Natural Holi Colours, With Love From Avacayam

Holi is a special time of year at Kama Ayurveda. An inspirational collaboration with New Delhi-based NGO Prabhat, has led us to a beautiful way of giving back to Mother Nature.

Prabhat is dedicated to the educational and vocational empowerment of differently abled children and young adults. Their Avacayam(Sanskrit: ‘Flower Gathering’) programme is one such initiative, propelled by a focus on environmental sustainability. Unused temple flowers are collected, recycled, and packaged by hand, into colours for Holi and rangolis, (traditional festive floor patterns) and into pot-pourri, or agarbattis(incense sticks). In this way, Avacayam helps generate income for the differently abled, by training them along every step of the supply-delivery chain.

BEAUTIFUL SERENDIPITY

The beginnings of Avacayam were unassuming, and humble. A priest from a nearby temple hired a young man to dispose unused temple garlands into the Yamuna river. Being lazy, said young man would leave the garlands in front of the Prabhat premises, taking them to the river only once in 10 days. Prabhat trainees and workers, saddened by the sight of the rotting flowers, and tired of convincing the man to be more diligent, approached the temple priest for permission to dispose the flowers themselves.

Avacayam’s training team is headed by Suresh Tomar, who has been with them for 10 years. Being severely dyslexic, he does not know the alphabet well. But, he is a visionary with excellent communication skills, and refined experience of back-end processes. Dheeraj is visually impaired. He is the Master Agarbatti Trainer. Mukesh’s physical disability does not deter him in his role of coordinating necessary documentation, and related processes for the training course.

THE HOLI PROTECT & CLEANSE BOX

These packets of skin-safe colours, come with a generous helping of love from the Prabhat/Avacayam family. For the second year running, Kama Ayurveda honours and celebrates the purity of their intention, with its Holi Protect & Cleanse Box. This year also brings refreshed packaging for the box and the packet of Avacayamcolours; as well as a collectible miniature brass pichkari (water gun), made by the artists of the All India Artisans and Craftsworkers Association.

The Ubtan Soap Free Cleanser is our exfoliating and softening alternative to soap, for removing stubborn colour from the body. Pair with Mridul Soap Free Face Cleanser. Alternatively, try the gently foaming Rose Jasmine Face Cleanser, to purify and protect skin against bacterial infections from colour impurities. Use the Jwalini Retexturising Skin Treatment Oil, for effective pre-post Holi conditioning against irritation, allergies, and sun damage. Protect your hair against colour staining, and after-effects in the form of hair splitting, staining and roughness, with the Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil.

This Holi, we invite you to immerse yourself in Kama’s nourishing goodness. Enjoy the handmade Avacayam colours and brass pichkari with friends and family again, and help us spread the message of a kind, wholesome Holi.