The vast variety of festivals in our country always presents an opportunity to gather with loved ones and have a jolly time. But the past year really has been a year to forget. In 2020, the world came to halt with a strict lockdown everywhere and meeting our loved ones was a privilege, let alone celebrating a festival. The past year has been a period of lost opportunities but with things taking a turn for the better, here are 10 safer ways to celebrate Holi this year.
- Wear a mask. Even with the daily cases coming down gradually it is always recommended and safe to take precautions. Even though we can barely control our excitement for Holi, wearing a mask not only take cares of you but also protects your loved ones. After all, prevention is better than cure.
- Lend a helping hand. Growing up we always had good times eating those mouthwatering Gujiyas made by our grandmothers or mothers. This Holi, lend a helping hand to them in making their task easy. You can always make them with your grandma; even if you are not a good chef you can always help her by buying good quality and unadulterated ingredients. Let the cooking commence!
- Do not put colours on dogs. There has always been the tendency of a few people to put colours on dogs. Believe us, they do not like it one bit. Apart from them having irritation on the skin, they do lick their bodies and with the Holi colours over their bodies, it can lead to the consumptions of dyes and therefore to gastrointestinal and stomach issues. Powdered colours can also lead to respiratory problems in them.
- Stay hydrated. Holi generally sows the seeds of summer. And with everyone running here and there with the scorching sun over our heads, it is always a good idea to stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water nearby and keep on hydrating.
- Use organic colours. This is an age-old saying which all of us have heard from our elders while growing up. But the organic colours are way better than some of the other colours you find in the market. Not only do they help in keeping our skin and hair safe, are easy to get off our clothes but also, they are eco-friendly and do not harm our surroundings.
- Save water. Speaking of being eco-friendly, it is critical that we start saving water now as there have been many documented cases of acute water shortages everywhere. So, this time, go for a truly dry Holi and save those precious buckets of water to ensure that future generations do not face such problems.
- Avoid crowded areas. With the world already being in a place which no one could have imagined, wearing masks has become the primary task for everyone in our day to day lives. This Holi, try to stay away from large crowds as with greater people around you, there is a higher risk of contracting the Sars-CoV-2 virus. Keep your circle like a lecture. Short and sweet.
- Take care of your skin. We all have experienced the aftermath of Holi where the colours refuse to leave us even after 2-3 days of showering. While this is the most common issue, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people can develop a rash, or some sort of skin infection and it is always better taking small precautions like applying oil to your skin and wearing old clothes. These go a long way.
- Use kitchen ingredients to remove colours. As mentioned above, it is always annoying when that pink tint will not leave your skin for days. Thankfully, there are some common ingredients in your kitchen right now which will easily make that pink tint go away. Making a wheat flour and lemon mixture or a Gram flour (Besan) with milk and rose water mixture, applying on the stubborn stains and washing can help in saying goodbye to the remaining colour stains.
- Take care of your electronics. With everyone’s office or academic life shifting to the online world, taking care of your electronics is important as it is the lifeline these days. Keeping your phones in a safe place like indoors or just in a bag away from the ‘play area’ is always a good idea. Afterall even a splash of water could lead to quite a few missed meetings.
This listicle has been compiled by Suvrat Chaturvedi and Manya Garg, students of Amity University, Uttar Pradesh and members of the Wishes and Blessings Volunteering Wing, Squad for Change.
