Do we waste water when we spray Holi colours?

Recently, Sanjay Dutt was in the news for all the wrong reasons.

18.03.2013 - Congress member Sanjay Dutt said that the water tankers for Asaram Bapu's festivities were supplied by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.

"He (Asaram Bapu) wasted lakhs of litres of water while celebrating Holi at the Kasturchand Park in Nagpur yesterday," Dutt alleged, raising the matter in a point of propriety, and demanded action against the supporters of Asaram Bapu.

21.03.2013 - MUMBAI—India's top court Thursday sentenced Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to five years in jail for the illegal possession of arms in a case connected to a series of bomb blasts that ripped through Mumbai and were one of the deadliest terror attacks in the country.

I was just wondering if the first and second items are connected.

Remember the saying, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

There his been quite a row on the Holi celebration of my Guruji.

I thought, it would be better if you got the opposite view also.

Not wasting water but saving water.

Ayurveda texts describe the benefits to the skin of colours made of Palash flowers. It prevents Irritation of the eyes, allergies, insomnia, various dermatological problems, depression, anxiety, psychosomatic illnesses, such as depression prevents other intractable problems. To save water and prevent the harmful effects of chemical dyes, Sant Shri Asharamji Bapuji ' organizes collective Holi using natural colors.

Of the tankers ordered for the Nagpur and Aroli (Thane) and Satsang – programs only one tanker per programme was used to play Holi. The waters of all the other tankers were used for drinking purposes. Thus the propaganda of 'Wastage of millions of liters of water' - are misleading and untrue. Six thousand liters of water was used for a gathering of more than a lakh of people ie. Less than 60 ml per person was used. These faithfuls do not celebrate Isolated Holi in their homes. Thus this type of mass program saves at least 20 to 30 Lakhs liters of water.

Pujya Bapuji is encouraging this trend of playing Holi with natural colours instead of chemical dyes across the country. Thus money to the tune of millions and billions are saved from going abroad. Some people suggest that Holi be played with dry colours. But each person would require anywhere within 35 to 200 liters of water to wash away. Thus on an average for every one lakh person we would require 1 crore liter of water for Holi. In contrast, playing Holi with natural colors of the Palash flower gives employment to the poor adivasis in the villages and also improves the health of the persons using the colours and reduces their medical expenses. Over the past many years more than 50 crore liters of drinking water and cold drinks made of Palash, Rose and Awala syrups and butter-milk is being distributed free of costs to the thirsty millions during the summers in many regions of India by the different Ashrams and Samithis, inspired by Bapuji. Crores of devotees who go to Bapuji’s Satsang have been offered cold drinks made of the flowers of this Palash tree which is called Brahmabriksh as it cures many ailments.

Do you want to know what waste of water is? And where is it occurring?

In the abattoirs, 15000 liters of water is used to get 1 Kg of meat. 18 lakh liters drinking water per day is wasted in Maharashtra Deonar Abattoirs. To make 1 liter of cold drink, 55 liter of water is wasted. In the cold drink and alcohol making industries, crores of liters are wasted to wash the bottles and machinery. In the large luxurious hotels Lakhs of liters of water are made available for the swimming pools.

When our politicians come to visit drought-hit areas, thousands of liters of water are sprayed before the helicopter lands so that the helicopter does not blow dust over the area. In the name of 'Rain Dance', 'Pool Party', resorts and hotels waste Lakhs of liters of water.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, Mr. Binod Tavde has provided the shocking figures of the water used by the Beer making industries in Maharashtra. He gave documents of the figures published in “The New India Express” on 15th March of the crores of liters of water wasted and the astonishing increase in the wastage every year.

(1) Millennium Beer India Ltd - The Wine manufacturer was given 1,288 crore liters in January 2012 which was nearly doubled to 2,014 crore liters in November 2012.

(2) Foster's India Limited: - They got 888.7 crore liters water in January 2012. This was increased to 1000.7 crore liters of water in November 2012.

(3) Indo - European Breweries: - In January 2012 they got 252.1 crore liters of water. In November 2012, they got 470.1 crore liters.

(4) Aurangabad Brewery - This giant wine manufacturer was given 1462.1 crore liters of water which has been increased to 1400.3 liters.

According to a survey of 'Observer Research Foundation” in Mumbai, 65 crore liters of water is wasted everyday due to leaking pipes. This water flows directly into the drains.

At least Holi water falls on human beings giving health benefits.

Using the print and Electronic media to publish such news items as “Wastage of Lakhs of liters of water” is misleading and is untruthful. Propagating such idiotic views on the collective Holi celebrations for conservation of water has hurt the feelings of his crores of disciples. It would have been much better if instead they placed the truth and showed how this programme is saving water, improving the health using national resources and also giving employment to the poor adivasis and benefiting the general masses.