A rainbow in a dream is mostly read as auspicious in Indian folk tradition: like the bow that appears after rain, it stands for good days after hardship, cheer at home and some good news. That is tradition, not a prediction; the colours of a dream do not colour your fate. The Hindi search is sapne mein indradhanush dekhna.
The rainbow in tradition
The Hindi name tells the story: indradhanush, Indra's bow. Indra rules rain and clouds, so the bow hanging in the sky after a shower was taken as his. Old astrologers watched the sky closely, and Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita discusses the rainbow among sky signs, reading it differently by direction and time. Every Hindi-medium schoolchild learns its seven colours by the mnemonic bai-ni-aa-ha-pee-na-la, the Hindi cousin of VIBGYOR.
In folk belief the rainbow marks rain ending and sunshine returning, so the dream lists tie it to relief and hope. The readings for each form were added later by folk tradition, and the lists are not all alike.
What the rainbow was like
| What you saw | Folk reading |
|---|---|
| A clear rainbow after rain | Good times after a hard spell |
| A double rainbow | Double joy, two things working out |
| A rainbow over your house | Cheer in the family, an auspicious event |
| Standing beneath a rainbow | A wish fulfilled |
| A faint or broken rainbow | Hope is there, but patience is needed |
| A rainbow at night | Something unusual; lists link it with sudden news |
What psychology says
A rainbow needs both rain and sun, so the mind uses it for "relief after the storm". Recovering from an illness, making up after a quarrel, getting an answer after a long wait: these are natural times for this dream.
It is a rare dream because dreams are built mostly from what we see every day, which is also why it is remembered when it comes. For some people it is simply a childhood memory returning, of a monsoon afternoon and a sky full of colour.
A light thought
If you want to read anything into it, read this: which hard stretch in your life is starting to ease? Give yourself a little credit for coming through it. Nothing more needs to be done.
Read next
See rain in a dream, the sun in a dream and flying in a dream, or the full list of dream meanings.