Till until health

Nutritional significance of festival related food items

The Sun is on its way up with a “spring” in its step. There’s a colourful  kite fluttering outside my window and at this time in Maharashtra, we distribute Till ladoos (sweets made from sesame seeds aka till) saying, ” तिल गुल घ्या आणी गोड गोड बोला ” (translating to – here’s a sesame sweetmeat  to aid you in saying sweet words)

If at Uttarayan / Makar Sankranti, which falls on 14th of January, till ladoos are consumed, at Holi it’s thandai and so forth. Every festival has a particular food associated with it but what has gathered dust over the generations is the significance of the same. Being nature-worshippers since the time of the Indus Valley civilisation, there is deep respect and understanding of all elements of earth and the universe. For harmony with nature, even food groups vary in their importance according to seasons which are marked by festivals.

The humble till ladoo takes on a particularly importance when ingested in the month of January. The dip in temperatures allows for those extra calories from the oilseed. The omega 6 fatty acids are beneficial for all types of joint pains which are particularly debilitating in the cold. Sesame is packed with flavonoids, anti oxidants, fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals and combined with jaggery the ladoo is a wonder food as well as wonderful tasting!

Grab your ladoo today, say sweet words, fly a kite and scream “kai po che”!!