Puri: 

On the occasion of Holi, acclaimed sand artist Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a marvellous sand sculpture of Radha and Krishna at Odisha's Niladri Beach in Puri.

Filled with multiple colours and perfect shades, the sand art is based on Radha-Krishna theme, with its backdrop featuring trees, which made it more eye-catching.

Every year, the sand maestro comes up with unique themes and messages during festivals. This year too, Sudarsan has requested everyone to play a safe eco-friendly Holi with natural colours and not chemical-mixed colours, to protect one's health as well as the environment.

Herbal Colours Slowly Gaining Popularity

Meanwhile, a self-help group in Rajasthan's Barmer has been using flowers, vegetables and fruits to make herbal gulal (colour). Even though the process involved is long, the SHG has been spreading awareness for the last three years to ensure a chemical-free Holi. Ingredients such as arrowroot powder, fragrant flowers like marigolds and roses, natural products like beetroot, pomegranate, tomato, spinach, and neem leaves are used in preparing this gulal.

Interestingly, a couple from Sambalpur's Thakurpada has been trying hands at making colours from Palash flowers. At a time when cheap chemical-based colours are flooding the markets, Kush and his wife Rosy Patra made up their minds to bring back herbal colours from natural elements so that people don't face skin irritations and eye infections.

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