by Karen Vander
Throughout the ages, there are many traditions that see the color red as a symbol of royalty and divinity. In Hinduism, red has long been regarded as an auspicious color and can be seen during major celebrations, marriages and birth of an offspring. During weddings, Hindu women see it fit to decorate their hair with red colored accessories and put red powder between strands of hair. They also wear elaborate saris that consist of gold trimmings, precious gems and ornaments, all in compliance with the red theme. In Christianity, red was used to decorate the church on vital feast days. And for the Chinese, it is deemed lucky to wear red during festivals especially during the Lunar New Year. The color red is also worn to invite happiness and prosperity into one’s life; therefore it is rather unheard of for a Chinese bride NOT to wear a red wedding dress on her wedding day.
Matani Shakya, 3, newly appointed kumari. Living goddess in Nepal in a red outfit. Original story
here at Yahoo! News. Photo courtesy of the Associated Press
The color red also bears an important significance in Nepalese culture. Hindu and Buddhist devotees celebrate the appointment of a living goddess, also fondly known as a Kumari Devi. Living goddesses are usually selected from young girls within the Shakya goldsmith clan, and are usually as young as three or four years old. After going through a stringent selection process, the chosen child will be dressed in intricate jewelry, red dresses and red flowers. This age-old ceremony is celebrated joyously by the Nepalese who believe that by doing so, the spirit of the goddess Taleju, who is also the goddess Durga incarnate will reside in the child and indirectly protect the people of Nepal from calamity. The living goddess will then live in the lap of luxury, always dressed resplendently in her red attire until she reaches the start of puberty.
With all that’s said, we can agree that the color red plays a very important part in the lives of people all over the world, regardless of their race, religion and tradition. Modern thinkers these days rarely associate the color red as danger or negativity and instead prefer to focus on the positive and auspicious aspects of wearing red. More and more brides are also looking to create a truly memorable wedding, one that is infused with happiness and bliss by wearing a red wedding gown.
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So if you are a bride-to-be who is looking to create a stunning entry with your red wedding dress, it’s time to embrace your desires of wearing red. Concentrate on the positive and divine aspects!
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