Celebrating women with colour

International Women’s Day is upon us and continuing with our exploration of the world of colour, what better occasion than to muse over the inseparable link between women and colours?

What are those colors that best capture the essence of a woman ? Red, blue, green, yellow – these basics colors are common and women, you’ll agree, are anything but that! So instead, let’s look at shades of these colours that come closer to embodying a woman’s complexity and, to paraphrase William Shakespeare, her “infinite variety”.

Pink, that delicious blend of red and white, defines femininity like no other shade. At one end of the pink spectrum are the pastel tones of ash or rose pink. Along with lilac – which includes a tinge of purple – these colors convey the gentleness and soft core of a woman. Contrarily, there’s fuchsia, cotton candy and that traffic-stopper so aptly named  “shocking pink” – bold, sensual, fun shades that dispel any notions of modesty or weakness! Here, let’s diverge a bit to include a peculiar pink, the favored shade of many a beady-eyed shopper at leading Kanjivaram sari stores. This eye-teaser, a shimmery weave of pinkish-white (or is it whitish-pink?), is referred to in popular Tamil parlance as “vengayam pink” or “onion pink”. Truly, a rare tribute to this humble vegetable!

Kanjivaram weavers, catering to a vast and demanding clientele, are famed as much for the classic, earthy tones of their saris as they are for innovating with colour. Taking a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book, they frequently introduce colors not found in the lexicon and hence, must be given a new name. One such creation was inspired by the Jewel Beetle, a rare blend of shades which, to my mind, encapsulates all the life giving qualities of a woman – passion, fertility, generosity, and warmth. Ponvandu, as the colour is named in Tamil after the beetle, is a rich, iridescent weave of deep rose and emerald, shot with hints of golden yellow –attractive, mysterious, subtle and strong. Just like a woman, wouldn’t you say?

Wishing all our beautiful Sarangi customers a very happy Women’s Day!