Abeer and Gulal are the names for traditional and naturally made Holi colours. People also play with coloured water using pichkaris and other squirt guns on Badi Holi or Dhulendi. This coloured water is prepared using Tesu flowers.
The process of making natural colours involves gathering flowers from trees, grinding them, and mixing them with water to produce orange-yellow Holi water colour. Abeer is made from natural coloured talc and has always been very popular as a Holi colour. Another traditional Holi object now rarely seen is a red powder filled in Lakh bowls which are broken to spread colour on everyone. Since the past few years, all of us had lost touch with natural colours and synthetic or artificial colours are being increasingly used on Holi.
Naturally made colours like abeer and gulal have been in use since people started playing Holi. These colours have been understood to be safe for skin and for general health of a person. In the recent times though, there had begun a trend for using synthetic colours which were also more permanent. These colours were also harmful for use.
The recent trend has made people choose naturally made organic Holi colours. Now most people are adopting safe and alternative organic colours to have fun on Holi.
