'TilgulGhya Goad Goad Bola' goes a Marathi greeting during the auspicious occasion of MakarSankaranthi. Guests are traditionally offered laddus made of Til or Sesame Seeds with these words, which translate as: 'Eat Sesame Laddus and Utter Sweet Words'. The implication is, let past quarrels and differences be forgotten once you eat these sweet laddus, and let us be good friends.

The names people call it
In Sanskrit, it is called Tila. In Bengali, Hindi and Marathi it is called Til, while in Kannada and Malayalam it is Ellu, and in Telugu, Nuvvulu. The Latin name for the plant is SesamumIndicum.

What it looks like
It is a flowering plant, flourishing in tropical climates. The tiny, pear-shaped seeds of the plant are among those richest in oil content among seeds. They range in colour from ivory to black. Sesame seeds are widely used in cooking across the globe.

The makers and users
Burma is the largest producer of sesame according to the latest available data, while India is the largest exporter and Japan the biggest importer.
In India, the best known brand-name for sesame seeds is Sambandhi, from the Idhayam Group.