Which of the following colours is ‘Kasumal’, which is used in the costumes of Rajasthan ?

Correct — option (1), Red.

Kasumal is red, the red of kasum, the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius).

The Journal of Indian Art and Industries (1888), describing tie-dye chunaris made at Baran in Kotah State, says the cloth is finally steeped in kasum or safflower, "which gives it a bright red dye, deep or light" according to the quantity used.

The cloth is dipped in the kasum bath eight or ten times, "till it has attained a deep red colour". The same account then says "a similar Kasumal manufacture" was carried on at Pali, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Alwar, Nagaur and Indore.

The idea to remember: kasumal = the red of kasum, the safflower.

Why the others are wrong

• (2)
  Yellow — Yellow came from a different dye. The 1888 account of Baran tie-dye describes yellow specks made with haldi (turmeric), green with turmeric and indigo, and the final kasum bath giving red.

  Yellow would be the answer for a colour term tied to turmeric, not to safflower.

• (3)
  Pink — Safflower can give lighter shades when less dye is used, but the 1888 account describes the kasum bath as giving a bright red, deepened by eight or ten dippings.

  Pink in Rajasthani is gulabi, the colour of the rose. Gulabi appears in Gulabi Gangaur, which RPSC's 2016 key places at Nathdwara.

• (4)
  Saffron — Saffron is kesariya, from kesar, the saffron crocus. Kasumal comes from kasum, the safflower, a different plant with a red dye.

  Kesariya is the saffron word; kasumal is red.

Some Rajasthani colour names come from the dye or flower behind them. Kasumal comes from kasum, the safflower, whose petals give a red dye.

Safflower red is a fleeting (kachcha) dye. The 1888 account says such chunaris keep their bright colours for over a year if kept from wet, while fast (pakka) red chunaris were dyed with the root of al (Morinda).

Depth came from repeated dipping: the cloth was immersed eight or ten times in the kasum bath to reach a deep red.

Key facts

• Kasumal is the red obtained from kasum, the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius).
• An 1888 account of tie-dye at Baran, Kotah State, says safflower gives a bright red dye, deep or light according to the quantity used.
• The same account says kasumal work was also made at Pali, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Alwar, Nagaur and Indore.
• Fast (pakka) red chunaris were dyed with the root of al (Morinda); safflower red was a fleeting (kachcha) colour.
• The 1888 account says the cloth was dipped in the kasum bath eight or ten times to reach a deep red colour.

Common traps

• Guessing from the sound: kasumal and kesariya are different colours, safflower red and saffron.
• Letting shade decide: safflower can dye light or deep, but the colour named kasumal is red.
• Mixing two reds: al root gave a fast (pakka) red, while kasum gave a fleeting (kachcha) red.

UnlockIAS compared this question with questions from other RAS Prelims papers and found none similar enough to link.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The dye 'kasum', which gives Rajasthani kasumal textiles their colour, comes from which plant?

  • (a)Safflower
  • (b)Turmeric
  • (c)Indigo
  • (d)Henna
  Answer(1) — Kasum is the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), whose petals give a red dye. Option (2) gave yellow in the same tie-dye process, option (3) gave blue and, with turmeric, green, and option (4) is not the source of kasum.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  In Rajasthani attire, which colour term means saffron?

  • (a)Kasumal
  • (b)Kesariya
  • (c)Gulabi
  • (d)Hara
  Answer(2) — Kesariya comes from kesar, saffron. Option (1) is safflower red, option (3) is pink, and option (4) is green.