Avocados are available in the South Indian market from April onwards. There is an abundance of desi Avocados in the market. Apart from making Guacamole, you can make many types of … [Read More...]
Flower Arrangement – Solitaire
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
Dry Fruits Burfi – Sugarless Burfi – Dates Nuts Seeds Burfi – Less Calorie Dessert
Happy Deepavali to all my readers! Let us celebrate this Diwali with a healthy and delicious sweet dish without sugar. This dish is nutritious as it is prepared using using only dry fruits, … [Read More...]
Baledindina Kootu – Banana Stem Curry – Banana Stem Sambar Recipe
Baledindina Kootu is a curry prepared using Banana plant Stem. Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 1 foot long Baledindu / Banana stem 1 Cup Thogaribele / Tuvar Dal / Red Gram … [Read More...]
Pani Puri
Pani means water and Puri means small deep fried puffed bread. This is an extremely popular street side snack originally from Benares but is now popular all over India. The Puri is stuffed … [Read More...]
Uppu Huli Dose – Spicy Pancakes Recipe – Spicy Crepes Recipe – Uppu Huli Dosa Recipe
Salt, spices and tamarind goes into the making of this dosa / crepe and hence it is known as Uppu / Salt Huli / Sour Dosa. Time Required: 20 Minutes + Soaking and Fermenting time Cuisine: … [Read More...]
Hesarubele Muchore – Green Gram Savory
During Dasara in Mysore, the households would start preparations to arrange dolls in their houses. The aroma of savories and sweets being prepared would fill the air and children would wait in … [Read More...]
Madki Kaalina Usali – Matki Chi Usal Recipe – Moth Beans Stir Fry Recipe
My mami used to prepare this dish for breakfast when we visited them for summer vacations in North Karnataka. The dish is rich in protein and is good for growing children and also keeps them from … [Read More...]
Alu Parwal – Aloo Parwal Recipe – Potato and Pointed Gourd Recipe
A side dish prepared using Potatoes and Pointed gourd. Time Required: 25 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Potatoes, Peeled and Diced 4 Parwal / Pointed Gourd 2 Tomatoes, Chopped finely 1 Onion, … [Read More...]
Masala Thepla – Indian Flat Bread – Methi Chapathi – Methi Roti Recipe
Masala Thepla is a type of bread prepared in Gujarat. This has a long shelf life and is very suitable to carry while travelling. Time Required: 25 Minutes Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 … [Read More...]
Travel
Birds of Rajasthan
When we started our trip to Rajasthan in winter, we were looking forward to sighting many migratory as well as resident birds. The drought faced by the state for the past 3 years has resulted in dry … [Read More...]
Pokhran, Rajasthan
"I love the full moon night in the sandy desert and wish to spend time there alone and I love Pokhran because it is a theatre of action and liberty," said our ex-president Hon. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam … [Read More...]
Radhanagar Beach
Radhanagar Beach is situated in Havelock Island, which is part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is located close to Radhanagar village. In 2004, the beach was declared as one of the best … [Read More...]
Shopping and eating out in Andaman and Nicobar
When we planned for the Andaman and Nicobar islands trip, I knew very little about what food is available for tourists and was very apprehensive. But all my fears were put to rest when I landed on … [Read More...]
Kunigal Dodda Kere
Kunigal Dodda Kere means Big Lake of Kunigal. The lake is situated in Kunigal town, Tumkur district, Karnataka. The famous Kannada singer P. Kalinga Rao composed music and popularized the folk … [Read More...]
Koliwada
Koliwada is a remote village tucked away in a non-descript area of North Karnataka. The village is one of the most neglected and basic needs like water, electricity, drains, roads, and toilets are … [Read More...]
Temples of Goa
You will be surprised to know that there are some beautiful and ancient temples dedicated to Hindu gods in Goa. Not so surprising either as the residents of Goa before the Portuguese came in were all … [Read More...]
Festivals
Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti is also known as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak and signifies the birth anniversary of the last and 24th Jain thirthankara Lord Mahavira. Lord Mahavira was born in 599 BCE on the thirteenth … [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...]
Krishna Janmashtami – Gokulashtami – Birth of Lord Krishna
"Yathra Yogeeshwara Krishno | Yathra Partho Dhanurdharaha | Thathra Shree Vijayo Bhuthir | Dhruvaneethirmimathirmama ||" The meaning of the above extract from the Gita is “wherever Krishna … [Read More...]
Karaga Festival
Karaga festival is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry, and Tamil Nadu by Thigala community (flower and vegetable farmers) on full moon day during the Hindu month of Chaitra, … [Read More...]
Makara Sankranti
Sankranthi is a harvest festival and “Sankranthi” means movement. It is a celebration of the sun entering from the zodiac sign Dhanur/Sagittarius into Makara/Capricorn. So this Makara Sankranti … [Read More...]
Tulasi Aarathi Haadu
Aarathi song dedicated to Tulasi devi. In Kannada Script: ತುಳಸಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಶ್ರೀ ತುಳಸಿ ಜಯ ದೇವಪೂಜಿತೆ |ಪ| ಅತುಲ ಸುಗುಣಾ ಕರುಣಾಮಯ ಮಾತೆ || ಅತಿ ಕೋಮಲ ಪಲ್ಲವ ದಳ ಭರಿತೆ ಶ್ರುತ ಭಾವಿಕ ಜನ ವೃಂದ … [Read More...]
Chhat Pooja
Thou by whose luster all the world of life comes forth, and by thy beams again returns unto its rest, O surya with the golden hair, ascend for us day after day, and still bringing purer innocence – … [Read More...]
