Holi | Colors in Hindu dharma

Colors hold significant importance in Hindu dharma, going beyond mere decorative value and playing a crucial role in religion and culture. Hindu artists use colors on deities and their attire to signify their qualities, creating an environment that brings cheerfulness. Various colors are utilized in religious ceremonies, each carrying its own symbolic meaning.

Red: In Hinduism, red holds utmost significance and is frequently used during auspicious occasions such as marriages, childbirth, and festivals. A red mark is applied to the forehead during ceremonies and important events. Women wear red powder on their hair parting as a sign of marriage, and a red sari is worn during weddings. Red powder is thrown on statues of deities and phallic symbols during prayers. It represents shakti (prowess) and is associated with charitable, brave, protective, and destructive deities. When a woman passes away, her body is wrapped in a red cloth for the cremation.

Green: Green represents peace, happiness, and stability of the mind. It has a soothing effect on the eyes and symbolizes nature.

Yellow: Yellow is the color of knowledge and learning. It symbolizes happiness, peace, meditation, competence, and mental development. It is associated with spring and activates the mind. Lord Vishnu is often depicted wearing yellow attire, symbolizing his embodiment of knowledge. Lord Krishna and Ganesha also wear yellow clothing.

White: White is a blend of seven different colors, representing a combination of their qualities. It symbolizes purity, cleanliness, peace, and knowledge. The goddess of knowledge, Saraswati, is portrayed wearing a white dress and sitting on a white lotus. Other prominent deities also incorporate white into their attire. In mourning, Hindu widows traditionally wear white garments.

Blue: The natural world, including the sky, oceans, rivers, and lakes, is predominantly blue. Deities representing bravery, manliness, determination, the ability to overcome challenges, stability of mind, and depth of character are often depicted as blue. Lord Rama and Krishna, who dedicated their lives to protecting humanity and vanquishing evil, are portrayed with blue skin.

Saffron: Symbolizing fire and purity, saffron represents the burning of impurities. It is associated with religious abstinence and is the color of holy men and ascetics who have renounced worldly desires. Wearing saffron signifies the pursuit of enlightenment. It is also the battle color of the Rajputs, the warrior caste.

In Hinduism, the use of colors in religious practices serves to convey deeper meanings and evoke specific qualities associated with different deities and concepts.