Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word saffron appeared as a specific color name in the late 14th century. Maerz and Paul's Dictionary of Colour published by McGraw-Hill in 1930 documents this timeline on page 203.
Hindu belief systems designate saffron as a sacred color representing sunset and fire. This association links the hue directly to sacrifice, light, and the quest for salvation.
Buddhist monks within the Theravada tradition typically don saffron robes. The lighter tone shown above represents what most Theravada monks choose compared to maroon which is standard for Vajrayana practitioners.
The Indian national flag since 1947 features three bands including India saffron. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan described the significance of this tricolor arrangement where the top panel holds the colour Kesari while the bottom displays India green.
Men between the 14th and 17th centuries wore loose saffron shirts reaching mid-thigh. These garments extended down to the knee according to historical records before modern practitioners preferred kilts over these traditional shirts when claiming national dress.