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
Beladahannina Sihi – Wood Apple Crush – Bael Fruit Recipe – Beladahannu Recipe
Wood Apple is known as Beladahannu in Kannada. This fruit is used to prepare a refreshing summer drink on Rama Navami festival and the ripe rind is mashed with Jaggery and Cardamom powder and served. … [Read More...]
Green Chickpea Salad
Green Chickpea are usually available in South India during December and January. The pods have to be removed from the plant. Shell the pods to get green tender chickpea. Time … [Read More...]
Black Rice Salad
Black Rice is full of flavor on its own and when teamed with garden fresh vegetables and Lemon seasoning, it becomes a wholesome delicious irresistible dish. The Rice when cooked turns a deep … [Read More...]
Garden Fresh Toast
Tasty and nutritious toast to break the fast. Time Required: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 8 Plain Bread slices 1/2 Yellow Pepper/Capsicum, Chopped finely 1/2 Red Pepper/Capsicum, … [Read More...]
Lachcha Paratha – Layered Flat Bread Recipe – Paratha Recipe
This Indian bread has several layers and is from the state of Punjab. Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour 2tbsp Ghee / Clarified Butter Oil for roasting Salt … [Read More...]
Hari Mirch Ka Khatta Meetha Achaar
Sweet and sour green chilies pickles. Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 10 Green Chilies 6tbsp Mustard Oil 4tbsp Mustard Powder 4tbsp Garlic - Ginger paste 1tbsp Jaggery 1tbsp … [Read More...]
Kiwi Soufflé
After a hearty bread based meal, Kiwi soufflé is apt to be served as a dessert. Cuisine: French Time Required: 45 minutes Ingredients: 200 gms Whipping Cream 2tbsp Sugar ½ Cup Kiwi … [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...]
Travel
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...]
Catherine Falls, Kotagiri
Roads leading to Catherine falls wind through the Nilgiri hills between tea estates and pine forests. The drive offers excellent views with the mist playing hide and seek. The water cascades … [Read More...]
Soochipara Falls
Soochipara Wateralls is also known as Sentinel Rock Waterfalls situated in the forests of Vellarimala, Wayanad district, Kerala. Soochi in Malayalam means needle and Para means rock and so … [Read More...]
Shore birds of Hadinaru Kere
Apart from the numerous aquatic birds, there are so many other shore birds that catch your eye and your camera lenses at Hadinaru Kere near Mysore. Picture1 - Purple Sunbird Female enjoying the … [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...]
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
The fourth largest state of India, Andhra Pradesh is situated in South India established on November 1st 1956. It shares its borders with Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Tamilnadu. … [Read More...]
Kalahatti Waterfalls
Picture1 - On the way to Kalahatti Falls Kalahatti waterfall is nestled in the midst of the enchanting Kalhatti ghats of Nilgiri birosphere. It is situated 14 Kms from Ooty and 15 Kms from … [Read More...]
Festivals
Ashada Shukravara
Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) pooja / ritual is performed on all the Fridays of the Hindu month of Aashada, July-Aug in Gregorian calendar. This year (2020) Aashada starts on 22nd June and the … [Read More...]
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...]
Happy Vijayadashami – Veeragase Folk Dance of Karnataka – Guggla
Veeragase is a folk dance of Karnataka where the participants wear grand makeup, headgear, and costumes and dance to folk music composed on Hindu mythology. The dance movements are intense with … [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...]
Mangala Drowya and Pooje Samaanu
Mangala Drowya and Pooje Samaanu means sacred items used on auspicious occasions like marriage rituals, upanayana (sacred thread ceremony), shrimantha (arathi to pregnant women), namakarna (naming … [Read More...]
A thought on Saraswathi Pooja
ವಿದ್ಯೆಯ ಮಹತ್ವ ಒಡಲೊಳಗಿರುವದು ವಿದ್ಯೆಯು ನಡೆದರೆ ತಾಂಬರವಲ್ಲ ಕಳ್ಳರು ಕದಿಯರ್ ಪೊಡವಿಪರು ಕಸಿದು ಕೊಳ್ಳರ್ ವಡಹುಟ್ಟಿದವರು ಪಾಲು ಕೇಳರು ಕೇಳೈ Meaning: Knowledge is something that belong to you. Strangers … [Read More...]
Visarjana Manthra
The following manthra is chanted while performing the visarjana / send off to god. In Kannada Script: ವಿಸರ್ಜನಾ ಕ್ರಮ ಯಜ್ಞೇನ ಯಗ್ನಮಯಜಂತ ದೇವಾಃ | ತಾನಿ ಧರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಪ್ರಥಮಾನ್ಯಾಸನ್ || ತೇಹ ನಾಕಂ … [Read More...]
