LUCKNOW, Mar 20 : Ram Lalla will enjoy this year’s Holi with skin-friendly gulal made from Kachnar flowers at his new temple in Ayodhya, officials here said.
Devotees believe that Kachnar was Ayodhya’s “state tree” in Treta Yuga.
A team of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI) has prepared this special gulal for the occasion, an official said.
“The scientists have prepared another herbal gulal from the flowers offered at Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur and are available in lavender and sandalwood fragrances,” an official said.
Ajit Kumar Shasany, Director of CSIR-NBRI presented both the herbal Holi colours to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday.
“Drawing inspiration from the chief minister’s efforts to respect heritage and preserve tradition, our scientists have developed this herbal gulal, especially for Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, from the flowers of Bauhinia species commonly known as Kachnar,” Shasany said.
“Kachnar was considered the state tree of Ayodhya in Tretayuga and it is used as a medicine in Ayurveda. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties,” he said.
“These herbal colours have been tested and are completely safe for human skin and are eco-friendly,” he added.
The appearance of these colours is not bright as they do not contain harmful chemicals like lead chromium and nickel, the director said.
“The colours extracted from flowers are mixed with natural ingredients to form a powder that can be easily wiped off the skin,” he explained.
Chemically prepared gulal, currently available in the market, contains toxins that can cause allergic reactions, irritation and serious damage to the skin and eyes, said Shasany.
He further elaborated that a key characteristic of herbal gulal is its tendency to not quickly stain the hands, distinguishing it from other varieties.
The herbal gulal produced by CSIR-NBRI serves as a secure substitute for the harmful chemical-based colors commonly available in the market during the Holi festivities, he added. (PTI)
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