Modi saffron gulal, Rahul herbal colour, Akhilesh pichkaris: Holi just got a lot colourful in UP this time

Expect the streets of Uttar Pradesh to be bathed in colours of politics this Holi. Falling weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the festival of colours is witnessing sale of merchandise themed on elections.

Shopkeepers in the Braj region, comprising Agra, Mathura and a few other neighbouring districts, are selling, among other things, Modi’s saffron gulal, Maya’s blue colour and pichkaris with pictures of Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.

Premium quality ‘Rahul Gandhi herbal green colour (abeer)’ is particularly in demand.

Ramesh Agarwal, a whole seller of Holi merchandise based in Agra’s Bodla, said, “Colours associated with political parties like saffron of BJP, blue of BSP and red of SP are in great demand this year.

Ramesh Agarwal said, "we have received pre-orders of organic gulal of political shades. There can be shortage of saffron and blue colour gulal in local markets around Holi.”

Agarwal said most girls go for water tank pichkaris with Priyanka Gandhi’s picture while Modi-Yogi pichkaris are a hot favourite among boys.

Vineet Goyal, a retailer based in Rawatpara, said, “Pichkaris with photos of Modi, Yogi, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi are available with us. Majority of these cost between Rs 50 and Rs 200. Coloured balloons with pictures of political leaders are also in demand.”

Karan Verma, another shopkeeper in Naimer, said, “This year, people are buying colours and other items for Holi with political expression. This trend was absent during last year’s Holi. Masks of political leaders are also in good demand.”

(This article was originally published in The Times of India by Deepak Lavania.)