Yin and Yang : The Fire Element.

The philosophy of the Yin and the Yang is that the microcosm of the body is linked to the universe and is affected by the daily and seasonal cycles of nature, like a seed planted in spring blooms in summer, seeds itself in late summer to autumn. The Yin and the Yang elements can also be related to different colors, emotion, taste, voice and various organs. These can also be related to the selection of food and herbs. White foods provide strong sources of yin, so I have used rice to depict that. Cloves which are dark, have been used to represent the spicy yang food. Curry leaves used here also depict the Yang. The red lentils depict the flames of the fire and the yellow ones, the warmth. As Onam is an annual harvest festival, I have used food items since eating the Onam meal together acts as a form of "communion of brothers and sisters ", as a form of integration, mutual respect and sharing a tradition, for a happy and fruitful year.