The ancient temple of Shri Cheluvanarayana Swamy is situated in Melukote, Mandya District, Pandavpura Taluk. The presiding deity of the temple on the foothills is Lord Vishnu known as Thirunarayana or … [Read More...]

Happy Gowri and Ganesha Festival 2026
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...]

Mariapura Lake
Another weekend and another birding trip and off we drove to Mariapura lake. A beautiful serene lake where the wind blows, birds chirp, plants whisper, and fishes swim. This lake has a calming effect … [Read More...]

Kodi Beach
Kodi Beach is a pristine beach and a very long one starting somewhere near Hangaluru to Kodi Bengre Beach. The Bengre Beach is an Estuary where River Suvarna meets the Arabian sea. Kodi in … [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...]

Sattu Ki Paratha
Stuffed Indian bread prepared using roasted chik pea (channa) flour. This type of bread is very popular in Bihar. Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Cups Sattu Ki Atta / Roasted Chik … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes

Halu Kodubale Recipe – Milk Kodubale Recipe – Ring Murukku Recipe
Halu Kodubale is another variety of Kodubale, the ubiquitous snack of South Karnataka homes. Sipping hot filter coffee and spicy Kodubale as the windy rain wets the surrounding is an out of the … [Read More...]

Chhunda – Gujarati Mango Sweet Pickle Recipe – Aam Chutney Recipe – Chundo
A sweet pickle prepared by Gujarathis using Raw Mangoes. The vessel containing the mixture is kept directly under the sunlight, which actually softens the Raw Mangoes and thickens the Sugar … [Read More...]

Fruit salad with ice cream
In Mysore, our favorite destination for ice cream would be the ice cream shop Phalamruta (Fruit nectar) situated in Lansdowne building. The tiny shop had few wooden benches lined up for the … [Read More...]

Spinach Soup
This is a healthy soup prepared using Spinach. Popeye will love this! Time Required: 30 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 4 Bunches of Palak / Spinach 2 Tomatoes 1 Onion 3-4 Garlic … [Read More...]

Bharwa Mirchi – Chilies stuffed with spiced Potatoes – Stuffed Chilies Recipe
Bharwa Mirchi is a dish where Chilies are stuffed with Potato mixture and shallow fried. Cuisine: North India Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 6 Big non-spicy Chilies 2 Potatoes, … [Read More...]

Aloo Chaat Dilli Style – Potato Chat Recipe – Alu Chat Recipe
It is a must to taste Aloo Chaat Dilli Style when visiting Delhi. Cuisine: New Delhi Time Required: 25 Minutes Ingredients: 2 - 3 Potatoes, Boiled, Peeled, and Diced 1 Onion, Chopped … [Read More...]

Star Gooseberry Pickle
Star Gooseberry is available around the year. Making Star Gooseberry Pickle is easy and also adds a little zest to the mundane lunches and dinners. Time Required: 10 Minutes Cuisine: … [Read More...]

Vegetable Cutlet Recipe
In Mysore, a restaurant called Kalpaka used to serve the best cutlets in town. Cold coffee and Cutlets at Kalpaka was a treat that I can never forget. Time required: 40 … [Read More...]
Travel

Ramanagara
Ramanagara is situated 50 Km from Bangalore at an elevation of 2450 feet above sea level. Ramanagara was known as Closepet in memory of Sir Barry Close who was a British official during … [Read More...]

Saheliyon Ki Bari Udaipur
It took some time for us to pronounce the name (Saheliyon Ki Bari) of this ancient park built by Maharana Sangram Singh II in Udaipur in the 18th Century. He built Saheliyon ki Bari, … [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...]

Se Cathedral – Goa
Right opposite the Basillica de Bom Jesus, is the Roman Catholic Se Cathedral - Goa. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Goa and is also a UNESCO heritage site. Built in 1510, but the actual … [Read More...]

Delta Point – Kundapura
As you travel across coastal Karnataka, you come across innumerable rivers on one side and the ocean on the other side. It is just paradise on earth. The rivers meet the ocean at many places and the … [Read More...]

Markonahalli Dam
Markonahalli Dam is the first dam in the world built using the Siphon system. It is built across Shimsha River by Sir M Visweswraiah and Ganesh Iyer in 1938-40 incurring a cost of 29 Lakhs. Sir … [Read More...]

Upper Lake View Point – Kodaikanal
A drive to Upper lake view point in Kodaikanal is a must, as the view of the lake from the view point is excellent. The star shaped lake gleaming in the sun with greenery all around can be seen … [Read More...]
Festivals

Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra Navratri also known as Varshik Navratri is a festival observed for nine days in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April in Gregorian Calendar). The festival starts on the first day of Chaitra … [Read More...]

Gangaur, Festival of Rajasthan
Gangaur is a popular festival of Rajasthan. This festival is also celebrated in parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The name of the festival is resultant of two words “Gan” and “Gauri”, which are … [Read More...]

Hire Gowri Pooja – Dodda Gowri Pooja – Gowri Hunnime
Hire Gowri Pooja also known as Dodda Gowri Pooja and Gowri Hunnime is celebrated with devotion in North Karnataka. Below is the write up by my mother on this festival in Kannada script. This … [Read More...]

Mangala Gowri Vratha
Mangala Gowri Vratha / religious observance is mentioned in the Bhavishyoththara Purana / Hindu religious texts and is performed by newly married girls for the first five years of their married … [Read More...]

Goddess Sharadamba Utsava
Happy Saraswathi Pooja 2014. In Sringeri, Karnataka, during Dasara festival, the utsava murthy (procession idol) of Goddess Sharadamba (Saraswathi) is taken in a small chariot around the temple … [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...]

Madhwa Navami
Prathoma Hanumanamah| Dwithiyo Bheemayevacha| Poornaprajna Thrithyasto| Bhagavatkarya Sadhakaha|| The above shloka/chanting is all about the three avatars/incarnations of Sri Madhwacharya. … [Read More...]
