Dixya Poudel

The world as we see it is defined by colours. The flowers are beautifully decked in yellow, red, blue and orange. The trees are green with a smattering of brown and yellow. And the sky is light blue. Thus nature is rich in its hues. We are so used to seeing in colours that we take it for granted. Young children are quite aware of colours around them and they love to paint and draw in bright shades. However, every now and then grown-ups too become vividly attuned to colours.
In Hindu religion, there is a festival dedicated to colours and in Nepal it is called Fagu Purninma or Holi. This year it falls on the 15th of Chaitra. During this festival, people gather around in groups and spray colours on one another. Often dyed water is used. And it is especially the youth who participate in this occasion with many sporting brightly painted faces.
They gleefully splash paint and sneak in upon their friends to douse them with colours. There are also concerts to observe this festival as residents of Kathmandu crowd in open spaces. And the ambience of the crowd vibrates with festivities. Particularly Basantapur Durbar is known to be a famous hub for celebrators in Kathmandu. Thus, as a society we certainly love colours. It is widely reflected in the nation's vibrant celebrations of Fagu Purnima, appositely known as the 'festival of colours.'
Meanwhile, studies have proven the healing effects of colours. If one is tired of continually studying or staring at a screen, a walk in greenery certainly helps. Nature is indeed healing, primarily due to its beatific features. And soothing colours such as green and light blue are a balm to our eyesight. Thus it isn't surprising that people tend to paint their rooms with colours such as light green, blue and yellow shades.
Today, there are green spaces in residential and work areas in most developed nations. As human lives are closely related to environmental spaces, people turn to interior decorators to beautify their houses. And in turn interior decorators keep in mind the house owners' favourite colours when decorating homes. Likewise, fashion designers too have to be aware of different hues and shades. Particularly South East Asian cultures are very tuned to colourful clothes. Saris come in all shades and so do traditional wears. However, it isn't just sartorial trends that sway with colours.
People often associate colours with moods, too. Each shade of colour reflects its own characteristics. Red is the shade of traditional attires that Nepali women wear and represents sacred feelings. Likewise in the West, red symbolises passion and very often anger too. Green isn't just the colour of nature but also the colour of jealousy hence the phrase 'green eyed monster.' Blue is the hue of sky and a calming presence as well.
Yellow is bright and merry that symbolises happiness and jubilance. Likewise, black is considered both literally and figuratively a dark colour while white is sanguine. Intriguingly, if we remember our childhood, the memories tend to flow in vivid colours. Whether warm or cold, bright or dark, colours are an integral part of life. While the pandemic might have threatened a sullen monochrome, thankfully our lives are still vibrant with various hues and colours.