The Festival of Colours ‘Holi’ revolves around colour. Everyone wants to enjoy this event to the utmost, but skin allergies and reactions from chemical colors and gulal might dampen the fun. However, Banda’s SHG women have solved this problem by making their own herbal gulal. Jai Maa Durge Self-Help Group and Jai Maa Kali Self-Help Group collaborated with the district administration to prepare these gulals, which are completely safe and do not cause skin damage.
The District Magistrate of Banda, Ms. Durga Shakti Nagpal, is not only helping these SHG women with the sales of their products but has herself bought the products to create awareness about safe & organic Holi. During an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Ms. Nagpal wished everyone a happy & safe Holi. She said, “It requires courage and self-reliance to start your own business and make it succeed! The women have Banda have proved this by creating their own brand of organic gulal”.
Women entrepreneurs from District Banda have carefully created Organic Gulal for the Holi season. They named this gulal Maharishi Bamdev Organic Gulal after Maharishi Bamdev, who spent several years doing Lord Shiva sadhana here in Banda. Maharishi Bamdev Organic Gulal is 100% skin-friendly, non-toxic, and handcrafted with premium quality ingredients.
PRODUCTION
Herbal gulal is created by combining Arrowroot flour with various flowers. It takes several days to manufacture this gulal by hand. First, the flowers are brought and dried in the sun. After that, the flower petals are ground in a mixer, and the paste is blended with arrowroot flour and dried again.
In addition to fragrant flowers like marigolds and roses, this gulal contains natural ingredients such as beetroot, pomegranate, tomato, spinach, neem leaves, and some essential oils. There are no chemicals used in its production. So it has no negative effects on the skin.
ROLE OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
Banda District Administration has provided hands-on professional training to women SHGs so that they may make and promote this product in a business-like way. “We are proud to say that with this support, women from humble families can generate quick income with minimal investment and are fast turning into businesswomen”, Ms. Nagpal shared.
The administration not only provides training but also a marketplace for women. The Maharishi Bamdev Gulaal is being sold at stalls set up at the Collectorate and Vikas Bhawan.
The District Administration is also promoting women SHGs under the National Livelihood Mission to become self-sufficient through the District Urban Development Agency in Duda’s urban districts. Ms. Nagpal has also encouraged district officers and staff to purchase herbal gulal items manufactured by women self-help groups, thereby increasing these women’s income. The officer believes that using herbal gulal can make Holi more enjoyable and safer for everyone.
