OPEN SESAME

By London swaminathan; Post No 756 dated 23rd December 2013

Encyclopaedias say that the origin of the famous phrase ‘OPEN SESAME’ from Alibaba and Forty Thieves is unclear. But my research shows that there is a story in Hindu mythology giving its origin. The interesting thing about this oil seed SESAME is that it is found in Vedic ceremonies and Indus Valley civilization. Hindus use them in their funeral rituals. Without sesame seeds there can be no funeral ceremonies or the monthly ceremonies for departed souls called Tila Tarpanam. (Tila =sesame seeds, sushma/sis mum=sesame).

Though we find sesame seeds in Assyrian and Egyptian cultures, the origin of this seed must be India. Cotton, Sugarcane and sesame seeds, all the three ancient plants found in the Indus Valley, went to the Middle East from India (Please read my earlier post: The Sugarcane Mystery: from Ikshvaku Dynasty to Indus Valley). I don’t make sweeping statements without any proof.

Sesame seed is associated with Lord Vishnu and Sesame oil (Gingely oil) is associated with his consort Maha Lakshmi. Vedic literature such as Boudayana Dharmasutra and Grhya sutra, Jaiminiya Grhya sutra and mythologies such as Garuda Purana refer to the use of sesame seeds. (Other Grhyasutra references for researchers: Asva.GS 1-9-6; Sank GS 1-28-6; Pa GS 1-15-4. Panini also refers to it (Ashtadyayee V.2.4, V.i.7).

Taila, sesame oil, is mentioned in the Atharva Veda where reference is made to keeping such oil in jars. In the Sankhayana Aranyaka (RV), reference is made to anointing with sesame oil. Yajur Veda also has references to it.
There is another proof for the origin of sesame seeds in India, is from 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature. There are too many references to list here. But the innumerable proverbs, verbs and nouns about sesame in Tamil show that it is known to Indians for thousands of years. Moreover the Tamil word used for sesame ‘El’ has no cognates in Semitic or Indo Aryan group of languages. But it is used in the same ways in religious rituals from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari.

OPEN SESAME & TARPANAM

Shatila Ekadasi may be the origin for this phrase. Hindus consider this sesame as a Password for Heaven. An old woman did not do any food donation (Anna Dhanam) in her life. When God came to test her she gave only a mud ball, but yet she went to the heaven. Lord sent her back to earth to complete her duties which includes donating food to the needy. (Another version of the same story: But causally she mixed the sesame seeds in cow dung and used it as fuel which led her to the heaven). Hindus consider this seed as the vehicle for the world of the departed. They just give water with this black sesame seeds every month for the departed souls and say three times ‘Be satisfied’ (‘Trpyata’ and so the ceremony is called Tarpanam). In the olden days Hindus were doing Tarpanam every day. Nowadays orthodox Hindus do it 96 times in a year where as others do it 12 times a year.

Shat+ Tila= Shatila Ekadasi shows that sesame seeds can be used in six (Shat) different ways: Oil Bathing, Oil Massaging, Food, Charity(donation) of Til, Putting Tila in fire known as Havan/Homam, Oblations to departed souls.

In South India, oil bath with the sesame oil is considered auspicious. On Deepavali (diwali) day the Hindus take oil bath so that Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth, resides in them permanently. They cook all the dishes only with this oil for religious festivals.

Makara Sankranti

Makara Sankaranti (Pongal Festival in Tamil) is one of the Hindu festivals associated with solar calendar. It is celebrated though out India. It is called Tila Sankaranti as well in Maharashtra because Tila Balls ( Tila Laddoos) are distributed on that day. Each family exchange Tila Laddoos saying ‘Forget the past and say sweet words’. It is a renewal of friendship. In Tamil Nadu it is the main festival for the Tamils. They celebrate it as Harvest Festival.

Sangam Tamil Literature

Ancient Tamils were ardent Hindus. They followed all the main Hindu rituals with some regional variations. India is a vast county with various climates. Every tenth line in their 30000 line Sangam corpus we see some reference to Hindu ideals. They also believed departed souls live in the South which I have explained in one of my posts. Wife of Bhootha Pandya went to commit ‘Sati’. All the elders in the Royal court of the Pandya Kingdom prevented her from jumping into the funeral pyre. But she ignored them and burnt herself with her husband’s body. She was well educated and the queen’s poem is part of Purananuru (verse 246). She listed the food items for a widow which includes sesame paste. The verbs with this El (sesame) are numerous. It may be compared to Iota in English (Not even an iota) mostly with negative connotations. One of the proverbs is ‘Like a sesame ball for a poor man’.

I have given more Tamil references in the Tamil version of my article.

Most famous Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar used this oil seed in his couplets (Kural 281, 470, 1298)
Sesamum indicum is the variety used by Indians. There are different wild varieties available in Africa. It is available in Black, White and Red colours. Sweets made up of sesame seeds are used in the Middle East and India.

Garuda Purana

Garuda Purana and Bhavishya Purana give some information about sesame. It is considered very pure because it came out as sweat from the body of Lord Vishnu. Hindus use ‘sweat’ ‘dirt’,’ soil’ so that a layman will understand. What they mean is it is part of God’s body. The use of sesame drives away the evil spirits and demons. Tamils also used white mustard seeds for the same purpose according to Sangam Tamil literature.
Black colour is always associated with death in Hinduism. I have written about it in my post about Yama, God of death. He is called black. His vehicle buffalo is also black. Sesame seeds used in funeral rituals is also black. Sesame powder mixed with rice is offered to planet Saturn on Saturdays which is also a black planet. Saturn’s vehicle crow is also black. So we see a reason for the use of the sesame seeds in death rituals. Sesame oil is also used in funeral rituals. All the family members of the departed person have to look at their faces reflected in the oil. The oil is collected by the funeral person and no one is allowed to look at him.

Tilaka (Dots on the foreheads) and drop of sweat look like a sesame seed. May be the origin of Tilak is also from the shape of sesame/Tila seed. If one looks at a sesame seed under a magnifying glass one can easily understand it.

Bread with Seame

Kanchi Shankaracharya

Kanchi Paramacharya Swamikal (Shankaracharya Sri Chandrasekara Indra Sarasvati Swamikal) adds some interesting information in his talk in Chennai in 1932. Brahmins change their sacred thread (Punul) every year on Upakarma day (full moon in Sravana month). On that day they used to eat only Sesame seeds and starve for the whole day. Next day they do a Homam (Havan) with 1008 peepal (Ficus religiosa) sticks. Now no one follows this ancient ritual.

The usage of sesame in the ancient languages like Sanskrit and Tamil and Indus Valley points out that the Vedic civilization and Indus Valley civilization are not very different. They are one and the same.

Please read my earlier post The Sugarcane Mystery: Indus Valley and the Ikshvaku Dynasty. Contact swami_48@yahoo.com