COLOUR CODES

The use of colour has always fascinated me. Be it the use of blue in social resistance movements or white to signify putting a stop to such movements. The use of colours to signify something deeper and it not just being slapped onto something, peeked my interest. Recently, we were given a task to study in detail about a place chosen. I was assigned "Langhza" located in the Spiti valley.

Situated deep in the belly of the Himalayas I never thought my yearning for colours could be something that this place could fulfill. We looked at multiple villages surrounding langhza but the place that fascinated me the most was, Hikkim.

textures and colours from brown to white of a broken ground to grass and finally the snow

The place was mixed bag of colours waiting to be explored. It undergoes a sort of metamorphosis, constantly changing with time. Each season has a new transformation that can be observed. The cycle begins with occur and brown only for it to gradually end with white. The broken ground pricks your feet with harsh sunlight shining on you. As the time gradually changes, the pricks under your feet become gentle brushes soothing your skin. These brushes turn into cold shards like needles, creating a stinging sensation.

The yaks being the constant support through all these changes.

The only constant colour observed through this myriad of time are the sacred black spots, always found in consistent motion. Even the architecture of this place infuses the colours that they have always considered sacred and worshipped. The colour of the prayer flag. The prayer flag consists of blue, white, red. green and yellow. these colours represent the basic elements of sky, air, fire water and earth.

Hikkim has houses that have infused these meanings into their houses. a band of red colour runs as a border around the houses. The windows have a thick blue border and all the houses are white. This same colour scheme is seen in the Mani stones. these are kept along rivers or road sides as offerings to spirits as that they can bless them.

Colour defines and creates this place. It is found in every aspect of their life be it their living or religion or even the drastic topography changes. I believe that this unique feature is something worth to be explored and lived and not just read by people.