Tag Sesame

Tila Ellu Sesame Seeds Hinduism Vishnu Sat Tila Ekadasi

There was a question in one of he communities of which I am a member on the place of Sesame seeds in Pitru Karma, Oblations to ancestors.

Hindus offer Sesame seeds,Tila in Sanskrit, Ellu in Tamil, along with water while offering their gratitude to their departed relatives.

The question was why we asked to use this in small quantities.

When Lord Brahma created the world, He created Five different varieties of Plants and Sesame was one among these.

This was considered to be very best among Grains, so much so Viswakarma,The Divine Architect, created Tilothma on Brahma's request out of Tila,Sesame seeds.

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In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Tilottama is described to have been created by the divine architect Vishwakarma, at Brahma's request, by taking the best quality of everything as the ingredients. She was responsible for bringing about the mutual destruction of the Asuras (demons), Sunda andUpasunda. Even gods like Shiva and Indra are described to be enamoured of Tilottama.

While a legend talks about a pre-birth as an ugly widow, another narrates how she was cursed to be born as a Daitya (demon) princess Usha by sage Durvasa."

Being the very best only limited quantity is used as a practice,as more quantity is superfluous.

Suitable Food Habits And Environment

I can use Chapati, Nan etc when I am in North India and if I use it in South India it does not agree with me as much as Rice.

Now one finds the widespread use North Indian dishes in the South and the availability of the South is becoming optional.

The entry of the South Indian foods in the North is not as much as the North Indian Foods food in the South.

But the landscape there is also changing.

Compounded to this is the use of Olive Oil, which is essentially meant for Mediterranean Climate in a tropical Country like India.

I am not sure how the interchange or change of food culture is good for Health.