How to celebrate a dry Holi

Citizens share simple ideas on observing the festival amidst the water crisis

Holi, which falls on March 25, is synonymous with colours and water. However, the ongoing water crisis has forced Bengalureans to innovate and find new ways of observing the festival. 

Metrolife lists a few ideas.

Shower of flowers

Mithan Subbiah and Anuja Agrawal, residents of Akshaynagar, will use flowers. They plan to celebrate with 1,300 other residents of their apartment complex. The celebration is inspired by the ‘phoolwali Holi’ observed in Vrindavan.

In 2019, the duo, which was the coordinator of cultural activities at their apartment, celebrated Holi in the same manner. “It became a community activity where a group went and bought flowers from K R Market, another group separated the petals and so on,” says Mithan. “After the celebration, the housekeeping staff swept the petals and they were composted. We also used gulal (organic colours), which is easy to wipe away with a tissue,” Anuja adds.  

Homemade colours

Devanahalli-resident Girija Giridhar says that making colours at home from kitchen ingredients is skin- and environment-friendly, and can become a fun family activity. “Take cornflour or rice powder and add a few teaspoons of water into it to make a paste. For yellow, add turmeric into the paste. For pink, grind rose petals and squeeze the mix into the paste, or boil the petals, strain the mix, and add the coloured water in. Ground spinach can be added into the paste to make green colour,” he adds.

Spread the paste out on a plate, let it dry for 12 to 24 hours, and then scrape it off. You can also use a blender or mixer to make the powder fine.

After using these colours, use wet wipes or a towel dipped in water to wipe them away, she adds.

Go organic 

A few city hotels and clubs are hosting ‘phoolon ki Holi’ events, where colours made out of used/discarded flowers will be used. Leela Palace has partnered with Phool.co to produce organic gulal made from flowers that were used at their hotels, and infused with their signature fragrance, Tishya by The Leela.

Several stores and websites are selling organic colours, either made from flowers and leaves or edible material. You can purchase these colours online. They can be wiped away with wet wipes or a wet towel.

Paint it out

Suparna M S, resident of an apartment complex in Whitefield, says that she will encourage her children to do
handprints on a large canvas. She plans to frame it. “Holi is just about using colours to depict a vibrant mood. It doesn’t have to be applied on each other,” says the mother of five-year-old twins.

While painting, wear an old T-shirt or clothes that can be thrown away after the activity. This will help avoid further water wastage. “Spread out some newspapers on the floor or on the surface on which the canvas will be placed so that paint spills (and cleaning or mopping afterwards) can be avoided,” Suparna adds.