Kashivishwanatha / Lord Shiva Temple is the most flamboyant of all the temples in Lakkundi with intricate designs carved on the shikara / towers and the doorways. Kashivishwanatha … [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...]
Kodanad View Point, Kotagiri
When in Kotagiri it is a must to the Kodanadu View Point. It is a place that one can spend hours looking at the rolling hills and valleys. Kodanadu View Point is 20 km drive from Kotagiri … [Read More...]
Flowering Tobacco
I was surprised that there is a flowering version of Tobacco. Tobacco is largely grown in K.R.Nagar area. During my birding trip, I have come across large acres of land growing Tobacco and … [Read More...]
Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Quinoa Buddha Bowl is a bowl teeming with fibre and protein. Various tastes and textures form this bowl to satiate the soul. Ingredients: 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa with Salt 1 Cup Purple … [Read More...]
India loves to pose – 58
India loves to pose series contains random pictures of people in different moods and gears captured during a moment in their story. I believe that behind every face lies a story. Young India is … [Read More...]
Patchwork frame making – Snow White and Seven Dwarfs
When kids during summer holidays we used to be engaged making a lot of arts and crafts. There was not continuous TV nor mobile phones. Here is one art work that I made using material … [Read More...]
April 2026 Hints
Clean window tracks by pressing paper towels into the groove and pour half a cup of water and slide the window. Remove the paper towel. Your tracks will be clean. To make a paper towel … [Read More...]
Watermelon Sparkler
Fruit juice with soda adds the right spirit to the mood. Here is a simple cool watermelon sparkler recipe to keep you cool and your spirits high! Ingredients: Watermelon juice with or without … [Read More...]
Festival dates in Chaitra month – March and April 2026
Festival dates in Chaitra month – March and April 2026 are as follows: Chaitra (March - April) Ugadi/Gudi Padwa - Sri Parabhava Nama Samvatsaram - 19 March 2026 Gangaur - 4 March … [Read More...]
Kotagiri
Kotagiri is small hill town situated in Nilgiris biosphere at an elevation of 1793 meters above sea level. The famous Longwood Shola forests are part of this biosphere. Kotagiri is one of the … [Read More...]
Ooty
Whether you call this place Ooty, Ootacamund, Udhagai or Udaghamandalam the title best suited for this place is “Queen of hill stations”, which is the capital of Nilgiris district. Picture1 - … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes
Sweet Potato Paratha – Shakkarkhand Paratha – Sweet Potato Flat Bread
Indian bread stuffed with Sweet Potatoes and spices. Time Required: 30 Minutes Makes: 6 Ingredients: 2 Cups Wheat Flour Oil for roasting Salt to taste For the stuffing: 2 medium … [Read More...]
Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
I was in Delhi last Friday and my friend served this simple, yet delicious salad for dinner. I re-created this recipe this Friday at home. Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Seedless … [Read More...]
Samosa Chaat – Samosa Chat Recipe
Samosa Chaat is an evening snack prepared using the popular stuffed pastry Samosa. Time Required: 10 Minutes if you are using ready made Samosa Ingredients: 1 big Samosa or 4 small … [Read More...]
Lachha Salad – Sliced Onion Salad – Sliced Vegetable Salad
Lachha Salad is a salad prepared using thinly sliced vegetables. It is usually prepared with only Onions, but I have used other vegetables like Cabbage and Capsicum. This salad is usually … [Read More...]
Chocolate-Banana Wontons
Cuisine: Fusion Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Robusta Banana, Chopped 6tbsp Chocolate Chips Few Wonton wrappers 1tbsp Sugar Powder Method: Preheat the oven. Grease a … [Read More...]
Hot Chocolate Fudge
It is hard to resist hot chocolate fudge! And it is so easy to prepare it. Without much ado here is the recipe. Who can resist hot chocolate fudge! Can you? Time Required: 10 … [Read More...]
Raw Papaya Salad
This delicious Thai salad is known as Som Tam. Time Required: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 Cups, Peeled and Grated Raw Papaya 1 Tomato, Chopped finely 1 Cup Capsicum Julienne … [Read More...]
Neeru Dosa – Thin Rice Dosa
"Neeru" in Kannada means water. Neeru Dosa is prepared with a batter as thin as water and hence the name. Cuisine: Udupi Time Required: 20 Minutes + Soaking Time + Fermentation … [Read More...]
Travel
Wandoor Beach
Wandoor Beach is situated 29 Km from Port Blair. It is one of the most serene and scenic place in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This area was hit by the Tsunami and has left its mark on the beach. … [Read More...]
Shravanabelagola
The first time I visited Shravanabelagola was in 1982 on a school trip. It was Mahamasthakabhishekha time and we climbed up the rickety scaffolding up to the head of the monolithic statue of Bahubali … [Read More...]
Nimishamba Temple
“Nimisha” means a minute, and the presiding goddess of this temple is believed to grant your wish in a minute. Nimishamba is none other than Goddess Parvathi, consort of Lord Shiva. This … [Read More...]
Doddabetta Peak, Ooty
“Dodda” means big and “Betta” means hill in Kannada language spoken by the Badaga tribe of Ooty. Doddabetta is situated 10 Km from Ooty at 2,623 meters above sea level and it is the highest peak in … [Read More...]
Male Mahadeshwara Hills – M M Hills
During growing up years in Mysore, pilgrims who could not afford the bus fare to Male Mahadeshwara Hills would walk on roads singing in praise of the saint Male Mahadeshwara with a small bhajan cymbal … [Read More...]
Tyavarekoppa Lion Safari
Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari was established in 1988 and is located 15 Kms north-west of Shimoga on the way to Sagar. It is a wild life park with wild animals like tigers, lions, … [Read More...]
Muthyala Maduvu or Pearl Valley
This is a waterfall 40 Kms away from Bangalore. Since the water droplets falling from the rocks shine like pearls, the waterfalls came to be known as Muthyala Maduvu or Pearl Valley. Drive … [Read More...]
Festivals
Hanuman Arathi Song – Hanumanthana Aarathi Haadu – Devotional Song
Hanuman Jayanthi is celebrated in April in North India and in December in South India. North or South a song is always sung during the Arathi. This song in praise of Lord Hanuman is written by … [Read More...]
Varamahalakshmi Vratha
Sarvamangala Mangalye| Shive Sarvarthaka Sadhike| Sharanye Thriyambake Devi/Laksmi| Narayani Namosthuthe|| The above shloka is in praise of goddess Lakshmi and offering … [Read More...]
Dasara Gombe – Doll arrangement – Golu – 2025
Dasara is celebrated in different ways in various regions of our country. The celebration is of goddess Durga and her various avatars. Each day the goddess is decorated in a different way … [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...]
Festival dates in Magh month – January and February 2026
Festival dates in Magh month – January and February 2026 Mouna Gowri Vratha - 21 January 2026 to 27 February 2026 Vasanth Panchami - 23 January 2026 Rathasapthami - 25 January … [Read More...]
Nagara Panchami
Nagara Panchami Nadige doddadu Naada Naadiyar Kodona Naada Naadiyar Kodona | Gelathi| Naagappage Haalu Hoyyona || The above Kannada song is sung during Nagara Panchami festival. The … [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...]
