India, Jan. 22 -- It is the season of Makara Sankranti and therefore, it is the season of transits and transitions. It is the beginning of the auspicious time in Hinduism. Legend has it that Bhishma Pitamaha waited on the battlefield to leave his body on this day in the Mahabharata, because the change in the cosmos meant that souls could fly faster to the heavens after Sankranti. In Vedic astrology, this is the time when the Sun transits from Sagittarius or Dhanus to Capricorn or Makara, which is the "house" owned or occupied by his son, Saturn or Shani. In other words, astrology says that the sun goes to visit his son at this time.

Sesame has a strong and sacred connection to Hinduism. Called til or ellu, it is used in havans and for ev...