Jamshedpur, March 18: No, not a wet and wild Holi, but colours with a conscience.
Drought-hit Jharkhand has found a new way to celebrate Holi. Inspired by the water conservation campaign initiated by the state government — Tilak Holi— many organisations in the steel city have opted for a dry festival of colours sans messy water pichkaris and long clean-up showers.
Since the past eight years, Holi for the residents of posh Ashiana Gardens in Sonari meant getting dunked in portable bathtubs filled with colour. But this year will be different, as the residential society has decided to go in for organic gulal that comes off easily.
“Holi is one festival that we used to celebrate in a grand way. We also used up a lot of water. But this time, we have decided not to waste water and only use organic gulal,” said Ashiana Gardens Society secretary Adarsh Agarwal.
Shopkeepers at Sakchi’s Dalda line echoed similar views. “Since the last one decade, we used to fill a water tank with colours and spray this on revellers. It used to be a colourful rain dance in a restricted area of the market. But shopkeepers have unanimously decided to refrain from the practice this year. We will only play with gulal and try to make our children understand the need to conserve water,” said Navneet Bansal, a shopkeeper and an organiser of the Holi party.
The students’ council at XLRI also said that excessive use of water was ruled out on campus. The committee that organises Holi celebrations in the premier B-school, has asked all the students not to waste water. “Though Holi celebrations are grand on campus, students have been requested to restrict the use of water,” said external linkage cell secretary at XLRI Suraksha R.
Social outfit Marwari Yuva Manch is also campaigning for a waterless Holi. Members of the organisation have been spreading awareness among residents to opt for dry Holi this year. “People in areas where Jusco supplies water don’t even understand the need to conserve it. We are trying to do our bit to make people understand the need to conserve water,” said its president Vijay Moonka.
However, there were some dissenting voices.
“We are against water taps being left open and wastage of water in daily life. But water conservation is a continuous process and can’t be successful in just a day. A festival that comes only once a year should not be victimised. Will you not take a good shower after playing with dry gulal? asked Nirbhay Singh of Thakur Pyara Singh Club in Kashidih.
