You do no need a bunch of flowers to create a flower arrangement. A single flower can be a garden as well as a good flower arrangement. Ikebana rules can be sometimes applied to freestyle … [Read More...]
June 2026 Hints
Make a organic insecticide by adding onions and garlic to a jar of water, let it stand for a week, and spray plants with it. Used tea bags sprinkled on rose plants will make them blossom faster … [Read More...]
Nambhi Narayana Temple, Thodanur
The Nambhi Narayana/Lakshmi Narayana temple is the largest and the oldest temple in Thodanur. This was originally a Jain basathi/temple. Hoysala king Bittidevaraya, who was a Jain was influenced … [Read More...]
Akeel Dip Recipe
Yes, like you I was intrigued hearing the name of this dip. Akeel Dip is from Yemen and is similar to Indian Raitha with its own unique twist. This dip can be served with any of the crisp starters or … [Read More...]
Song on Lord Panduranga
This song is in praise of Lord Panduranga of Pandharpur. Panduranga appeared in Pandharpur to bless his devotee, Pundalik, who was busy serving his parents when the Lord arrived, … [Read More...]
Flower Arrangement – Windy
The wind blown arrangement is the nearest you can get to nature. This arrangement is one of my favorite. This arrangement gives an illusion of a tree laden with flowers blown to a side by … [Read More...]
Dinner with Pumpkin – Roti platter with Pumpkin
Light dinner keeps you agile the next day. Early dinner the better. Though this is easy said than done! Pumpkin is a powerhouse of fibre and when teamed with Roti is a perfect way to … [Read More...]
Black-eyed Susan Vine
The attractive flowers of Black-Eyed Susan Vine are like a pop-up in any garden. The profuse flowers are attractive and add the much needed colour among the other trees and plants. The … [Read More...]
Needle Rock View Point, Gudalur, Ooty
Needle Rock View Point is known as Soochi Malai. Soochi in Tamil means needle and Malai means hills. The name needle is derived from the rock that narrows to a sharp needle tip. As you wind up … [Read More...]
Boondi Burani Raitha Recipe – Boondi Raitha Recipe
Raitha is a dish prepared using Yoghurt in India. This is served as an accompaniment with Indian Bread and Pulav or Biryani (Spicy flavorful rice). During summer this is a prepared dish in most of … [Read More...]
May 2026 Hints
To preserve your expensive shoes, slide each separately into zip bags and hot blow over them to get a perfect shoe cover. To unclog shower pores, place a paper towel over the shower head, pour … [Read More...]
Festival dates in Vaisakh month – April and May 2026
Festival dates in Chaitra month – March and April 2026 Vaishākh (April – May) Akshaya Tritiya – 19 April 2026 Basava Jayanthi– 20 April 2026 Ramanujacharya … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes
Tomatillo Verde Salsa
I will call this recipe Tomat illa (illa means "not available" in Kannada) Verde Salsa. As Tomatillo (pronounced “toe-mah-TEE-yo”) is not available in India, I prepared this using Raw Tomato as it … [Read More...]
Zucchini, Broccoli, and Carrot Saute
This is a quick and healthy recipe. Time Required: 15 Minutes Ingredients: 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Fresh Zucchini 2 Carrots 1 Cup Broccoli florets 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce Salt and … [Read More...]
Dry Fruit Chikki – Lonavala Chikki Recipe
Dry Fruit Chikki are dry fruit squares prepared using nuts, sugar, and honey. Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Cup Almonds 2 tbsp Pistachios 1 Cup Cashew nuts 3/4 Cup Sugar 1/4 … [Read More...]
Tomato Sweet Chutney
A sweet, sour and spicy tomato chutney. This recipe was part of the course conducted by CFTRI, Mysore. Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Cups Tomato Puree 1 Cup Sugar 1tbsp Red … [Read More...]
Pesto Sauce
Cuisine: Italian Time Required: 5 Minutes Ingredients: ¼ Cup Grated Processed Cheese or Parmesan Cheese 2tbsp Walnuts or Pine Nuts ½ or ¾ Cup Olive Oil 6 – 8 Garlic Cloves, Chopped … [Read More...]
Hummus
Hummus is a spread or dip prepared using Chik peas. Cuisine: Mediterranean Time Required: 10 Minutes + Soaking time Ingredients: 1 Cup Soaked and Boiled Chik Peas Juice of 2 Lemons Few … [Read More...]
