Here's the story of a Muslim woman named Gulrukh Sultana who is working hard to preserve the iconic legacy of Jaipur's Gulaal Gota, which was once used by the city's royals for the Holi celebration.
Holi is more than just a festival for Indians as people of all castes and creeds celebrate it. Although the festival is celebrated with colours in most parts of the country, we also have Varanasi’s Masan Holi, which is played with pyre ashes. The festival is unique and is played differently in different cities and states. As a result, today, we are heading towards India’s pink city, Jaipur and talking about its 400-year-old tradition.
For the uninitiated, Gulaal Gota is a lac ball filled with natural colours used by royals for Holi celebrations. As time passed, it lost its charm as people inclined towards cheap artificial Holi products. However, the iconic Gulaal Gota is still relevant in Jaipur and has passed the test of time. It hasn’t happened naturally, but it took the efforts of so many Muslim families, who have invested their time to save this art from being lost in time.
According to a report in The Times Of India, Gulrukh Sultana is a Muslim lady who deserves huge credit for preserving the legacy of Gulaal Gota. She has been making Gulaal Gota since age 15 as her family indulged in this work. Due to financial issues, she couldn’t continue her education and was forced to stop going to school and start working early in life. As time passed, she understood the finer art of making the iconic colour-filled balloon bombs, aka Gulaal Gota.
However, as time passed, Gulrukh Sultana developed a keen interest in making Gulaal Gota. As time passed, she started connecting with more artisans and introduced them to the making of Gulaal Gota. In the following years, Jaipur’s iconic balloon bombs started turning heads and became popular in Jaipur and other cities. As a result, Gulrukh Sultana received a state award in 2009.
In an interview with The Times Of India, Gulrukh Sultana opened up about making Gulaal Gota. The artisan revealed that it is an unsafe job but also added that she loves to preserve it and pass it to the next generation. She also talked about making lac bangles, which, according to her, is aesthetic, which makes it hard for the customers not to buy them. She said:
"The struggle of my life made me think about the lives of other women. I have trained thousands of women from all over India. Making lac is an intricate and equally unsafe job, but I want to preserve it by passing it on to the next generation. Most people do not prefer wearing lac products these days, for it breaks easily. But these naturally colourful bangles are hard not to buy if you appreciate aesthetics."
Courtesy of her exceptional expertise in making Gulaal Gota and more interesting products using lac work, Gulrukh Sultana serves as a guest faculty at various prestigious institutes. From Pearl Academy, Aayojan School of Architect, SNDT to JJ School of Arts, and IISD, Gulrukh has established herself as a synonym of lac work. We hope she continues to promote lac work and hand the iconic legacy of Gulaal Gota to future generations.
What are your thoughts on how Gulrukh Sultana has preserved Jaipur’s iconic Gulaal Gota? Let us know.
Also Read: Masan Holi's Story: Naga Sadhus Play Holi With Ashes, Know About Its Origin And Connection With Shiv