Saffron is a shade of yellow or orange, the colour of the tip of the

saffron crocus ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as saffron crocus or autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae. A cormous autumn-flowering cultivated perennial, unknown in the wild, it is best known for the culinary use of ...

thread, from which the spice

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...

is derived. The hue of the spice saffron is primarily due to the

carotenoid Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic compound, organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and Fungus, fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpki ...

chemical

crocin Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers of crocus and gardenia. Crocin is the chemical primarily responsible for the color of saffron. Chemically, crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharide gentiobiose and ...

Etymology

The word ''saffron'' ultimately derives (via Arabic) from the Middle Iranian '' ja'far-''. The name was used for the saffron spice in

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...

from c. 1200. As a colour name, it dates to the late 14th century. Deep saffron approximates the colour of India saffron (also known as ''bhagwa'' or ''kesari''). In

Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region * Rajasthani architecture * Rajasthani art ...

, this colour is called ''kay-ser-ia''. The word derives its name from ''kesar'', the Hindustani name for saffron, an important crop in

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

Religion

The color Saffron () is considered as sacred color in Hinduism. According to

Hindu mythology Hindu mythology is the body of myths and literature attributed to, and espoused by, the adherents of the Hindu religion, found in Hindu texts such as the Vedic literature, epics like ''Mahabharata'' and ''Ramayana'', the Puranas, and reg ...

, Saffron (or Kesariya) is the color of

Sunset Sunset, also known as sundown, is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon due to Earth's rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth (except the North and South poles), the equinox Sun sets due west at the moment of both the spring ...

( Sandhya) and Fire ( Agni) which symbolises sacrifice, light, and quest of salvation. The color is worn by Hindu saints and ascetics as their devotion toward the religion. Many Hindu kingdoms and dynasties had Saffron color in their flag denoting the

Sanātana Dharma Sanātana Dharma (Devanagari: , meaning "eternal ''dharma''", "eternal order") is an endonym used by Hindus to refer to Hinduism. It refers to the “eternal” truth and teachings of Hinduism. It can also be translated as “the natural and e ...

, including Maratha Empire. Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism associate saffron with the pious renunciation of material life. Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition typically wear saffron robes (although occasionally

maroon Maroon ( US/ UK , Australia ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word ''marron'', or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown". According to multiple dictionaries, there are var ...

— the color normally worn by Vajrayana Buddhist monks — is worn). The tone of saffron typically worn by Theravada Buddhist monks is the lighter tone of saffron shown above. Saffron holds symbolic meaning in Sikhism, representing spirit and sacrifice. Originally a shade of yellow called '' basanti'', the field of the modern Nishan Sahib is saffron. Turbans worn by Sikhs most often are blue or white, but basanti colour is common. File:भगवा ध्वज.jpg, Bhagwa colour flag, used by Hindus File:Punjab flag.svg, Flag of the Sikh religion, the Nishan Sahib. File:Phra Ajan Jerapunyo-Abbot of Watkungtaphao..jpg, Theravada monk in Thailand File:Sadhu (hombre bueno en sánscrito).JPG, Hindu

ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

Political uses

In politics, it was used by the Indian independence movement, and it was chosen as one of the three colours of the

Indian national flag The national flag of India, colloquially called the tricolour, is a horizontal rectangular tricolour flag of India saffron, white and India green; with the ', a 24-spoke wheel, in navy blue at its centre. It was adopted in its present form ...

after independence in 1947, and is used by Hindus. India saffron, representing courage and sacrifice, was chosen for one of the three bands of the National Flag of India, along with white (peace and truth) and what is now called ''India green'' (faith and chivalry). The Flag of India is officially described in the Flag Code of India as follows:

The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (Kesari) and that of the bottom panel shall be India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who later became India's first Vice President and second President, described the significance of the Indian National Flag as follows: The use of saffron in the national flag and as political symbolism has been opposed. One line of opposition asserts that the color is sacred and should not be politicized. Another source of opposition comes from Islamists who claim the color is forbidden in Islam and strongly prohibited to be worn by the males. Basanti turbans are associated with the Khalistan movement in the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. Even otherwise Basanti turbans are commonly used by Sikhs and not all wearing Basanti turban should be associated with separatist movement. Because Therevada Buddhist monks were at the forefront of the

2007 Burmese anti-government protests The Saffron Revolution ( my, ရွှေဝါရောင်တော်လှန်ရေး) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September, and October 2007 in Myanmar. The pro ...

