PRAYAGRAJ, Feb. 28 -- The festival of colours is incomplete without abeer and gulal. However, as awareness grows about the harmful effects of chemical-based colours, people are increasingly turning to herbal alternatives.

In several villages of Prayagraj, hundreds of women associated with self-help groups (SHGs) and farmer producer companies (FPCs) are preparing eco-friendly abeer and gulal from Palash (Tesu) flowers-products that are now witnessing strong demand in the corporate market.

In Prayagraj's trans-Ganga region of Shringverpur and surrounding villages, rural women have transformed the bright orange Palash blossoms into fragrant, herbal Holi colours. Once considered unused forest produce, these flowers are now collected, dried ...