From the deep orange marigold flowers that bejewel almost every celebration to the deep hues of red that deck up the bride on her most important day, symbolic colors in India have, over time, become synonymous with religion – an expression of faith and beliefs. In a country where a deep understanding of the prevalent diversity is perhaps the only common thread that ties its people together, India is a magical experience that you will not want to miss.

Black in India has connotations with lack of desirability, evil, negativity, and inertia. It represents anger and darkness and is associated with the absence of energy, barrenness, and death. Black is used as a representation of evil and is often used to ward off evil. This symbolism is an age-old custom amongst Indians where an infant or, for that matter, anyone looking spectacular is often traditionally blessed with a little black dot on the chin or under the ear to ward off the evil eye. And while white stands for everything desirable in the West, in India it takes on a more somber connotation.

White is the absence of color and is the only color widows are allowed to wear. It is the acceptable color at funerals and ceremonies that mark death in the family. It reflects the essential quality of the color itself, in principle; white, as a color, repels all light and colors and therefore, when a widow wears white, she disconnects herself from the pleasures and luxuries of active and regular participation in society and life around her. White is also widely accepted as the color of peace and purity and is diametrically opposite to red, the color of violence and disruption in the southern half of India.

India: Home To Myriad Symbolic Colors

Because of the apparent diversity in its population, India is home to myriad interpretations and representations of symbols and colors. Colors represent different emotions to people living in various regional, geographical, and religious divides. And perhaps specific colors that have a special place in a particular area may not necessarily enjoy a similar status elsewhere. Some of the universally celebrated colors find their origins in the spices that are used widely across geographic and religious divides. Turmeric, for instance, while being used for cooking in both the north and the south, is also used in ceremonies offering prayers and marriages. Yellow symbolizes sanctity and is an essential herbal ingredient applied on the body and face by women in the subcontinent. In a country steeped in religious beliefs, the origin of most colors lies in the powers and mythical lives of its gods.

The color blue, for instance, is associated with Lord Krishna, perhaps one of the most favored gods in India. And, as is evident for any agricultural economy, green symbolizes a new beginning, harvest, and happiness. It is also the revered color of Islam, a significant religious presence in India.

Green symbolizes nature and therefore is a manifestation of God himself. India is a country steeped in tradition, culture, and rich and fabulous history. Kings and kingdoms, saints and followers, rebels and fighters have traversed the paths of its glorious past and have all played a small but significant role in ascertaining the perception of colors today.

Some of the glaring differences between the perception of color in the West and the East are due to the simplest elements in history. Royalty, in the West and the Christian culture, is represented by a deep, mystical shade of purple, while in India, it is the deep hues of red and ochre that symbolize wealth and grandeur. Perhaps one of the most poignant factors in the perception of colors in the Indian psyche is the religious undertones that coexist at almost every phase of an “Indian’s life.”

Today, colors are symbols of fear, conformity, and blind faith across the country monopolized by the contorted ways of politics. India remains colorful and vibrant in more ways than one. It stands strong as perhaps the most stoic example of unity in a world so divided. And the colors that hold it together are the colors of faith, pride, and love – feelings that overcome all differences.

The colors of India have mesmerized rulers, outsiders, and visitors – perhaps more so because of the stories and legends that bind its people, its culture, and its beliefs. The “rani” pink of mystical Rajasthan, the pastel tones of southern India, the joyous, bright hues of the northern frontier, and the warm, bright colors of the east offer a kaleidoscope for insight into an almost perfect blend of history and modernism. And perhaps a trip down its many roads will lead you to an understanding of its pulse. Maybe you’ll take the road untaken and bring home a whole new hue to your life.