Colours are really Colourful

Ever thought about the color of your tie, or car or walls of your bedroom!! Color is important since it gets an emotional response from people and can really effect how you look.

Have you, as a person of normal prudence, ever given a thought to the following mind – boggling questions:

Why the people in judiciary should wear black coloured coat/gown?

1. What are the reasons for wearing green coloured clothes for a doctor in Operation Theater?


2. Why the Government of Delhi had to ban Red line city bus service, whereas in Mumbai every city bus is painted red?


3. Why a bride should wear red clothes, a set of red bangles (choora) on her arms, lipstick, nail polish and mehndi all in shades of red.


4. Why rental cars, school buses have yellow (yellow) as a colour?

Colour preferences for an individual are innate. Each person is born with an attraction for a particular colour. Colors not only enhance the appearance -- they also influence our behaviour. It’s to our advantage to consider the responses to color, both physiological and psychological.

In science, colours are simply lights of different wavelengths. Passing light through a prism has spectrum of seven colours in the order of their wavelengths/frequencies. This spectrum is popularly known as VIBGYOR (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red). These colours can be divided into:

Cool colors: (green, blue, violet) are associated with water, sky and foliage and generally indicate calm/coolness.

Warm colors: (red, orange, yellow) are associated with fire and the sun and generally indicate warmth and activity.

The violet colour has the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency.

The Red colour has the highest wavelength and shortest frequency. It produces feelings of arousal while blue generates feelings of tranquility and well being and had a calming effect.

Investigations have shown that Pressure increases under red light and decreases under the blue light.

Red colour has many virtues. It makes people unaware of how much time is passing and is therefore the colour of choice of casinos and bars. Studies have shown that red makes food more aromatic and entices people into eating more.

Conversely people refuse to eat blue tinted foods. People have natural aversion to eating something blue.

Green is the balance between cool and warm rays.

Research in plants and animals have demonstrated that plants grown under red glass were found to shoot up four times quicker that those grown in ordinary sun light and grow much more slowly under blue glass.

In 1990, scientists reported successful use of blue light in the treatment of a wide variety of psychological problems, including addictions, eating disorders, impotence and depression.

At the other end of the colour spectrum, red light has been shown to be effective in the treatment of migraine headache and cancer.

Yellow is the colour that the eyes register the quickest. Even a single row of yellow marigold growing outside a home for sale will hasten the payments of deposits. Since yellow also signals caution, it is preferred for rental cars, school buses and taxis but not for banks. Temperamental artists, opera singers, writers and musicians explode the quickest in yellow rooms.

Wealthiest persons prefer forest green and burgundy.

Weight loss programmes are more successful when foods are eaten while looking at blue decoration.

Astrology, the knowledge in our ancient scriptures can provide answers to various questions about colours. In astrology, each planet and each zodiacal sign signifies a colour. Recently, there was a lot of talk about the ‘Shani Amavasya’ and the planet ‘Shani”. Black, blue and indigo colours are represented by planet Saturn. Saturn causes delays and is a planet of endurance, perseverance, self-control, sense of duty towards almighty and man, precaution in all matters. Saturn applies pressures. In judiciary, stake involved is very high. Even death or heavy losses may be the result of imprudent judgment made in haste. Wearing black clothes means all people connected with judiciary are under influence of planet Saturn. By doing this, it is ensured that no undue haste is shown in judging a dispute and decisions are made only after taking due precaution in weighing all pros and cons of subject matter.

Astrologically, Green colour is assigned to planet Mercury. Mercury rules over central nervous system. It is a planet of intelligence and is responsible for retentive power.

Doctor in an operation theatre is like a god for a patient. Slight negligence may be disastrous and may cause havoc. Doctor while performing operation has to maintain his/her nervous balance and can not afford to be too fast or too slow. He has to be just perfect. Mercury bestows these qualities to a doctor in green dress who is expected to be perfect.

In astrology, the colour red is represented by planet Mars. Mars is the indicator of energy both constructive and destructive. All defence forces and police come under the rule ship of Mars. It is a fact that if constructive part of Mars energy is to be made use of, it needs command of discipline. Without discipline police and force can go berserk.

Similar was the situation of Red Line bus service in Delhi, which caused havoc on Delhi roads. It took toll of large number of innocent people. There was no disciplinary agency to control Delhi city red buses. However, Mumbai has well organised and disciplined fleet of red buses and city bus service is doing exceedingly well.
In astrology if red colour is handled with care, its energy can be constructive. Due to these qualities of Mars, red is colour of celebration.

A bride wears red clothes, a set of red bangles, lipstick, nail polish and mehndi all in shades of red, as red signifies energy, ambition, success in materialist world and signifies the rich and colourful nature of married life.

Have you noticed, how many fast food restaurants use red, orange, and yellow. This is to attract the customer to the establishment and to make the food look better. Red also has a positive affect on your appetite!

Color has the power to influence our emotions, cause our bodies to undergo physical changes, and even has the power to heal. Red is such a powerful color that it can make us feel sexy, lustful, and aggressive, and can even cause our heart rates and blood pressure to rise. Blue can calm our mood, make us feel cooler, or if we are exposed to a blue environment for too long blue can cause us to become depressed.

The effect of colour on life is of great significance to human beings. Colours have language of the own being i.e. self has unlimited potential which can be explored to cross any boundary. By tapping the magical influence of colours most effectively, success and prosperity can be ensured. By blending right colours in life, there can be definite improvement in health, financial position, prosperity and popularity. In fact we can make our life colourful with colours of nature.

--Jagdish C Bisht