Use herbal colours in Holi

With people starting to realize the hazards of using chemical colours during Holi, demand for herbal colours went up significantly in the city a day before the celebrations. While most shops stocked herbal colours in large quantities, sale of water colours went down with people preferring the drier varieties.

The herbal colours available in the market are made from natural raw material and are available for Rs 40 to Rs 200 for a 100 gram packet, compared to regular colours which come for Rs 10 to Rs 20 per 100 gram packet, market sources said. A host of instruments and accessories like pichkaris, caps and masks on offer are being readily grabbed by revelers too. For extra protection, shower caps are available for Rs 20 each in almost all markets in the city.

With cases of atrocities against women on the rise in the city, women here are jittery about coming out to celebrate Holi. Police, however, said they were prepared to ensure an incident-free festival of colours.

The Commissionerate Police, however, claimed that it was ready to prevent any untoward incidents during the festival. Police have formed special squads to keep a vigilant eye on educational institutes and ladies’ hostels.

Holi is a season of skin allergies and if proper precaution is not taken, it can even lead to fatal complications like cancer, said Capital Hospital dermatologist Dr M Srichandan. “These chemicals can cause allergy, temporary blindness, renal failure, skin cancer and even paralysis. It can even prove fatal,” the doctor warned.

Srichandan advised people to apply oil, cream or petroleum jelly on the skin before going out to play Holi. “People must avoid using concentrated forms of colours which may cause severe skin ailments. Mild redness and irritation can subside with frequent washing. However, if there is intense pain and burning, or if the vision is affected, consult an eye doctor. Asthma patients must go out with masks and inhalers,” he added.

With shops abuzz with a huge variety of colours, both of the dry and wet variety, it is difficult to differentiate between safe and harmful colours. Most colours available in the market contain oxidized metals or industrial dyes mixed with engine oil which are dangerous for the skin. The black colour is made from lead oxide, green from copper sulphate, silver from aluminium bromide and red from mercury sulphite, experts said.