The most awaited and colourful festival in India, Holi, is around the corner. The festival is not only the symbol of happiness and fun but it is also about  delectable foods and beverages. Food, drinks and Holi go hand-in-hand. There is probably no better way to experience the soul of this festival than playing with colours and quenching the thirst of fanaticism with amazing mock tails – how better to do that than enjoying the home-made delectable non-alcoholic beverages which are far beyond the traditional Holi drinks like thandai and jaljeera.

In past couple of years, Holi festivities have become ‘foodie central’ with an exciting line up of innovative foods and drinks that will leave you spoilt for choice. So celebrate few amazing mock tails while celebrating the colourful festival this year. These mystical drinks will sure to be a pleasant experience to you as well as to your guests.

Orange Cool: It is a two layered drink. Take a stem glass. Pour one tablespoon of rose syrup at the bottom of the glass. Mix one cup of ready-made orange juice with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Tilt the glass and pour orange juice rolling along the sides of the glass to keep the two layers separate. Top the remaining glass with chilled soda. Drop some crushed ice. Garnish by fixing a black grape on the rim along with a mint leaf. Insert a stirrer stick and a straw. Serve immediately.

Virgin Mary: It is a non-alcoholic version of famous cocktail that is popularly served as the perfect ladies drink in cocktail parties. Take one cup ready-made tomato juice. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice, one-fourth teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, two drops of tobacco sauce, a pinch of black pepper powder and salt to taste in to it. Blend all these ingredients in a food processor to mix well. Transfer it to a tall stem glass. Top with soda and mix well. Drop some crushed ice. Garnish with a celery stick and a lemon slice. Serve immediately.

Minty Lemony Crush: It is one of the perfect Holi drinks with its cool minty flavour and refreshing addition of lemon juice and aerated lemon drink. Blend a cup of mint leaves adding one cup of water to a fine paste. Strain it and refrigerate. At the time of serving, put two tablespoons of mint juice in a tall glass. Add little salt and black pepper powder to it. Put some crushed ice. Top with any aerated lemon drink – limca or sprite. Stir and garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon slice. Serve immediately.

Rosella: Mix well one-fourth cup of rose syrup, one teaspoon of lemon juice, a pinch of black pepper powder and salt to taste in a food processor. Pour it in a tall glass. Top with chilled soda. Drop some crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and a mint sprig. Serve immediately.

Apple Strawberry Cordial: Fresh strawberries are in the season. A pinch of nutmeg makes this drink heavenly. Remove the peel and cut one medium apple in small pieces. Chop 10 strawberries in small pieces. Blend apple, strawberries and two tablespoons of strawberry crush together in a food processor. Now put some crushed ice on the bottom of a tall glass. Pour two tablespoons of apple-strawberry mixture in a tall glass. Top up with soda. Stir well. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg powder. Garnish the glass with a slit strawberry placed on the rim. Serve immediately.

Punch Mock tail: Punch mock tail makes Holi coolers more interesting. Pour three tablespoons of rose syrup in a tall glass. Add one-fourth cup each of ready-made litchi juice, guava juice, grapes juice, orange juice and pineapple juice to it. Add one-fourth cup of soda to lighten it. Stir well and serve immediately. Sprinkle some washed rose petals on the top.

Be it a traditional Holi drink or a contemporary one, everyone just loves to sip them while getting wet with colourful water and drying under sun to keep the sweet little cold of this spring festival away.

The ultimate masti is knocking doors. Make the best of the day enjoying these non-alcoholic chilled beverages. They can be the best part of this messy fest which you will remember for a long-long time.

Happy Holi!