At an occasion organised by the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Business not too long ago, actor Juhi Chawla spoke about her IPL (Indian Premier League) journey, confessing her preliminary aversion to Shah Rukh Khan’s choice of black for their IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Chawla talked about that she turned related to the IPL due to her husband, Jay Mehta, who was good mates with Lalit Modi, the disgraced businessman behind the franchise.
“Lalit had this nice concept of beginning the IPL, and he needed the house owners must be glamorous,” she mentioned.
She continued, “All I believed on the time was, ‘How good that cricket and Hindi movies are coming collectively’. Jay and Shah Rukh dealt with every thing. It simply got here collectively. We didn’t know something about working a cricket franchise, and I bear in mind going to Shah Rukh’s house for conferences, the place actually — from putting the jingle together, to pondering of the uniform they’ll have — every thing was finished in-house. I nonetheless bear in mind he made it black and gold, Shah Rukh, and I used to be not proud of it. I believed ‘What is that this black and gold?’ As a result of black is taken into account inauspicious, isn’t it? However they labored greater than I did.”
Chawla’s concern concerning the colors not solely gives a glimpse into the world of movie star sports activities possession but additionally opens an interesting window into the complicated relationship between colors and superstitions throughout cultures.
Color-based superstitions throughout completely different cultures
Gurleen Baruah, organizational psychologist and govt coach at That Tradition Factor, says, “Color-based superstitions vary across cultures as a consequence of a mix of historic, cultural, and psychological components. Influences comparable to non secular beliefs, symbolic meanings, societal values, and practices play important roles in these variations.”
She provides that in lots of cultures, black is related to mourning and demise, doubtless stemming from its use in funerals and its darkish, sombre look. Main religions like Christianity and Islam typically use black in mourning rituals.
Conversely, in Western cultures, white symbolises purity and is worn at weddings, influenced by Christian traditions. In distinction, in Indian and plenty of Asian cultures, white is related to demise and mourning, reflecting completely different non secular and cultural rituals round demise and purity.
“Colors even have symbolic meanings. In China and India, crimson represents luck and happiness, typically utilized in celebrations as a consequence of its historical association with luck. Nonetheless, in Western cultures, crimson can symbolise hazard or love, reflecting its daring and intense nature.”
The color’s affiliation with communism in Japanese Europe additionally highlights historic influences, she states. In Western cultures, inexperienced is linked to nature and luck, doubtless as a consequence of its presence within the surroundings. In Indonesia, it’s a forbidden color related to infidelity, influenced by native beliefs and traditions. In Western cultures, yellow is seen as cheerful and optimistic, reflecting its shiny look. But, in Egypt and Latin America, it’s linked to demise and mourning, probably as a consequence of historic and symbolic associations with gold and the afterlife.
Psychological mechanisms would possibly clarify the persistence of colour-based superstitions even in societies with excessive ranges of schooling and scientific understanding
The persistence of colour-based superstitions in societies with excessive ranges of schooling and scientific understanding may be defined by a number of psychological mechanisms, as talked about by Baruah:
Customs and rituals: Many color superstitions are deeply rooted in cultural customs and rituals handed down via generations. These traditions create a psychological reinforcement the place sure colors grow to be ingrained symbols of perception, custom, and societal norms.
Realized behaviour: From a younger age, people be taught color associations from their surroundings, together with household, friends, and media. These realized associations become part of cognitive schemas, influencing how colors are perceived and interpreted all through life.
Evolution of the thoughts: Evolutionary psychology means that people are predisposed to rapidly assess and reply to visible stimuli, together with colors, as a survival mechanism. Colors related to hazard (like crimson) or security (like inexperienced) might set off instinctual responses that persist regardless of fashionable schooling.
Symbolic meanings: Colors typically carry symbolic meanings that transcend scientific understanding. For instance, crimson might symbolise hazard or luck relying on cultural contexts, and these symbolic associations can override rational explanations in decision-making processes.
Advertising and marketing and shopper psychology: Entrepreneurs capitalise on these color superstitions by aligning their branding methods with cultural beliefs and consumer preferences. Even when people perceive the scientific properties of color, emotional and symbolic associations can affect buying selections and model loyalty.
Baruah explains, “Color-based superstitions persist in educated societies as a consequence of their deep-rooted cultural significance, realized associations from childhood, evolutionary responses, and strategic affect in advertising and marketing. These components collectively form how colors are perceived, interpreted, and utilised in each private beliefs and societal practices.”