Being self-reliant: 25 women produce 80 kg herbal colours, do brisk business in Siliguri

siliguri: A group of women in SIliguri have decided to make the best use of the festival of colours, Holi. As many as 25 women have joined hands and produced about 80 kg of herbal colours and they are selling like hot cakes.

A social organisation has given training to these women on the process of making these colours from flower using vegetable dyes.

Now-a-days, herbal colours are in great demand. Many want to avoid chemicals which are being used in the colours and do not mind paying a bit more for safer colours. The demand for herbal colours is increasing by the day. Keeping this thing in mind, the organisation has found out a way to increase the production of herbal colours along with economically empowering women.

They had started a training programme at Naresh More in Siliguri and in Ambari, adjacent to Siliguri. Arpita Singha Roy, a member of the organisation said: “I learnt the process from my family. I thought it would help these women to be economically empowered. For this me and my team have started the programme in two places.”

The training had started a week before the Holi festival. Within this time the 25 trainee women have produced about 80 kg of colours in 10 varieties. They have also done the packaging and sell the packets from their homes.

They have made 100 gram and 1 kg packets. The cost of a 100 gram packet is Rs 70 and a 1 kg packet is Rs 300. The organisation has borne the entire production cost. Dipali Roy, a trainee, stated: “We never thought, Our products would be such a hit. We have received an order of 50 kg from the BSF Kadamtala, which is an achievement for us. We are truly thankful to the NGO who helped us in this training.”

These colours are being sold not only in Siliguri but in the villages of Islampur, Bidhannagar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar.

“Herbal colour has no side effects. The quality of our colour is good. As a result, we have received multiple orders. We are also selling these colors in environment-friendly clay pots at the same price” said Shakti Paul, head of the organisation.

They are using marigolds, spinach, rose, carrot, beetroot for extracting the natural colours along with corn flour, arrowroot powder, talcum powder as the base and rose water for fragrance.