Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

In Hinduism the yellow of turmeric is the color of the space between chastity and sensuality. Turmeric paste is rubbed on a bride's face the day before a wedding to give her skin a golden tinge and make her beautiful. Turmeric is used to cleanse temples and its essence is valued in rebuilding the immune system.

Turmeric has been used in India for at least 2,500 years. It has been grown in India since ancient times. It reached China by 700 AD, East Africa by 800 AD and West Africa by 1200 AD. It was introduced to Jamaica in the 18th Century. Today, Turmeric is widely cultivated throughout the tropics.

Turmeric was cultivated as a dye at first and then became valued for its use for cosmetics and cooking. It is often used in cooking as a substitute for Saffron. In the 13th century Marco Polo wrote of this spice, marveling at a vegetable which exhibited qualities so similar to Saffron.

Familiar to the contemporary world as a prime component of curry powder, the orange-yellow rhizome's striking color lent it a special aura in ancient India. It has always been considered an auspicious material in the subcontinent, both amongst the Aryan cultures (mostly northern) and the Dravidian cultures (mostly southern) and its value may extend far in history to the beliefs of ancient indigenous peoples. Turmeric's common name in the north is haldi, derived from the Sanskrit word haridra.

Turmeric is associated with fertility and prosperity and brings good luck if applied to a bride's face and body as part of the ritual purification before a wedding. Turmeric roots may be given as a present on special occasions, such as a visit to a pregnant woman. Turmeric powder is also sprinkled on sacred images. The use of Turmeric is prohibited in a house of mourning.

Yellow and orange are both special colors in Hinduism—yellow being associated with Vishnu, and as the color of the space between chastity and sensuality. Orange signifies sacrifice, renunciation and courage. Originally associated with the Sun and as part of solar symbolism, the colors were absorbed into the mythology of Hinduism.

Chakras in Hindu belief are mystical centers of orientation. Orange represents the sacral chakra and yellow represents the solar plexus chakra. This yogic concept is of the inner cosmology of a being discovered through meditative practice. It is best described in the tantras or texts important in Tantric Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism. In Buddhism, yellow is the color of the Bodhisattva Ratnasambhava.