September 2026 Hints
To stop dosa/idli batter from over flowing during fermentation, keep a tumbler upside down in the vessel and then pour the batter over it to ferment. While microwaving leftover idli and rice kept … [Read More...]
Flower Arrangement – Blue Drift
Flower arrangement styles like So-getsu school use drifwood in their arrangements. Driftwood refers to branches of trees, which breaks off and fall into the water. These pieces drift along the … [Read More...]
Happy Onam 2026
Wish you all a very happy Onam! It is time for Onam Sadya and Pookalam across Kerala and rest of the country and world where people from Kerala reside. … [Read More...]
Onam Sadya – Plantain leaf Onam Thali – Onasadya
Onam is celebrated for 10 days. During these days women wear Mudum Neriyathum/Mundu and make designs on the floor using flowers known as Pookalam. Around the Pookalam women perform … [Read More...]
Labneh Dip Recipe
Labneh is prepared from hung curds/yogurt. This recipe is from the Middle East. The thick hung curds is whisked with herbs, cucumber, zatar, olive oil, and chili flakes. You can also add Olives, … [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...]
August 2026 Hints
Add baking soda while washing fruits and vegetable, this will remove any type of contamination. Add sparkling water to Pani puri dough. The Puris will turn out crisp. Add oil while boiling … [Read More...]
Malnad Style Beetroot Kayi Chutney
I tasted this Beetroot chutney at Sridhara Paduka Mandira in Bengaluru. The saying that god prasada is divine and satisfying is so true. The humble lunch comprising to Rice huli, saru, and … [Read More...]
Pookalam Art – Flower Carpet Making – Flower Rangoli
Pookalam (Flower Rangoli / Pattern), the art of designing floral carpets on the day of Onam festival in Kerala welcome their beloved king Mahabali. Pookalam Art can be made on … [Read More...]
Pookalam
Flower arrangement of Indian origin is Pookalam. “Poo” means flower and “kalam” design in Malayalam. The flowers are laid out in beautiful patterns on the floor. Traditionally laying out Pookalam is a … [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...]
Melukote Srivaishnava Piligrimage Center
Melukote is a famous piligrimage center situated in Mandya district, Karnataka. This place is also known as Thirunarayanapuram, Yadavagiri or Yadugiri nestled in the Cauvery river valley. From Mysore … [Read More...]
Wood Arrangement
"Wood Arrangements" include arrangements with driftwood or even roots and stumps of trees. Coffee roots are very popular in wood arrangements. The roots and the wood when combined with bright flowers … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes
Bamboo Rice Milk Payasa – Mulayari Payasam Recipe – Bamboo Rice Pal Payasam
The much awaited festival is here. The first day of Navratri, which is Padya is celebrated tomorrow. I am sharing this interesting and unique Bamboo Rice Milk Payasa recipe to start off … [Read More...]
Ragi Mudde
Finger Millet balls served with a spicy curry. This replaces Rice for the main course in Karnataka. Cuisine: South Karnataka Time Required: 5 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Cups Ragi … [Read More...]
Bhindi Pakoda – Okra Fritters – Ladies Finger Fritters Recipe – Bhindi Pakora Recipe
Light and crispy Lady's finger/Okra fritters. Time Required: 15 Minutes Ingredients: 10 to 12 Bhindi/Bhendekayi/Okra/Lady's finger 1 tsp Chili Paste 1 tsp Ginger Paste 1/2 tsp Turmeric … [Read More...]
Mocha Recipe – Coffee and Chocolate Drink
Let us warm the winter nights with some Mocha and usher in the New Year. Wish you all a very happy New Year! Time required: 5 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Cups Hot Milk 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder or … [Read More...]
Mallige Idli – Soft Steamed Rice Cake
Mallige Idli is steamed rice cake. This is a healthy breakfast served in almost all South Indian households. Mallige means Jasmine flower. The end product of this recipe are Idlis as soft as the … [Read More...]
