The most awaited festival of the year is today! and it is definitely a double dhamaka as both Swarna Gowri Vratha and Ganesh Chathurthi are celebrated on the same day. The flower decorations, … [Read More...]

Festival dates in Bhadrapada month – September and October 2026
Festival dates in Bhadrapada month – September and October2026 are as follows: Bhādrapad (August – September) Ganesh Chaturthi - 14 September 2026 Ganesha aarathi song Why Ganesha … [Read More...]

Festival dates in Shravana month – August and September 2026
Festival dates in Shravana month – August and September 2026 are as follows: Shrāvana (August - September) - From 13 August to 11 September (2026) Shravana Shanivara - 15 August, 22 … [Read More...]

Gowri Aarathi Song
ಗೌರಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಮಂಗಳ ಜಯ ಗಿರಿಜಾತೆ ಮಾತೆ ।।ಪ|| ಪರಮಾಯುಧ ಕರ ದುರುಳ ಸುರಾರೆ । ಪರಮ ತೇಜ ಮೃಗರಾಜ ವಿಹಾರೆ ।।೧।। ರತ್ನ ಮುಕುಟ ಮಣಿ ಹಾರ ಕುಂಡಲ ಶೋಭೆ | ರವಿಕೋಟಿ ತೇಜ ವಿರಾಜ ಮುಖಿಯೇ ।।೨।। ಜಗದಾಧಾರೆ ಜಗದಾದಿ … [Read More...]

21 Pushpa Pooja to Lord Ganesha
21 types of Patra (leaves), 21 types of Pushpa (flowers), and 21 Kadabu or Modaka (sweets) are offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chathurthi and Sankashta Chaturthi. There are 21 mantra chanted … [Read More...]

21 Patra Pooja to Lord Ganesha
21 types of Patra (leaves), 21 types of Pushpa (flowers), and 21 Kadabu or Modaka (sweets) are offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chathurthi and Sankashta Chaturthi. Just before the festivities … [Read More...]

Habbada Thindi and Panaka – Festival Snacks and Juice Recipes
Food and festival go hand in hand in India. Special dishes are prepared on festivals and during vratha (observance). Habbada Adige / festival food is prepared on all festivals. But … [Read More...]

Ganesha Aarathi Song
This is a aarathi song dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Kannada Script: ಮಂಗಳ ಗಣರಾಯ ಜಯ ಜಯ ಮಂಗಳ ಗಣರಾಯ ಜಯ ಜಯ ಚಂದದ ಆರತಿ ತಂದು ಬೆಳಗುವೆ ಸುಂದರ ನಿನ್ನಯ ಚರಣ ಕಮಲಕೆ ವಂದಿಸಿ ಬೇಡುವೆ ಸಿಂದೂರ ವದನ ಬಂದು ಕರುಣಿಸೋ … [Read More...]

Gowri Aarathi Song
Gowri is the consort of Lord Shiva and during Ganesha-Gowri Festival, songs are sung in glory of her during Arathi. Lyrics in Kannada: ಗೌರಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಜಯ ಮಂಗಳವೆನ್ನಿರೆ ಗೌರಿಗೆ| ಜಯ ಭವ ಹರ … [Read More...]

Ganesh Chathurthi – Ganesha Festival
I have extremely fond memories of Ganesha-Gowri festival. It was one of the grand festivals of the year for the family and for Mysore city itself. Our road would be decorated with serial lights, as … [Read More...]

Swarna Gowri Vratha – Gowri Habba – Gowri Festival
Swarna Gowri Vratha/Pooja is celebrated by girls and women in Karnataka and Andhara Pradesh. Goddess Gowri is the mother of Lord Ganesha. This festival falls in the hindu month of Bhadrapada, August - … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes

Red Cabbage Broccoli Salad
I love to cook dishes which are colorful and healthy and tend to buy vegetables in all hues. I tossed up this salad for dinner and everyone loved the taste of soft Broccoli with crunchy Cabbage and … [Read More...]

Kesar Sandwich
Kesar Sandwich is prepared using dehydrated Milk, Nuts, and Saffron. Time Required: 40 Minutes Ingredients: 12 Bread slices For the Mawa(solidified Milk) mixture: 150gms Mawa 1 - 2 … [Read More...]

Paneer Pakoda
Fritters prepared using Cottage Cheese. Time Required: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 250gms Paneer/Cottage Cheese 1 Cup Besan/Gram Flour 1tsp Garam Masala ½ tsp Kala Namak/Black … [Read More...]

Dahi Bhalla Recipe – North Indian Dahi Vada – Dahi Bhalle
Dahi Bhalla is a sweety, tangy dish prepared using lentil fritters and served with layers of Yogurt and exotic chutneys. Cuisine: Punjab Time Required: 25 Minutes + Soaking … [Read More...]

