Holi is sort of right here, prepared to color the nation with its beautiful hues. The exuberant pageant brings many delights with it just like the scrumptious meals, drinks and traditions – and an underlying fear in regards to the high quality and impression of the colors used to have fun the pageant as effectively.
These artificial colors pose hurt not solely to your pores and skin and physique but in addition to the atmosphere. The chemical compounds used to arrange them can seep into the bottom, pollute water sources, and contribute to air air pollution.
To deal with this downside, two brothers from Mumbai, who’ve devoted near a decade to pure conservation, got here up with an answer. Gaurang and Saurabh Motta began ‘Abeer Holi Colors’, a model underneath ‘Monks Bouffe’, an natural meals and farming model which sells the whole lot from organically grown rice, maize, pure Holi colors, amongst others.
These colors, crafted by the Bhil tribe utilizing flowers and no different components, will not be solely pure but in addition edible!
“Sure, you may eat them,” Gaurang emphasised after I, perplexed by their declare, questioned them once more. “The colors will not be solely edible but in addition secure for the atmosphere, pores and skin, and animals. We wished to protect the tribe’s dying artwork by giving it a platform,” he defined to The Higher India.
‘The turning level’
Gaurang and Saurabh had flourishing careers within the finance and the IT sector, respectively. “We had all the time been very environmentally acutely aware,” Gaurang states.
Nonetheless, this consciousness developed right into a need to take macro-level actions when the duo started volunteering at a Mumbai-based NGO.
“We met the founding father of the NGO, Julius, who left us impressed by the work he was doing, and shortly we turned mates. He was concerned in conservation efforts of the tribal components of Maharashtra,” Gaurang recollects.
“As we visited rural areas to fulfill the tribals striving to change into extra eco-conscious and even transition to natural farming, we found they confronted challenges with the availability chain and reaching the proper customers,” he provides.
This realisation sparked an concept within the brothers. They determined to transition to this sector and help the tribal communities.
“We thought we might have our personal farm however determined towards it as we felt that the neighborhood wanted our assist extra,” he says.
Whereas the brothers have been very positive of their concept, their family and friends have been slightly sceptical. “This was one thing which was not the plan of our household for us. It turned very troublesome for them to grasp the necessity for such a shift. Moreover, again once we began in 2016, the concept of natural farming, the conservation of native timber was not extremely popular,” he says.
“However we had an urge to go for it anyway. In 2016, we determined to start out ‘Monk Bouffe’ with the purpose of bringing tribal produce to the proper consumers, and have by no means appeared again,” he provides.
Pure, natural and edible Holi colors
Throughout one in every of their conservation efforts throughout the tribal areas in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, the duo encountered individuals from the Bhil neighborhood.
“This neighborhood, primarily based on the outskirts of Udaipur, Rajasthan, consists of a small variety of members. Amongst different expertise, they possess an unimaginable expertise for handcrafting pure colors,” Gaurang explains.
Sadly, the neighborhood’s talent was dwindling as a result of prevalence of artificial colors within the markets.
“Not a lot consideration was paid to the neighborhood anyway, however what really saddened us was witnessing the dying artwork with out recognition. The neighborhood used handpicked flowers to create pure colors devoid of adulterants, a follow handed down by way of generations. It was crucial for us to assist protect it. The youthful technology of the tribe confirmed little curiosity in studying the artwork because it didn’t present financial positive factors,” he elaborates.
Decided to salvage the artwork, the brothers initiated an annual mission of producing Holi colors with the tribe and promoting them.
“The idea of pure colors was gaining traction on the time. We first launched the Holi colors in 2018 and have been receiving extra orders ever since,” Gaurang notes.
Explaining the colour-making course of, Gaurang provides, “The colors are totally pure and made out of edible supplies. The bottom is maize flour cultivated by the neighborhood itself. The orange color is derived from the Palash flower, ample within the space throughout March and April. Our yellow hue combines Palash flowers with a contact of turmeric.”
Inexperienced hues are concocted from a mix of varied forest leaves. “Lastly, we have now a pink shade crafted utilizing Ganganagri Rose together with a touch of dried beetroot, which boosts the vibrancy,” he provides.
The flowers are first picked, sorted and cleaned. The components are boiled for 14-Quarter-hour after which they’re sieved to segregate the residue. As soon as that is finished, the combination is dried after which hand-pounded. That is then added to the natural maize flour to make pure colors.
The corporate primarily serves clients in Maharashtra with a number of others from totally different components of the nation, together with quite a few wholesale companions who promote these merchandise as effectively. “We retail by way of our web site and Amazon,” Gaurang mentions.
This 12 months, the corporate has already bought over 4 tonnes of colors!
Jatin Desai, a repeat buyer, attests, “That is my second 12 months buying the product. The colors are skin-friendly and breathable, leaving no long-lasting pores and skin discolouration. They are often simply washed off on the identical day, with solely minimal residual tint.”
Whereas the corporate’s client base continues to develop, Gaurang emphasises that the neighborhood stays their prime precedence. “Our main goal has all the time been to prioritise the neighborhood and their wants. This artwork has been part of our nation for generations, and it should be preserved. Why resort to chemical and artificial options when we have now completely pure and conventional merchandise accessible?” he asserts.
You should buy your packs of natural color right here.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All Footage Credit score: Monks Bouffe)
