Aargee

Black sesame has a long place in Hindu ritual. Families offer it in tarpanam for ancestors, scatter it in homam fires, and light sesame lamps on Saturdays for Shani. Aargee sells its black teel for exactly these uses: the label states plainly that the seeds are for religious purposes and are not to be eaten.

You will find Aargee in our pooja essentials, within the personal care and household department. It is kept away from our food shelves on purpose, so the ritual seed is never confused with cooking sesame.

Take a spoonful for each offering and follow the practice of your family or priest. In tarpanam the seed is usually mixed with water and poured through the fingers while the names of ancestors are recited. For a Shani lamp, a few seeds are tied in a small black cloth and set in the oil. During Mahalaya Paksha and on new moon days the tub empties faster than you expect, so it is worth keeping a spare.

Close the lid firmly after use and keep the tub in a dry place. If you want sesame for the kitchen, look in sesame seeds and for lamp oil in gingelly sesame oil; neither of those is the same product as this ritual pack.