Most of the store-bought colours have harmful chemicals in them. Why not try making the colours for Holi at home?

Red

Dry: You can use red sandal wood powder. Powder of dry red hibiscus flowers mixed with any flour will give natural red colour.

Wet: Mix a pinch of lime powder (or chuna — the one that we eat with our paan) in half-a-cup of water and add two table spoons of haldi (turmeric) powder in it. Mix it thoroughly. Use only after diluting with 10 litres of water.

Peels of red pomegranate boiled in water give red. Gurans (rhododendron) gives a lovely red colour when soaked in water overnight.

Yellow

Dry: Mix two spoons of turmeric powder with four spoons of besan (gram flour) for bright yellow colour.

Wet: Mix two spoons of turmeric in four litres of water and stir well.

Orange/ Saffron

Wet: Peel around 12 large onions and boil in half-a-litre of water. Remove the onion peels. Now you will get an orange colour with a light pink shade.

Green

Dry: Make a paste out of different leaves like spinach, coriander, mint et cetera in water and leave it to dry. Another method is to mix mehndi and any flour. Crush the tender leaves of the wheat plant to obtain a natural safe green Holi colour.

Wet: Take four spoons of henna and mix in two litres of water.

Magenta

Wet: Grate beetroot and soak in one litre of water.

Brown

Wet: Boil tea or coffee in water and cool it.