Amla or Indian Gooseberry is a deciduous tree that can grow to around 60 feet in height.
All parts of the plant including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers are used in traditional Indian medicine. Maharashtra, a state in India is the largest producer and supplier of its fruits.
People smear each other with coloured powders to celebrate Holi. Dried fruits can be boiled in an iron vessel and left overnight. This can be used to prepare black coloured powder.