Water guns, colour crackers in vogue this Holi

Ritika Jha Palial

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

The excitement of smearing colours and pumping water on one another seems high in the city ahead of Holi. The craze was visible at the city markets as a number of children, awestruck by the high intensity of water flow in battery-operated water guns, asked their parents to buy them.

Based on the concept of motor pumps that accelerate the flow of water, manufactures have launched battery operated water guns priced at Rs 450 to 500 this Holi for children. In Sector 26 grain market, the children could be seen buying water guns carrying pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “Though we have sold over 100 units of the water guns since yesterday, the demand for these is not high here. These were supplied from New Delhi, which were manfucatured during the elections last month,” said a seller in Sector 26. Colour crackers and organic dry colours have been launched at economical prices in various markets.

“The colours are not purely organic but we have tried to minimise the used of synthetic colours. These packs are priced Rs 30 to 50 each,” said Harish, a seller in Sector 22 Shastri market.

The water guns with tanks designed in the shape of popular cartoon characters Doraemon and Angry birds are also available.

Weatherman predicts thundery development
The weatherman has predicted cloudy sky and thundery development on March 6 — the day of
Holi celebrations. The maximum temperature will be 26°C while minimum will be 12°C. The temperature is likely to be moderate on the day but there is a possibility of sunshine, said an official of the Chandigarh Met Department

Before festival

• To protect your skin, go for a mixture of 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil and olive oil and add to it a teaspoon of castor oil. Apply this mixture all over your skin before playing Holi. Make sure you apply it on the ears as well and the area behind the ears. You can also apply sunscreen after applying the mixture to prevent tanning.
• You can also apply aloe vera based soothing creams to make a protective layer on your skin and prevent it from coming in contact with your skin. This will also help in getting stubborn colours washed off effortlessly.
• Protecting your lips from damage of colours is also imperative and you can put on a good layer of lip balm to keep your lips moisturised and protected.
• Apply vaseline or any petroleum jelly in the inner side of nails and on the back of your ears.
• Protect your hair by applying oil before going out to play with colours. It will protect your scalp as well as strands from getting damaged.
• Keep your hair tied in a braid or a bun to minimise the contact of colour with your hair..

After festival

• Make a paste of soyabean flour or besan with milk. Apply it on the body and wait for the paste to dry and then scrub it off.
• Use some mild shampoo to wash your hair. Must apply conditioner after shampooing your hair. You can also wash off your hair with curd and lemon juice.
• The most important thing is don’t rub your skin too briskly to remove the colours as it will only damage your skin and cause rashes or allergies.

Advisory

• Apply sunscreen and a skin barrier cream on face.
• Protect hair by applying a leave-on conditioner, coconut oil or olive oil.
• After bathing, moisturise the skin well.
• In case of mild irritation or rash, use Calamine lotion.