, the uprising has been referred to as the Saffron Revolution by some in the international media.

Hindu nationalism

The saffron flag (''bhagwa dhwaj'') of the medieval Hindu warrior Shivaji was held in high esteem by the

Hindu Mahasabha The Hindu Mahasabha (officially Akhil Bhārat Hindū Mahāsabhā, ) is a Hindu nationalist political party in India. Founded in 1915, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests of orthodox Hindus before the B ...

and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the 1920s as a representative of Hindu resurgence and militaristic tradition. The saffron flag was the "true guru" to which Hedgewar demanded obeisance from the RSS members. "The Gerva affronFlag shall be the flag of the Hindu nation. With its Om, the Swastik and the Sword, it appeals to the sentiments cherished by our race since the Vaidik edicdays," he said. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh and its successor Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) both used saffron as their colour. The BJP used a saffron lotus on its flag, along with a green side band that possibly reflected accommodation with Islam. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu religious body affiliated to the RSS, also used saffron as its predominant colour, with its ascetic leaders clad in saffron robes and the lay leaders wearing saffron scarves. During the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the 1990s, the VHP and its affliate Bajrang Dal distributed saffron flags and saffron headbands to their followers by the millions. The predominance of the saffron symbolism in the BJP and its allies led to the BJP being referred to as the 'saffron party' in the 1990s, and the term 'saffronisation' came to be used describe the increasing influence of

Hindu nationalism Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of social and political thought, based on the native spiritual and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" or the correct term ''Hindū rāṣṭ ...

in party politics. This period saw phrases such as the "saffronisation of the coastal belt", "saffronisation of Karnataka" and "saffronisation of the Congress(I)". Academic and non-academic scholars wrote books with titles involving 'saffron' to refer to Hindu nationalism: ''Brotherhood in Saffron'', ''Khaki Shorts and Saffron Flags'', ''The Saffron Wave'', and ''The Saffron Swastika''.

Clothing

Saffron-coloured cloth had a history of use among the Gaelic-Irish. A saffron kilt is worn by the pipers of certain

Irish regiment The Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction (see Irish diaspora) who have served in overseas military forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success. Many overseas military units were p ...

s in the British Army, and the saffron léine in the defence forces of the Republic of Ireland. The latter garment is also worn by some Irish and Irish-American men as an item of national costume (though most wear kilts, believing them to be Irish). Its colour varies from a true saffron orange to a range of dull mustard and yellowish-brown hues. The

Antrim GAA Antrim may refer to: Boats * Antrim 20, an American sailboat design People * Donald Antrim (born 1958), American writer * "Henry Antrim", an alias used by Henry McCarty, better known as Billy the Kid, a 19th-century outlaw * Harry Antrim (188 ...

teams are nicknamed "The Saffrons" because of the saffron-coloured kit which they play in. The Old Irish word for saffron, ''cróc'', derives directly from the Latin Crocus sativus. In Ireland between the 14th and 17th centuries, men wore ''léine'', a saffron-coloured loose shirt that reached down to mid-thigh or the knee. (see Irish clothing).

Literature

The colour saffron is associated with the goddess of dawn ( Eos in Greek mythology and Aurora in Roman mythology) in classical literature: Lord Frederic Leighton - Cymon and Iphigenia - Google Art Project

Lord Frederic Leighton - Cymon and Iphigenia - Google Art Project

Homer's '' Iliad'':

Now when Dawn in robe of saffron was hastening from the streams of Okeanos, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached the ships with the armor that the god had given her. (19.1)

Virgil's '' Aeneid'':

Aurora now had left her saffron bed, And beams of early light the heav'ns o'erspread, When, from a tow'r, the queen, with wakeful eyes, Saw day point upward from the
rosy Rosy is a given name or nickname and, more rarely, a surname. It may refer to: __NOTOC__ People Given name * Rosy Afsari (1946?–2007), actress in the Bangladeshi film industry * Rosy Akbar, Fijian politician who assumed office in 2014 * Rosy Ar ...
skies.

