Pure Ghee – the essence of mom’s parathas and my “not-so-secret well-wisher”, as mom insists. But every time she serves me roti, coated with a sheen of this clarified butter, doubts inevitably crop up. Is this generous dose of mom’s love waist-friendly? Or is it her way of winning the battle with my carefully measured drizzle of olive oil?
For the longest time, this was a clear case of generation gap to me. Mom was stuck in her ‘traditional’ ways whereas I had embraced a more ‘modern’ way of thinking. But while mom could bolster her knowledge with years of study, experience, and facts, my assertions were based on rather tenuous grounds.
It was then time to revisit ghee.
As a food that has stood the test of time, ghee permeates different spheres of our cultural life. From myths to religion, cooking to medicine, pure, fresh ghee has a role to play.
In Hindu mythology, Prajapati – the lord of creatures, is said to have poured ghee into the fire to create his offspring. To date, ghee symbolizes creation and auspiciousness.
In Vedas, ghee is known as the ‘first and the most essential of all foods’ (Mothers are always right, after all).
It helps increase Dhi (intelligence) enhance the Buddhi (intellect) and boosts the Smrti (memory).
In fact, the very thick, oily texture of ghee that I had been weary of, enriches Agni and fuels the internal juices of the body, Rasa. This process helps turn back the clock on aging.
When used topically, ghee works exceptionally well as a moisturizer. The ancient Ayurvedic recipe, shata-dhauta-ghrita or ‘100 times washed ghee’ is said to be the ultimate night cream. To create this powerful recipe, ghee is placed in a copper vessel to which purified water is added. This is then washed 10 times followed by draining the water out. The cycle of ten washes repeats itself 10 times, resulting in 100 washes in total.
What you’re left with is an odourless, creamy yet light substance that deeply penetrates the skin and refreshes it with a smooth, silky glow. In fact, in Sanskrit ghee is called Ghritam. It is derived from the root ghr, which translates to shine.
This is just the beginning. There’s so much more to know and learn.
But now that all my doubts have been put to rest, the Forest Essentials’ Tejasvi Emulsion with a light yet pure aged Ghee is my nightstand must-have, while their Silk Soaps are my bath favorites.
The rich and creamy formula of the Tejasvi Emulsion nourishes has helped fade blemishes and pigmentation when used as a massage cream for the face. The more you use it, the better it is for you! It even functions as a natural lip balm. The divine Silk soaps are hand-made based on ancient formulations including a ghee wash, and a pure silk infusion.
To mom’s great delight, I look forward to my daily dollop of ghee – both in my food and in my skin care!