Stuffed Capsicum Bonda – Potato Stuffed Capsicum Fritters
Small Capsicums are stuffed with Potatoes and dipped into a fritter batter and deep fried. Tiny Capsicums are available during December in Bangalore/Mysore. Cuisine: South … [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...]
Lychee Civeche Recipe – Lychee Salad Recipe – Lychee Recipe – Litchi Civeche
By now you all might know that I love making salads with fruits, which eliminates the need to add sugar or honey to the dressing. Civeche is prepared using raw fish and I have substituted it for … [Read More...]
Travel
Padukere Beach, Udupi
As we drove down coastal Karnataka, we stopped at the long stretch of Padukere Beach. Every beach though they appear the same have their own characteristics in terms of the trees lining the beach, … [Read More...]
Sangam at Koodli – Kudli – Kudali
Koodli is a quaint village with rich history situated in Shimoga district of Karnataka. The two major rivers Tunga and Bhadra meet at this point and flow forward as Tungabhadra River. … [Read More...]
Elephant Beach – Havelock Island
Elephant Beach is the most popular beach for water sports and activities in Havelock Island. Though most part of the beach was swept away by the 2004 Tsunami, the live corals here are the best … [Read More...]
Birding in the vicinity of Valley School
Valley school is situated 20 Kms on Kanakpura road. The road leading to the Valley school and the surrounding area is a forest offering a place to seek the much needed solace from the maddening … [Read More...]
Nishat Bagh Mysuru – Sunnada Kuppanna Park Mysore
You must be wondering how the Nishat Bagh (garden) in Srinagar has landed in Mysuru situated in South India. Well, the imagination of creating such gardens for the citizens of Mysuru city to enjoy was … [Read More...]
Serenity Beach Pondicherry
As the name suggests, the beach is serene and beautiful. Serenity beach is situated 5 - 6 Km to the north of Pondicherry. A perfect place to unwind and relax by either taking a dip in the … [Read More...]
Ooty Botanical Gardens
The jewel in Ooty’s tourism crown is the beautifully laid 22 acre Ooty botanical gardens. The garden was conceptualized in 1847 by the then governor of Madras Marquis of Tweedale. The 22 acres is … [Read More...]
Festivals
Why Lord Ganesha is also known as Ekadantha / single tusk
The most popular narration on how Lord Ganesha lost his tusk is penned in the Skanda Purana / tales of gods and goddesses. Lord Ganesha was a patron of good food with a healthy appetite. Once … [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...]
Mysore State Anthem
The existence of Mysore State Anthem was bought to my notice by my dad, who during his primary school days would sing the anthem every day. In 1881, the British decided to give back the state … [Read More...]
Song on Lord Shiva – Devotional Song
Wish you all a very happy Mahashivarathri. My mother has written this song in praise of Lord Shiva in Kannada Script. ಶಿವನ ಮಹಾತ್ಮೆ ಹಾಡು ಜಯತು ಜಯತು ಶ್ರೀಮಹಾದೇವಾ ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಾ ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ ।।ಪ।। ಜಗವ … [Read More...]
Dasara Procession and Torch Light Parade during the reign of the Wodeyars
Picture1 - Illuminated Mysore Palace Mysore Dasara procession during the Maharajah’s rule used to be on a larger scale and grander. My grandparents and parents generation go on and on … [Read More...]
Lakshmi Devotional Song – Arathi Hymn – Varamahalakshmi Festival
This devotional song was sung by my mother's aunt during arathi to Goddess Lakshmi. You can use any tune suitable to sing this song. In Kannada script: ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಸುಕಾಂತೆರಾರತಿ … [Read More...]
King Raghu and Vijayadashami – Importance of Banni Tree – English Version
King Raghu of Raghuvamsha fame was a brave, generous, humble, and sensible ruler of Ayodhya. He had won many battles and his treasury was filled to the brim. On the behest of his guru Vashishta, he … [Read More...]
