The Collision of Colours – A Whirlwind of Emotions!

As soon as a newborn arrives, the shopping list is ready and the serpentine queue outside and inside the house to greet the hero or heroine doesn’t stop for a while. The father, completely oblivious to the world of colors, wakes up and is the first to choose the dress for the newborn with or without the mother’s consent as nothing stops him from dressing his newborn.  Similarly, the colors of a national flag hold a permanent place in our hearts. They symbolize unwavering pride and unity, reminding us of our collective identity. Just as flags stand tall, their vibrant hues represent the essence of a nation, embodying its strength and spirit as a cohesive entity.

The flag is often taken as a badge of honour for a citizen irrespective of the caste, colour, creed or ethnicity he/she belongs to. Though Greenland is a remote island the flag of Greenland does not have a tinge of green but is just red and white. It comprises red and white bands with a red and white disk in the middle. Colours do have deep psychological effects. When team India plays or enters the stadium, a sea of tricolours greets you. The saffron, white and green of the Tiranga stand out to the Indian emotionally and the foreigner visually.  A country’s flag is a living wonder in many ways as it is adored and admired by citizens, regardless of the region you belong to or hail from.  

My mother’s favourite flower was the Star of Bethlehem. Its pristine white petals are adorned with delicate projections, complemented by a subtle touch of yellow at the centre. The flower’s captivating beauty draws the eye and invites you to linger as if entranced by its radiant elegance. In all its splendour, it truly embodies a living wonder.  Its beauty is captivating, and the eyes don’t leave but cling to that living white wonder in all splendour. The Star of Bethlehem has a problem, it blooms amid darkness and the splendid white is similar to a bright star of the night skies to me when the first rays of the sun strike or percolate through the dense canopy of trees, it’s gone and faded, jaded and withered. The sight is depressing but the beauty of the flower is indescribable.  My new mobile (Igoo) still retains the Star of Bethlehem image captured by my previous mobile (Oppo) in 2022.

The Orchids according to me are living wonders of Mother Nature. Perfectly crafted, placed and presented in a multitude of colours. The eyes fall for it, and the orchids’ colours resonate with you with the very mention of the word – orchids. In alleys and streets, flowers await the seller and the admirer…the ownership changes with the transaction but the colours don’t. Take the case of butterflies, whether they are slowly breezing past you or perched on a plant, the sight is worth the wait, effort and time.                   

I was in the Little Rann of Kutch (Gujarat) in December 2024 and watched a flamboyance of flamingoes at a distance. My mobile camera could not capture them, but my imagination did. As I returned to Bangalore, the concept of flamingos and their indescribable beauty lingered in my thoughts. My curiosity led me to Google them, and I was even more captivated by their graceful, upright posture and the rich, vibrant shades of pink adorning them from head to toe.        

Lakes around the world provide a beautiful backdrop for a stroll and an artistic impression or a fresh canvas for an artist. I recently came across a photograph of the world’s highest freshwater lake, Pangong Tso, in the magical land of Ladakh. No wonder it’s called the Jewel of Ladakh. The photograph, besides being exceptionally colourful, features crystal-clear waters set against a backdrop of majestic, rugged mountains. The water reflected the sky in stunning hues of blue, green, and red, creating a deep and captivating visual effect. 

Recently, I enjoyed a tranquil hour-long cruise on Vembanad Lake in Kottayam, Kerala, mesmerized by the lush green forest cover and the captivating hues of nature. Amid this serene backdrop, my eyes were drawn to a small, bright-white church nestled by the lakeside. Its pristine facade seemed even more radiant as the sun’s rays pierced through the rippling lake waters and illuminated the church’s columns, creating a breathtaking contrast against the vibrant greenery around it.

Who hasn’t seen the traffic lights? It can seem to be a nightmare during peak hours but the number of lives it saves would give it the title – The Unsung Hero. Red is the sign around the world to stop and green is often taken to be positive and a signal to move forward in traffic or move ahead with the specific task or assignment one has been entrusted with. Imagine modern city life without the Green, Red and Orange colours! A chaotic recipe for disaster.     

