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

Carrot Palya – Carrot Onion Stir Fry Recipe – Carrot Toran Recipe – Carrot Poriyal Recipe
Carrot Palya is a side dish from Karnataka. Very easy to make and the dish is rich in nutrition. Time Required: 15 Minutes Ingredients: 3 Carrots 1 Onion (on a festival day, you … [Read More...]

Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Squares
Sweet and sour crispy pumpkin squares is a healthy and tasty side dish. Serve it with Rice and Dal or with your choice of Indian Bread. Time Required: 30 Minutes Cuisine: North … [Read More...]

Rasavangi Powder – Palya Powder – Side Dish Masala Powder – Subzi Masala
Rasavangi is a dish prepared using vegetables like Ridge Gourd, Brinjal, or Okra. If you make the masala powder before hand, it becomes easy to prepare this dish. Cuisine: … [Read More...]

Alu Bhindi – Aloo Bhindi Recipe – Potato Okra Recipe – Potato Ladies Finger Recipe
An unusual combination of Potatoes and Okra mixed with spices. Time Required: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 12 – 15 Bhindi / Lady’s finger / Okra, Chopped into roundels 2 Alu / … [Read More...]

Kadalebele Uddinabele Chutney Powder
Kadalebele Uddinabele Chutney Powder is prepared using Split Bengal Gram and Split Black Gram. It is a spicy powder used as an accompaniment with Dosa, Idli or plain Rice. Cuisine: … [Read More...]

Avalakki Dosa – Poha Dosa Recipe – Beaten Rice Pancakes Recipe
Avalakki Dosa are pancakes prepared using Beaten Rice and Rice. This dosa is also known as Bread Dosa because of the sponginess texture of the dosa. Cuisine: South India Time Required: 30 … [Read More...]

Kayi Sasve Chitranna – Udupi Chitranna Recipe – Sarson Bath Recipe – Coconut Rice Recipe
Kayi Sasve Chitranna is rice prepared using Coconut and Mustard Seeds. Cuisine: Karnataka Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 6 Cups Cooked Rice 1 Cup Fresh Coconut, Grated 5 Green … [Read More...]

Vendekayi Mor Thalippu – Okra simmered in yogurt and spices
Vendekayi in Tamil means Lady;s Finger/Okra, Mor means yoghurt and Thalippu means seasoning. So it is basically Okra simmered in yoghurt and a sesoning added to it in the end. Cuisine: Tamil … [Read More...]
Travel

Vijaynagar Beach, Havelock Island
Vijaynagar Beach is Beach No. 5 on the east coast of Havelock Island. A calm and quiet beach, it attracts people who want to get away from the maddening crowd. It is a white sand beach with … [Read More...]

Fateh Sagar Lake, Udaipur
Fateh Sagar Lake is an artificial lake situated to the north of Lake Pichola in Udaipur. The lake was built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh. Heavy rains damaged the lake bund and the lake was renovated … [Read More...]

Uttarakhand
My parents visited Uttarakhand in 1973 and I used to love hearing their experiences and the description of the different places they visited. My dad who was an avid photographer got all the pictures … [Read More...]

Shopping and Eating out in Mysore
Shopping in Mysore for souvenir or anything else can be done in plenty. Tourists, locals and rural people living around Mysore make a beeline to the shopping centers like Landsdowne building, … [Read More...]

Daria Daulat Bagh
Daria Daulat is the summer palace of Tipu Sultan, situated in Srirangapattana, 15 Kms from Mysore. The Indo-Sarcenic style palace was built by Tipu Sultan in 1784. The two storeyed palace is … [Read More...]

Jaipur
I have been to Jaipur three times in different seasons and every time I have been mesmerized by the place. Jaipur also known as Pink city is the capital of Rajasthan. It is situated 300 Km from New … [Read More...]

Chunchi Falls
When I heard the name of the falls I felt like humming the good old Hindi song “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu…Chin Chin Chu.. baba Chin Chin Chu…..” from the film Howrah Bridge sung by Geetha Dutt. Chunchi … [Read More...]
Festivals

Sri Vadirajara Aradhane
Vadirajatirtharu is one of the greatest saints belonging to the Madhwa Brahmin sect. He was born in 1480 on Magha (February) Shudda Dwadashi to a Shivalli Tulu Brahmin couple, Ramabhatta and Gowri in … [Read More...]

Happy Durgashtami 2024 – Durga Pooja – Dasara Durga Pooja
Ashtami during Dasara was exciting, because Ambode/dal vada/Lentil fritters were offered to Goddess Durga but eaten and savored by us! Dal is full of Shakti and hence might have been offered to … [Read More...]

Galipata Habba – Indian Kite Festival – Festival of Kites
Gone are the days when we used to see people flying colorful and different shape Galipata/Kites. The Kite wars and making our own customized Kites was great fun. To balance the kite a long … [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...]

Mysore Dasara Procession in Black and White
Wish you all a very happy Dasara! This Dasara procession photograph was part of my grandfather's collection. The photograph was probably taken between 1930 - 1935. … [Read More...]

Vaikunta Chathurdashi Vratha
Vaikunta Chathurdashi Vratha is a religious practice that people vow to perform in the Hindu month of Karthika, which is October – November in the Gregorian calendar. It is performed for 14 years and … [Read More...]

Dasara – Celebration of Dussehra in different regions of India – Navratri Celebrations
In Mysore, we always looked forward to Dasara, which is the Nada Habba (festival of Karnataka state) and it is not only celebrated in homes but the whole city seems to wake up from the slumber to 10 … [Read More...]
