Happy Holi! 4 colors of politics with Sarover Zaidi
Red for revolution, green for religion, black for danger, and white for purity—what do they really mean?
Belated Happy Holi!
Holi just went by last week and I thought of my conversation with Sarover Zaidi.
🗞️ This week’s Samachar is from (▶️ Audiogyan Ep. 39) where we explored the history, geography, and politics of colors and their impact on societies.
Sarover Zaidi is a social anthropologist who has extensively studied religious architecture and has worked on documenting Islamic and Hindu iconography across the Indian subcontinent. Currently, she teaches at Jindal School of Art & Architecture. Her research spans port cities, public health, and ethnographic documentation across the Indian subcontinent. With numerous talks, writings, and field studies, she continues to challenge how we see spaces, symbols, and identities in everyday life.
🔴 What's the deal with red in our culture?
Short Answer: Blood and brides.
Long Answer: Red is fascinating because it carries multiple meanings across different contexts. In India, it's the traditional color for marriage – that's why brides wear red saris. But globally, it's also the color of revolution and protest. I noticed this paradox while studying religious architecture. The Sarmad shrine in Delhi is painted completely red, giving me the same feeling I experienced at the Kamakhya temple in Assam, which is heavy on red due to Kamakhya Devi and Sindoor.
Check most popular color of the world.
🟢 Is green exclusively Islamic?
Short Answer: Politically yes, socially no.
Long Answer: I technically can’t point to the exact reason why green became associated with Islam. What's interesting is how this association has been politically charged. Green flags with the crescent symbol have become strong markers of Muslim spaces. But there are fascinating interruptions to this code. In Maharashtra, Hindu women wear bottled green saris during their marriage ceremonies. Even at Sufi shrines, chaddars come in red, orange, and magenta, not just green. The political formation of color is powerful, but social practices often reveal much more chaos and mixing.
Venkat Dhulipala in his book Creating a New Medina briefly delves into the historic connection between green and Islam in the Indian subcontinent.
⚫ Can a color get you in trouble?
Short Answer: It’s life threatening.
Long Answer: Colours can become highly charged and political. In Mumbai, Shia Muslims avoid wearing black in public during Muharram. This is because black clothing marks them as Shia, putting them at risk of attacks from Sunni Muslims. I've also seen people remove green from their spaces. They do this to protect themselves because green is linked to Islam. Colors also become territorial markers. I once saw orange flags suddenly appear across tribal areas in Jharkhand which was part of a campaign to include tribal populations into the Hindu fold.
⚪ Why do people glorify whiteness?
Short Answer: Jesus was brown, then became white.
Long Answer: Europe has a long history of fearing colors, a concept called "chromophobia." This started with religious changes, especially in Protestantism and Calvinism. These groups rejected the bright, decorative style of Catholic churches. Calvinism removed Jesus’s image from the cross and made churches plain and simple. Over time, this idea spread beyond religion. Bauhaus design promoted minimalism, where "ornament is crime" became a rule. White was seen as pure and orderly, while colors were linked to an excess of emotion and sexuality. Even today, many Europeans prefer monochrome clothing, unlike Indians. Sadly, this "whitification of aesthetics" has also traveled to India in the form of Fair & Lovely.
Jesus was a brown Jewish man with dark hair, but in European art, he became white.
It was great listening to and revisiting Sarover Zaidi’s episode on Audiogyan vis a vis Holi. Hope you find this interesting. Let me know in the comments section. Head on to 👉 Spotify | Substack | YouTube | Apple Podcasts if you wish to listen to the entire episode.