Other media

* The lyrics of

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

's 1966 song, "

Mellow Yellow "Mellow Yellow" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. In the US, it reached No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Outside the US, "Mellow Yellow" peaked at No. 8 in the UK in early 1967. Content The song was ru ...

" repeat the line, "I'm just mad about Saffron". *In the ''

Pokémon (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of ...

'' franchise, in the region of Kanto there is a city named Saffron City. *'' The Gates'' is a site-specific

art installation Installation art is an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called ...

by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The artists installed 7,503 metal "gates" along 23 miles (37 km) of pathways in Central Park in New York City. From each gate hung a flag-shaped piece of deep saffron-coloured nylon fabric. The exhibit ran from February 12, 2005 through February 27, 2005. * Saffron Monsoon is a character in Absolutely Fabulous.

In nature

Plants *

Byzantine meadow saffron The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

(''Colchicum × byzantinum'') is a hybrid flowering plant. *

Cape saffron ''Cassine peragua'', also known as Cape saffron, bastard saffron and forest spoonwood, is a medium-sized tree with fragrant flowers, decorative fruits and a saffron-coloured trunk. It is indigenous to the Afro-montane forests of South Africa. ...

(''Cassine peragua'') is a flowering tree with saffron-coloured bark. *

Cobra saffron ''Mesua ferrea'', the Ceylon ironwood, or cobra saffron, is a species in the family (biology), family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due t ...

(''Mesua ferrea'') is a tree found in southern Asia. *

Meadow saffron ''Colchicum autumnale'', commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron, or naked ladies, is a toxic autumn-blooming flowering plant that resembles the true crocuses, but is a member of the plant family Colchicaceae, unlike the true crocuses, whi ...

(''Colchicum autumnale'') is a flowering plant found in Europe. * Mediterranean meadow saffron (''Colchicum cupanii'') is a flowering plant found in central

Mediterranean basin In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...

. *

Saffron buckwheat ''Eriogonum crocatum'', the Conejo buckwheat or saffron buckwheat, is a species of ''Eriogonum'', or wild buckwheat. It is endemic to the Conejo Valley and surrounding regions in Ventura County, CaliforniaConejo Valley. * Saffron spice is derived from the flowers of the plant named

(''Crocus sativus''). * Saffron plum (''Sideroxylon celastrinum'') is a flowering plant found in North, Central, and South America. *

Saffron thistle ''Carthamus lanatus'' is a species of thistle known as woolly distaff thistle, downy safflower or saffron thistle. It is closely related to safflower (''Carthamus tinctorius''). This annual plant is a native of the Mediterranean Basin, but it is ...

(''Carthamus lanatus'') is a thistle native to the Mediterranean basin. * Spring meadow saffron (''Colchicum bulbocodium'') is a flowering

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

plant found in Europe. * Steven's meadow saffron (''Colchicum stevenii'') is a flowering plant found in the

eastern Mediterranean Eastern Mediterranean is a loose definition of the eastern approximate half, or third, of the Mediterranean Sea, often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It typically embraces all of that sea's coastal zones, referring to communi ...

. Birds

* The saffron-billed sparrow (''Arremon flavirostris'') is a bird found in South America. * The

saffron-breasted prinia The Drakensberg prinia or saffron-breasted prinia (''Prinia hypoxantha'') is a small passerine bird. It lives in eastern South Africa and Eswatini. It lives in the Drakensberg's forest edges, wooded gullies and bracken covered slopes. The Dr ...

