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
Fried Wonton Straws
This sweet and crunchy snack is very easy to make and tastes great to munch as a snack or to be served as dessert. Cuisine: Chinese Time Required: 10 Minutes Ingredients: 4 – 5 … [Read More...]
Menasina Saaru – Pepper Rasam – Pepper Lentil Soup
Pepper Rasam is a thin curry also known as Rasam. This is unique to Sagar district. Tastes great during winter and adds warmth to the body to fight cold and cough. Time Required: 25 … [Read More...]
Koshimbir – Mixed Vegetable Salad – Maharashtrian Style Salad
This is a salad prepared in Maharashtrian style. Very tasty and nutritious. Time Required: 10 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Cucumber, Peeled and chopped 1 Onion, Chopped 1 Tomato, Chopped 3 … [Read More...]
Bhojpuri Choka – Mashed Potatoes and Eggplant Recipe
Bhojpuri Choka is a lip-smacking dish prepared using Eggplant, Potatoes, and Tomatoes. Cuisine: Bihar, Orissa Time Required: 45 Minutes Ingredients: 2 medium sized Baingan / Eggplant, … [Read More...]
Mixed Vegetable Raitha
Raw vegetables in curds/yoghurt. Cuisine: Indian Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Cucumber 1 Onion 1 Tomato 3 Cups Curds/Yoghurt 1 Green Chilies 2tbsp Chopped Coriander … [Read More...]
Sakkare Holige – Sugar Puran Poli Recipe – Sugar Obbattu Recipe
Sugar filled crispy Indian bread. Sakkare Holige dish is very popular in Karnataka during festivals, weddings etc. My mother learnt this recipe from her mother-in-law who was very good at … [Read More...]
Menthedittu – Menthkoot – Aromatic lentil powder
Menthedittu is a flavored powder prepared using a mixture of roasted lentils. A spoon of this powder is mixed with hot rice and ghee and eaten as a starter and the aroma and taste is mouthwatering. … [Read More...]
Sihi Tovve – Meethi Dal Recipe – Sweet Lentils Recipe – Thovve Recipe
Sometimes when the children make a fuss eating the everyday cuisine, moms add few children favorite ingredients to coax them to eat healthy food. One such is a sweet lentil dish, which is … [Read More...]
Travel
Jaya Lakshmi Vilas Mansion Mysore
Tucked in the lush greenery of Manasagangotri is a quaint and grand mansion known as Jaya lakshmi Vilas Mansion in Mysore. This is part of the heritage buildings of Mysore and was built for Maharaja … [Read More...]
Vintage car museum, Udaipur
The Maharanas of Udaipur were connoisseurs of cars. These vintage beauties on wheels like Cadillac, Chevrolet, Morris, Rolls Royce, and so on are displayed within the grounds of the Garden Hotel in … [Read More...]
Heritage buildings of Mysore – Part II
Mysore or Mysooru is a place of interest for tourists, historians, archeologists, academicians and architects. There are innumerable heritage buildings in Mysore, which add a fairy tale touch to the … [Read More...]
Yediyur Lake
Yediyur Lake in Bengaluru is one of the oldest lakes in the city. It existed during the Hoysala period, 1,400 years ago and was the source of water for the fields surrounding the lake. Somehow, … [Read More...]
Omkareshwar Temple – Madikeri
In Madikeri / Coorg there is an ancient Omkareshwar temple dedicated to Lord Omkareshwara / Shiva which was built by Lingarajendra Wodeyar II in 1820. The Omkareshwar temple is built in Kerala, … [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...]
Eating out in Rajasthan
Rajasthan cuisine is unique to the region. The scarcity of water and the lack of vegetation has made the Rajasthanis adopt to cooking in Oil, Ghee or Milk. After roaming the Palaces and Forts, it is … [Read More...]
Festivals
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...]
Significance of Diwali festival in different religions
Jainism Diwali is celebrated by Jains with devotion, on this day Lord Mahavira the 24th Thirthankara achieved Nirvana on Amavasya of Ashvina masa in 527 B.C. The Lord left the body and achieved … [Read More...]
ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು – Aarathi Song
During Dasara, Saraswathi is worshiped and on this day few people choose to arrange the dolls. For the festival date click here. The below song dedicated to Goddess Sarawathi is written by my … [Read More...]
Sri Ramanujacharya Jayanthi
“O Nityam Achyuta Padambuja Yukma Rukma Vyamohataha Tad Itaraani Trinaaya Mene Asmad Guroha Bhagavathosya Dayaika Sindhoho Ramanujasya Charanou Sharanam Prapadye” The meaning of the above … [Read More...]
Sri Gurubhajane Purnadarathi -Sri Sridhara Swamiji
This bhajan is sung during the Aarathi in Sridhara Ashrama. Sri Sridhara Swamiji is considered the avatar of Dattatreya. His samadhi and ashram is located in Varadahalli, Sagar taluk. There are many … [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...]
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...]