The choice of colours is both personal and psychological. Every person who walks into a garment store or any shopping area will naturally choose a colour that appeals to them. If we were to walk into a car showroom, the catalogues would have a page exclusively on the car’s colour. The automobile company gives you colour options but the final choice of the colour is yours alone.  Audi Goodwood Green, Cadillac Cyber Yellow, and Toyota Blue Flame. The list can go on! Our first car, the Toyota Echo was brought from Al Futtaim Motors in Sharjah (UAE) in 2000. My choice was finally cut down to two options – either a dark green or a silver-coloured one. I recall taking stock of the keys to my silver Toyota Echo though I didn’t know how to drive and my wife did the honours. 

 A visitor or a prospective two-wheeler or four-wheeler buyer after selecting the brand of the car would be pondering the colour of his new possession which in most cases would be strikingly contrasted to his previous one or bear resemblance to it.  My second car was a red Maruti Wagon R and the present one, Hyundai Accent is of a slightly grey shade quite similar to the Toyota Echo. 

The choice of a car often reflects an individual’s personality, with the choice of colour playing a significant role—down to the specific shade. Take the majestic Tata Innova, for example. As it breezes through Indian streets, its size and bold presence stand out, especially when seen in dark black—a striking contrast to the pristine white one.

Speaking of black and white, one of my dogs is named Teddy. Yet, most people don’t seem to remember his name. Instead, they thoughtfully ask, “How is Blacky?” The question should be, “How is Teddy?” The logic behind this mix-up is simple: Teddy’s stunning black fur, which occasionally turns white, leaves a lasting impression. This fur transformation reminds me of my black moustache, now peppered with white as age catches up. The passage of time not only alters our appearances but also adds layers to the stories we carry, much like Teddy’s coat—a blend of charm and change. 

Doodles, on the other hand, suffered from epilepsy but was my son’s and daughter’s cherished baby. Strikingly different from Teddy, he was a Cocker Spaniel with dark and light brown fur cascading across his body, almost concealing his mischievous eyes. When he ran or walked into our rooms, his brown furry ears moved up and down sometimes briskly, slowly but in perfect harmony! I was glad that nobody called him Browny though we were tempted to give him the dark brown coloured brownies. Teddy and Doodles, the two boys never got along but their absence at times during the daily night strolls sometimes earned a nickname from the neighbours – the house with brown and black dogs! Colours never leave you, they follow you. 

Speaking about the colour, Black, I was fortunate to be in Krabi in Thailand in 2023 and we visited a small elephant sanctuary. My heart beat silently when the young mahout asked us to accompany an elephant mother who was 32 and its calf aged just three. All four of us descended into the small pond and began the ritual of bathing the mother and calf. Both are black in colour but very contrasting in size and dimension. The calf was up to its naughtiness as the mother longed for our attention. We poured water, washed its strong body, cuddled both of them and then came the last thing which we never wanted to do – say Goodbye.  As the calf sprayed water on me before it moved to its enclosure for food , the remarkable dexterity and control of its trunk which is a multifunctional organ fascinated me and made me feel closer to the giant black, tender-hearted tusker.  Elephants are loving, intelligent and good teammates and they are black and amazingly beautiful. 

My memories go back to the famed Thrissur Pooram which I witnessed in my childhood. The caparisoned elephants stood in a line and fluttered their ears with their richly adorned golden coloured nettipattams. The mahouts who are dressed for the day also proudly display their Venchamaram which is a white fan made of peacock feathers used in temple rituals in Kerala to honour the respective deity. It is a colourful day for thousands who watch the spectacle. Besides these colourful objects which come to life, the centre of attraction is the ornate umbrella, Muthukudda which comes in a variety of colours- Purple, Red, Orange, Green, Yellow, Blue, Violet and the list goes on. All this on top of our elephant!      

Interestingly, today the consumer can choose his or her watch along with several watch straps of different colours. This naturally coincides with the outfit a person will wear for formal or informal occasions across different seasons of the year. I always keep black and brown straps ready for my watches, along with cream and maroon ones for my two digital watches from the brand Noise. During a special meal in which the attendees are fairly large numbers, the fruit bowl is the one which is the most attractive and appealing in colour and taste. 

Each fruit has its distinct flavour and unique colour which is characteristic with the natural processes it undergoes. Just observe the fresh banana, its bright yellow becomes darker with each passing day while the papaya which is green on the tree slowly and gradually changes its hue and colour as it ripens.  When it’s time to enjoy the tiny cut pieces of papaya and musk melon, the flavours differ, yet their colours share a resemblance. The papaya, however, possesses a slightly darker orange shade. Notice the differences in colours when you have a bowl of papaya and musk melon. The taste, texture and flavour are similar with each bite but not the colours of the cut pieces of fruit. 