(''Prinia hypoxantha'') is a passerine bird found in eastern South Africa and Swaziland. * The

saffron-crested tyrant-manakin The saffron-crested tyrant-manakin (''Neopelma chrysocephalum''), or saffron-crested neopelma, is a species of bird in the family Pipridae, the manakins. Description It's a small short-tailed manakin, with a light yellowish breast; it has an ove ...

(''Neopelma chrysocephalum'') is a bird found in the

Guianas The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories: * French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France * ...

, southern Venezuela, and the northwestern

Amazon basin The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...

. * The

saffron-crowned tanager The saffron-crowned tanager (''Tangara xanthocephala'') is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. Found in the northern Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, it inhabits cloud forest, forest edges, and secondary forest, ...

(''Tangara xanthocephala'') is a bird found in the montane forests of South America. * The saffron-headed parrot (''Pyrilia pyrilia'') is a parrot found in the montane forests of South America. * The saffron finch (''Sicalis flaveola'') is a tanager from South America, and is common in both open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon basin. * The

saffron siskin The saffron siskin (''Spinus siemiradzkii'') is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and urban areas. I ...

(''Spinus siemiradzkii'') is a finch found in Ecuador and Peru. * The

saffron toucanet The saffron toucanet (''Pteroglossus bailloni'') is a species of bird in the family Ramphastidae found in the Atlantic Forest in far north-eastern Argentina, south-eastern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay. Taxonomy and systematics This species' scie ...

(''Pteroglossus bailloni'') is a toucan from South American's

Atlantic Forest The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and th ...

. Aquatic animals Saffron shiner

* The saffron cod (''Eleginus gracilis'') is a commercially harvested fish in the North Pacific. * The

saffron-coloured clam ''Tridacna crocea'', the boring clam, crocus clam, crocea clam or saffron-coloured clam, is a species of bivalve in the family Cardiidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is occasionally found in the aquarium trade Huelsken, T., Keyse ...

(''Tridacna crocea'') is a bivalve found in the Indo-Pacific region. * The saffron shiner (''Notropis rubricroceus'') is a fish found in Tennessee River drainage. Amphibians * The saffron-bellied frog (''Chaperina fusca'') is a frog found in the

Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...

, Borneo, and the Philippines. Insects Lactarius deliciosus 1 (1)

* The

saffron-winged meadowhawk The saffron-winged meadowhawk (''Sympetrum costiferum'') is a dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropic ...

(''Sympetrum costiferum'') is a

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

found in North America. * The

saffron beetle ''Calosoma schayeri'' (green carab beetle or saffron beetle) is a species of Carabidae that occurs in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the ...

(''Calosoma schayeri'') is a beetle found in Australia. * The saffron sapphire (''Iolaus pallene'') is a butterfly found in Africa. * The

saffron skipper ''Poanes aaroni'', the saffron skipper, is a North American butterfly from the skipper family (Hesperiidae) which occurs in salt marshes along the Atlantic coast. The upperside of the wings are vivid orange, with broad black borders. The under ...

(''Poanes aaroni'') is a skipper found in North America. Fungi *

False saffron milkcap ''Lactarius deterrimus'', also known as false saffron milkcap or orange milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The fungus produces medium-sized fruit bodies (mushrooms) with orangish caps up to wide that develop green spots ...

(''Lactarius deterrimus'') is a fungus found in Europe and Asia. *

Saffron milk cap ''Lactarius deliciosus'', commonly known as the saffron milk cap and red pine mushroom, is one of the best known members of the large milk-cap genus '' Lactarius'' in the order Russulales. It is native to Europe, but has been accidentally introd ...

(''Lactarius deliciosus'') is a edible fungus found in Europe. *

Saffron ringless amanita ''Amanita crocea'', the saffron ringless amanita, is a species of ''Amanita'' widely distributed in Europe. Description * Cap: The cap is free of rings with the volva and has a diameter of 5 – 10 cm, yellow-orange in colour with an ...

(''Amanita crocea'') is a Amantia found in Europe. Viruses *The Saffron Scourge is another name for yellow fever.

References

{{Shades of orange, Saffron Shades of yellow Shades of orange