Experiments at a chemical laboratory in Nagaland have yielded a new range of non-toxic colours made from indigenous plants, offering Holi revellers a safe alternative to chemical-laced pigments.
The “benign” powdered hues, made from edible items such as mustard leaves, coriander, spinach, beetroot, mulberry, turmeric, rose, hibiscus, carrot, and rhododendron, were developed by the Corrosion and Electrochemistry Research Group (CERG) of Nagaland University’s Department of Chemistry.
The eco-friendly colours can have several applications beyond the festival, and could potentially fuel small-scale industries in the geographically challenged State, the group’s researchers said.
Natural shades
“Nagaland is full of indigenous plant species that can be used for various applications, including natural dyes for the textile industry. We started working on extracting the colours from these plants in time for Holi to demonstrate their safety,” Ambrish Singh, who headed the project, told The Hindu.
“Although Nagaland is a Christian-majority State, Holi is celebrated in some urban centres. We studied the market and found there was enough space for natural colours as those available cause nausea, headache, itching, and skin irritation,” he said.
The research scholars at CERG – Therola Sangtam, Limasenla Longkumer, Vetezo Venuh, Akhiu Y. Yimchunger, and Vilabeilie Rutsa – shortlisted the plants, fruits, and flowers for the team to work on.
Indigenous plant extracts
“The extracts were prepared and mixed slowly in several steps with starch and cornflour and then kept for drying at an optimum temperature. More extracts were added after the moisture evaporated and the mixture was ground thoroughly,” Prof. Singh, who spent 10 years in China before joining the university, said.
After removing any dust contamination, the powder was filtered several times to ensure that the particles were of the same size. The final product was tested and applied over the skin, the researchers said. The colours were found to be 100% safe.
“These colours can be prepared with a short quality training and a lot of employment can be generated in the villages throughout the State. Moreover, farmers can be contacted for direct purchase of raw materials for commercial use of the colours at a very low price,” Prof. Singh said, attributing the push for the project to the university’s vice-chancellor, Jagadish Kumar Patnaik. The university is in Zunheboto district’s Lumami, about 140 km from Nagaland’s capital Kohima.