Brinjal Patchadi
Me and my friend used to swap our lunch packs in school on days when she would get soft Idlis with Brinjal Patchadi/Eggplant side dish and I would have got Chapathi and Palya/Side dish. I think this … [Read More...]

Noodles Spring Rolls
Noodles are nice fillers into spring rolls. It is a meal by itself! Cuisine: Chinese Time Required: 40 Minutes Ingredients: 10 -12 Readymade Wonton Wrappers (Spring Roll wrappers) 3 … [Read More...]

Sihi Avalakki – Meethi Poha Recipe – Sweet Beaten Rice Recipe – Sweet Poha Atta Savory Mix
Sihi Avalakki is a sweet prepared using beaten rice and jaggery. Time Required: 25 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 Cups thick Avalakki / Beaten Rice / Poha 1 Cup Grated Jaggery 1 Cup … [Read More...]

Sweet Pumpkin Raitha – Pumpkin in Yogurt Sauce – Kaddu Raitha Recipe
Kumbalakayi Raitha or Sweet Pumpkin Raitha is a favorite in our house. The sweet vegetable when mixed with the Yogurt sauce with a crunchy Black Gram seasoning is a dish we eat with Vegetable … [Read More...]
Travel

Pajaka Kshethra
Sri Hanuma Bheema Madhwa! The champion of the Dwaitha philosophy Sri Madhwacharya was born in Pajaka Kshetra located in Udupi district. Sri Madhvacharya is the incarnation of Bheema, one of the … [Read More...]

Veera Narayana Temple, Belur
Chennakeshava Temple complex in Belur comprises of many temples dedicated to various deities. One such temple is the Veera Narayana temple. The presiding deity Veera Narayana is also known as Lakshmi … [Read More...]

Tirupati
Tirupati does not need any introduction to the readers. Yet, as I have visited this place many times, this write-up is a humble offering to the gateway to the richest temple in the world: Lord Balaji … [Read More...]

Annamalaiyar Temple, Thiruvannamalai
The Annamalaiyar temple situated at Thiruvannamalai is dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Sri Arunachalaswarar - Annamaliyar. It is one of the Pancha Bhootha Sthala, the Pancha Bhootha are sky, air, … [Read More...]

Shankaranarayana Temple
Shankarnarayana temple is situated in Shankaranarayana village, which was earlier known as Golikatte. This remote village is tucked amidst coconut and arcanut plantations surrounded by the Western … [Read More...]

Paradise Beach Pondicherry
Paradise Beach in Pondicherry is also known as Plage Pardiso and is located 8 Km from Pondicherry. Drive down Cuddalore main road to reach Chunnambar backwaters resort. At Chunnambar you can take a … [Read More...]

Bangalore Fort – Bengaluru Fort
It took me few years to realize that Bangalore has an ancient fort, which was open to public. Bangalore fort was built by the founder of Bengaluru Kempe Gowda I in 1537 using mud. Kempe Gowda was a … [Read More...]
Festivals

Surya Stotra
Today is Rathasapthami and here is a beautiful stotra / hymn in praise of the sun written by Lakshmisha in Jaimini Mahabharatha. Kannada script: ಸೂರ್ಯ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರ ಮಿತ್ರಾಯ ಸೂರ್ಯಾಯ ಹಂಸಾಯ … [Read More...]

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam – Lakshmi Sthotra – Prayer to Goddess Lakshmi
Wish you all a very happy Dasara. Today is the first day of Dasara known as Padya. The nine days during this festival is dedicated to the shakthi devathes (divine power). Here is a prayer to goddess … [Read More...]

Mahashivarathri – Shivratri
Om Vande Shambhu Umaapatim Surgurum Vande Jagad Kaaranaam | Vande Pannag Bhushanaam Mrigadharam Vande Pashunaam Patim| Vande Surya Shashaak Vahninayanam Vande Mukundapriyam| Vande Bhakta … [Read More...]

Bhagvad Gita Jayanti – Bhagvad Gita Birthday – Srimad Bhagvad Gita Jayanti
During Corona time, my quest to listen and understand the Srimad Bhagvad Gita started. My mother patiently read the Bhagvad Gita shlokas and explained each of them in Kannada. I was in awe … [Read More...]

Kadalekayi Parishe – Festival of Groundnuts – Groundnuts Fair in Bengaluru – Peanuts Festival
Festival of Groundnuts known as Kadalekayi Parishe is held in Bangalore every year on the last Monday of the Hindu month Karthika, November – December in Gregorian calendar. For the festival … [Read More...]

Upanayana
Every male child born in certain Hindu communities has to go through the Upanayana ritual. Upanayana is also known as Munji, Brahmopadesham (supreme teaching), and Sacred thread ceremony. The … [Read More...]

Kiratha Arjuna – Shabara Shankara
One of Lord Shiva’s statues in Nanjanagud is Kiratha Arjuna – Shabara Shankara statue. The character of KiraAthaArjuna is introduced in the Aranya Parva (forest section) of the great epic … [Read More...]