Soppina Palya – Leafy Vegetable Recipe – Hari Subzi Recipe
A very healthy side dish prepared using leafy vegetables with split Red Gram. This is a popular dish in North Karnataka and is usually served with Jowar Roti / Sorghum flour bread. Time … [Read More...]
Mango Juice
Summer is the time when Mangoes are available in abundance. A drink of chilled fresh Mango juice is the right way to beat the heat. Time Required: 5 Minutes + Chilling Time Ingredients: 1 … [Read More...]
Travel
Botanical Garden at Lingambudhi Lake – Mysuru Botanical Garden – Mysore
The first botanical garden in Mysuru is an added fragrance to the charm of Mysuru. Flowers and trees of different species are known to thrive well in Mysuru weather. The Botanical Garden is … [Read More...]
Cheluvamba Mansion, Mysore
Cheluvamba Mansion was built by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in 1910. The mansion was built for the third daughter of the Maharaja, Princess Cheluvajammanni. There many other mansions similar to … [Read More...]
Dharmasthala
The Western Ghats like its higher counterpart the Himalayas is dotted with pilgrimage centers. One such center is Dharmasthala situated on the banks of Netravati River in Dakshina Kannada … [Read More...]
Kote Venkataramana Temple – Bangalore – Bengaluru
Kote Venkataramana Temple - Bangalore is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore and situated next to Tipu Sultan Summer Palace. Built in 1689 by the Mysore king Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, it is a fine … [Read More...]
Sooryanarayana Temple, Lakkundi – Suryanarayana temple
Sun plays a vital role in our lives and the whole mankind, animals, plants, and birds thrive because of the sunlight. Hence, Sun is worshipped throughout India. Rathasapthami festival is … [Read More...]
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The largely uninhabited archipelago located south of Burma and northwest of Malaysia is the Andaman and Nicobar islands on the waters of Bay of Bengal. Nearer to Thailand than to mainland India, it is … [Read More...]
Wenlock Downs, Ooty
Wenlock Downs is popularly known as 9th and 6th mile as they are situated exactly at the 9th and 6th mile from Ooty. Innumerable movies have been shot here with the hero and the leading lady singing … [Read More...]
Festivals
Visarjana Manthra
The following manthra is chanted while performing the visarjana / send off to god. In Kannada Script: ವಿಸರ್ಜನಾ ಕ್ರಮ ಯಜ್ಞೇನ ಯಗ್ನಮಯಜಂತ ದೇವಾಃ | ತಾನಿ ಧರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಪ್ರಥಮಾನ್ಯಾಸನ್ || ತೇಹ ನಾಕಂ … [Read More...]
Good Friday
Having studied in a Catholic school, we were shown many movies on Jesus Christ. I remember when I was 6 or 7 yrs old and crying out with all my heart when Jesus was being nailed to the cross and Mary … [Read More...]
Festival dates in Margashirsha month – November and December 2025
Mārgashīrsha (November – December) Champashashthi / Subramanyana Shashthi - 26 November 2025 Huttari habba - 5 December 2025 Shuddha Panchami Ellu amavasya - 19 December 2025 … [Read More...]
Onam
Onam is celebrated in Kerala with a lot of enthusiasm. It is their biggest harvest festival and it falls in the Malayali (Malayalam is the language spoken in Kerala and hence the people of Kerala are … [Read More...]
Holi – Festival of Colors
I remember Holi being celebrated on the streets of Mysore, where the kids from the neighborhood would go begging from house to house collecting discarded things that can be burnt like mats, brooms, … [Read More...]
Independence day memories
My mother remembers and shares her memories on the days before Indian Independence and the joy felt on 15th August 1947. Place: Kurtakoti Script: Kannada ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ ದಿನ ಈ ದಿನ ೭೪ನೆೇಯ (74th) … [Read More...]
ಕೃಷ್ಣನ್ನ ತೊಟ್ಟಲಿಗೆ ಹಾಕುವ ಹಾಡು (೨೪ ನಾಮಗಳು)
This is song sung to Lord Krishna during the cradle function. On the eleventh day of the baby being born, a ceremony is performed wherein all the womenfolk gather and put the baby into cradle … [Read More...]
