Holi is nearly right here, prepared to color the nation with its beautiful hues. The exuberant competition brings many delights with it just like the scrumptious meals, drinks and traditions – and an underlying fear concerning the high quality and affect of the colors used to have a good time the competition as properly.
These artificial colors pose hurt not solely to your pores and skin and physique but in addition to the surroundings. The chemical compounds used to organize them can seep into the bottom, pollute water sources, and contribute to air air pollution.
To sort out this drawback, two brothers from Mumbai, who’ve devoted over a decade to pure conservation, got here up with an answer. Gaurang and Saurabh Motta began ‘Abeer Holi Colors’, a model beneath ‘Monks Bouffe’, an natural meals and farming model which sells all the things from organically grown rice, maize, pure Holi colors, amongst others.
These colors, crafted by the Bhil tribe utilizing flowers and no different components, are usually not solely pure but in addition edible!
“Sure, you’ll be able to eat them,” Gaurang emphasised once I, perplexed by their declare, questioned them once more. “The colors are usually not solely edible but in addition protected for the surroundings, pores and skin, and animals. We needed 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 at all times been very environmentally acutely aware,” Gaurang states.
Nonetheless, this consciousness developed right into a want 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 grew to become mates. He was concerned in conservation efforts of the tribal components of Maharashtra,” Gaurang remembers.
“As we visited rural areas to satisfy the tribals striving to turn into extra eco-conscious and even transition to natural farming, we found they confronted challenges with the provision chain and reaching the appropriate customers,” he provides.
This realisation sparked an thought within the brothers. They determined to transition to this sector and help the tribal communities.
“We thought we’d have our personal farm however determined in opposition to it as we felt that the neighborhood wanted our assist extra,” he says.
Whereas the brothers have been very certain of their thought, their family and friends have been just a little sceptical. “This was one thing which was not the plan of our household for us. It grew to become very tough for them to know the necessity for such a shift. Moreover, again after we began in 2016, the concept of natural farming, the conservation of native bushes was not extremely popular,” he says.
“However we had an urge to go for it anyway. In 2016, we determined to begin ‘Monk Bouffe’ with the purpose of bringing tribal produce to the appropriate consumers, and have by no means seemed again,” he provides.
Pure, natural and edible Holi colors
Throughout one in all 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 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 good points,” he elaborates.
Decided to salvage the artwork, the brothers initiated an annual undertaking of manufacturing 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 completely pure and constituted of edible supplies. The bottom is maize flour cultivated by the neighborhood itself. The orange color is derived from the Palash flower, plentiful 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 assorted forest leaves. “Lastly, we now have 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 achieved, 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 couple of others from completely different components of the nation, together with quite a few wholesale companions who promote these merchandise as properly. “We retail by our web site and Amazon,” Gaurang mentions.
This yr, the corporate has already bought over 40 tonnes of colors!
Jatin Desai, a repeat buyer, attests, “That is my second yr 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 broaden, Gaurang emphasises that the neighborhood stays their high precedence. “Our main goal has at all times 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 now have completely pure and conventional merchandise out there?” he asserts.
You should buy your packs of natural color right here.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All Footage Credit score: Monks Bouffe)