Alta (dye)

Common card · No. 461245

Alta (Bhojpuri: 𑂄𑂪𑂞𑂰, Bengali: আলতা), lakshaya rasa, alah, parani, vasantam or mahavar is a red dye mainly used in India, Bangladesh and Nepal to tint the hands and feet as a cultural practice. It is usually applied with a cotton swab or brush during wedding ceremonies and festivals. Natural alta is produced from red lac, although today it is mainly replaced with synthetic dyes.