A viral video on a popular Jaipur-based Instagram profile got me intrigued about the water balloon look-alikes for Holi. The fun part? They aren’t our regular water balloons but round-shaped and hardly 20-gram-weighed lac balls full of vibrant Abir. Gulal Gota was quite an interesting discovery I made in Jaipur, as their history goes back to the Rajput reign. Here is uncovering the story of how Muslim families come together during the time of Ramadan to make this Hindu festival more vibrant.
The usage of lac in Jaipur
Lac bangles in Jaipur are quite an attraction as they are handmade colorful bangles made with an insect that breeds on trees. You will popularly find these bangles in different sizes but their designs are not similar to one another. It so happens that the making process requires extracting lac insects from trees, processing them with colors, to heat and bring them in shape eventually.
To find people making lac bangles in Jaipur, you will have to visit Maniharo Ka Rasta near Tripolia Bazaar. This is where Muslim families have been retaining the artistry of creating these bangles for seven generations now.
While lac bangles are sold all year round, the same composition is used to produce Gulal Gota right before Holi. These seasonally demanded products have similar purposes, like playing with water balloons during Holi. But while balloons have water filled in them, these have powder colors called ‘abir’.
Abir is the most widely used form of color to enjoy the Hindu festival that is celebrated in March. While most parts of India celebrates by taking a handful of the powder colors and throwing them at each other for fun, the royals of Rajasthan had a different weapon for this, too!
Origin of lac usage
In the Mahabharata, a palace made of lac, called the Lakshgriha was built by the orders of Duryodhana. The architect Purochana made this palace with lac and other inflammable like beeswax and animal fats.
The aim was to immolate the Pandavas along with their mother, Kunti. But Vidur knew about the evil plans and managed to convey the message to the Pandavas in the form of riddles.
When the Lakshgriha burnt down, it took away the lives of Purochana, a Nishada woman and her five sons. While the Pandavas escaped, the usage of lac came into being and have beeb retained across Yugas!
Origin of Gulal Gota
Balls purely made of lac and a mixture of arrowroot for colors is what helps over 30,000 families make a seasonal product to sell each year. Termed as one of the ‘dying arts,’ the tradition of making Gulal Gota came from people that migrated from Arab. These people were regular shepherd men who were called ‘Baddu.’
They people settled in Shahpura and Manoharpura towns in Rajasthan, and started developing and learning the usage of lac. Later, the then king of Amer summoned them to settle near their residing place.
When Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh built Jaipur, the artisans who made bangles (manihars) were deployed to work in the Maniharo Ka Rasta. The Manihars that you can spot throughout this road have continued the legacy started by their forefathers.
Royal celebrations with Gulal Gota
The Gulal Gota pieces that are made for the occasion of Holi every year are first sent to Vrindavan. Since Vrindavan is where Lord Krishna spent his childhood years, it holds special significance to begin the Holi preparations.
Boxes full of these colorful balls are then sent to the royal family as these are still an integral part of their celebrations. You can purchase Gulal Gota from the Maniharo Ka Rasta that sell out as soon as they are prepared.
Similarly to lac bangle making, the lac used for the color balls is first heated over coal. As they become warm enough to mold, a thumb-like piece is created, and a pipe is used to fill air into it. The Manihar uses his hands to give them the perfect shape and swiftly throws them into the water to cool down.
These pieces are extremely gentle to touch and are easy to break. With utmost case, the manihars pour in colors into the gotas and seal it with gum and golden paper wraps.
Each box has a set of 6 pieces and is sold at 200 INR as reported in 2024. While some shops add powder colors according to the color of the gotas, some add different colors in one-color gotas keeping the surprise element intact.
On the day of Holi celebrations, anyone who uses Gulal Gotas needs to target hitting on the head. Since these are extremely lightweight, they can cause no harm to the person targeted. But it sure does fill their entire body with a certain color, and that’s why targeting their head puts these to use best.
Final thoughts
Gulal Gota is made of lac that feed on trees. Since they are insects, the process may feel cruel to many. It is, however, important to note that their contribution has rendered livelihood for thousands of people across seven generations. They have also helped retain traditions of the yesteryears. We can together fight the epidemic of dying arts through thoughtful purchases, stories, and documentation.
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