Petta Thullal | 21 Oct 2019

The chemical-based colours used during the Petta Thullal ritual are proposed to be banned by the Kerala State Pollution Board recently.

• The presence of hazardous metals, including lead, arsenic and cadmium in the colours used during the ritual, causes skin troubles as well as pollution of water and soil.
• The usage of an organic vermilion has been suggested to minimize the environmental impact
  
  • Vermilion is a red colour pigment, originally made from the powdered mineral cinnabar.
• Petta Thullal is the ritualistic sacred dance to celebrate the victory of good over evil in the legend of Lord Ayyappa.
  
  • It also denotes the beginning of the last leg of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season in Kerala.

Source: TH