The green grocers in my neighbourhood present a colourful look to the passerby every day as the different colours of the vegetable and fruit world come alive which is a visual delight and a treat at the same time. The colours are not camouflaged but real. Each time a house or a building is painted there is a stark difference between the old and the new, whether the paint is of a different colour or not. 

Two years back, we decided to repaint our house. As I parked my son’s new black Ather bike by the side of Asian Paints the lady executive already had the menu ready for me which was a three-fold colourful catalogue containing almost a hundred combinations with and without permutations to choose from. Since my mango trees are precious to all four of us in the family as they were my mother’s precious green babies, I wanted a green shade to the dark green background that the mango trees have but my daughter and wife had a different shade to choose from the many in store, it was Raspberry Souffle, of Purple and not the Harvest Season of Green.

This one surprisingly caught my eye, it matched with our bougainvillea by the side of our car gate which majestically grows silently but confidently spreading its long thorny branches with the cream and dark purple shining multitudes of small tiny tender bougainvilleas. The choice added a playful twist, transforming the backdrop into something unexpected yet delightful—a beautiful collaboration of perspectives on colours which left its mark on the walls of Bethania (the name of my house).

Returning to the Ather bike parked in front of the Asian Paints store—aptly associated with the tagline ‘Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai,’ which translates to ‘Every house tells something (through the colours it adorns)’, on a sunny afternoon, amidst the bustling traffic of my neighbourhood, I found myself facing a seemingly simple yet complex challenge: a colour contrast dilemma. To achieve this, I visited a nearby printer shop. The shopkeeper responded quickly and thoughtfully: “We don’t have the exact colour of your bike, but we can offer you a slightly contrasting shade.” He skillfully designed the cross symbol in a darker blue variant, which turned out to complement the bike perfectly. Once pasted, it blended seamlessly with the design, adding a unique touch to the bike’s frontal appearance. 

Riding the iconic yellow school bus every day symbolizes a shared journey of learning and connection with students and colleagues. Meanwhile, the sight of BMTC’s (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) blue electric buses each morning adds a modern, eco-friendly touch to the bustling cityscape. 

As one closely observes the world map and watches the water bodies, the names of Red Sea, Black Sea and Dead Sea catch one’s attention. The seas are neither red or black or dead in the real sense of the term but are just names. These names stem from historical, geographical, or cultural influences rather than their actual characteristics.Similarly, the Black Forest in Germany has nothing to do with the colour black, its name has also been immortalized in the realm of confectionery with the delicious Black Forest cake.

Men and Women differ in unique but contrasting ways. The thought processes, dressings, aesthetics, voice modulations, culinary expertise, personal spaces, social musings and creativity. Talk about dressing and shopping, it sounds strange but true. A woman’s taste and choice of colour are diametrically opposite to a man’s. A young teenager or a woman in her mid-thirties, her forties or fifties would pay much attention to the dress and accessories each day of work or when she steps outside the home.

It’s a stunning arc of colours that appears in the horizon when sunlight interacts with water droplets in the atmosphere. It’s the rainbow and the colours Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green,Yellow, Orange and Red adorn the skies that keep us mesmerised with the nature’s wonder and splendour.    

Last night, a friend of mine, who happens to be an English teacher, sent me a short script for a voice recording. The script featured an intriguing hero named Billy and was titled ‘The New Crayons’.

Billy likes to colour
He got new crayons
He does not know the right colours 
He makes things fun
He draws purple apples
He draws green clouds
He draws blue monkeys 
He draws orange lakes 
He draws pink dogs 
He draws grey bananas
He makes yellow car tyres
He makes black Sun
Billy does not know his colours
Because Billy makes fun of things.

As you read, you may or may not have taken a liking to Billy. However, you would likely disagree with Billy and may not concur with the statement: “Billy does not know his colours.” I wanted to add one more sentence, Cutie Pie Billy! Don’t be silly! But I could not since I was not allowed to change the script nor what Billy did was right but he was innocent. 

Perhaps, my inner voice told me that we were all like Billy when we first picked up our crayons but as better sense prevailed and the reality sunk in as we grew older the correct colour also sank in. Am I right?