Festival dates in Jyaishtha month – June and July 2026 Adhika Jyaishtha (17th May - 15th June) Vata Savitri Vratha / Phala Poornima - 29 June 2026 Kara Hunnime / Bhoomi Hunnime … [Read More...]
Avocado Chutney Recipe – Avocado Spread Recipe
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
Tomato Churmuri – Tomato Salad Recipe – Street Food Recipe
Tomato Churmuri is a tasty evening snack prepared using raw vegetables. It is also a great snack for calorie watchers. Time Required: 25 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 4 Tomatoes 2 … [Read More...]
Vaggarane Avalakki – Poha South Indian Style – Beaten Rice in Seasoning
A dish prepared using Poha/Flattened Rice. Vaggarane Avalakki is extremely tasty and much sought after to be prepared for breakfast. Cuisine: Karnataka Time Required: 40 Minutes Serves: … [Read More...]
Turnip and Apple Salad
Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Turnips boiled 1 Apple diced ½ Capsicum diced 1tbsp Olive Oil Juice of ½ Lemon ½ tsp Crushed Pepper 1 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Assorted dried herbs like … [Read More...]
Cucumber Idli
Steamed Rice cakes with Cucumber. Ingredients: 1 Cup Idli Rawa 2 Cups Cucumber, Grated 1/4 Cup Coconut, Grated 1/4 Cup Coconut, Chopped 3 Green Chilies 1tsp Asafoetida 3tbsp Coriander … [Read More...]
Onion Besan Paratha – Onion Gram Flour Flat Bread Recipe – Pyas Paratha Recipe
Onion and Gram flour stuffed bread. Onion Besan paratha is extremely tasty and form the state of Punjab. Time Required: 30 Minutes Makes: 4 Ingredients: 2 Cups Wheat Flour Oil for … [Read More...]
Plum Panna – Plum Juice
My taste buds were bowled over when I tasted Plum Panna in Coonoor. The freshly picked Plums tasted great in this refreshing drink. Ingredients: 10 - 12 Plums 1 tsp Roasted … [Read More...]
Grilled Vegetable Pita Pocket Sandwich
Grilled Vegetable Pita Pocket Sandwich is sure to satisfy the hungry kids who return home ravenous from play. Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: Few Pita Bread 1 Yellow Pepper 1 Red … [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...]
Travel
Ajmer, Rajasthan
Ajmer is a major city situated 11 Km from Pushkar in Rajasthan. It is famous for the Dargah/tomb of the 13th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. The saint is revered by both the … [Read More...]
Sri Manjunatheshwara temple, Dharmasthala
Sri Manjunatheshwara temple situated in Dharmasthala in South Kanara District attracts more than 10,000 visitors every day. It is a place with a culmination of people from all walks of life and … [Read More...]
Byndoor Beach
Byndoor Beach is a beautiful stretch of sand on the Arabian Sea. The place is completely green with hills on one side and long stretches of beach on the other side.Together it is one of the … [Read More...]
Sultan Battery, Kerala
Gananaptivattam was a small town in Wayanad district ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe and Pazhassi Raja of Kottayam-Kurumbanad Royal Dynasty of Kannur. Hyder Ali captured Wayanad and his son Tipu … [Read More...]
Planet X, Mysore
Updated on April 30 2014: Planet X is closed now. Mysore was always nicknamed as a “sleepy town” and the visitors whine that there is nothing in Mysore except for historical monuments and ancient … [Read More...]
Daily routine in Sri Ramana Maharshi Ashram
Visitors from around the globe visit Sri Ramana Maharshi Ashram and few stay back to know more about the teachings of the guru. A pamphlet printed in Ramana Maharshi Ashrama, Thiruvannamalai … [Read More...]
Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon, Srirangapatna
The word Dungeon is morbid and imagination conjures up of prisoners suffering in the dark dungeons. To see it for real, travel to Srirangapatna and visit the Dungeon built during the rule of Tipu … [Read More...]
Festivals
Deepavali Song – Diwali Song – Deepavali Haadu
Deepavali song is written by my mother in Kannada script to be sung anytime during the Deepavali festival. The lyrics cover the importance and joy of celebrating Deepavali / Diwali … [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...]
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...]
Vaikunta Ekadasi
"Shaantaakaaram Bhujanga Shayanam Padmanaabham Suresham Vishvaadhaaram Gagana Sadrisham Meghavarnam Shubhaangam Lakshmiikaantam Kamalanayanam Yogibhidhyaarnagamyam Vande Vishhnum Bhavabhayaharam … [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...]
Phala Gowri Vratha – Molake Gowri Vratha – Gowri Festival
Phala Gowri Vratha (observance) also known as Molake Gowri (Sprout Gowri) falls on the Sharvana Amavasya day in the Hindu month of Shravana. August – September according to Gregorian calendar. For the … [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...]
