as they can be easily used to create fine colors. Opt for ingredients readily available in your kitchen and beauty face packs. Read about how to make holi colors at home.
2. Play tilak holi:
You need not drench your loved ones in gallons of water and chemical laden colors. The festival can be celebrated by greeting each other with love and applying a simple tilak of organic color on the forehead. These dry natural and organic colors could be erased without water, and your clothes wouldn't get spoiled too.
3. Say NO to balloons and pichkaris:
Plastic balloons filled with water tend to hurt and can cause severe injuries. So AVOID them. Do not use Pichkaris too, as you will again end up wasting water.
4. Wear dark clothes:
Dark color clothes wouldn't require much water to clean and hence it is advisable you go for darker shades only. Wearing white during Holi is just soo filmy! Isn’t it?
5. Play phoolon-wali holi:
Holi with flowers would help you cherish the festival to the fullest. Floral holiday is nature-friendly and wouldn't cause any litter. Plus it is safe for the skin, clothes, and environment too. Moreover, you could use different flowers for different relatives. This way you could play a fully customized Holi.
6. Burn eco-friendly waste for Holi Dahan:
This might not be related to saving water on Holi, but it is related to our environment. As you gear up for grand Holi celebrations with Holi Dahan, instead of lighting wood from the trees, use cow-dung or coconut husk. This will save precious trees from getting cut also take care of our environment.
Tips to play a safe and happy Holi:
If color enters the eyes, rinse it with cold water
If color enters ears, wipe it with cotton cloth
To combat skin allergy, wash the skin with cold water and apply coconut oil or a mild moisturizer. In case the allergy worsens, consult a skin specialist
People with oily skin wash your skin at regular intervals to prevent the color from entering the skin
People with dry skin use a moisturizer thoroughly before playing Holi
After playing Holi, apply cleansing milk. Do not use soap to remove color
After playing Holi, wash your hair with herbal shampoo to prevent hair damage
Avoid using harsh chemicals to remove stains from the skin
Protect your nails, feet, elbows, ears to prevent color-clogging by applying a petroleum jelly before you get set to play Holi
