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With Krishna Janma Ashthami festival approaching soon, there are fancy dress competitions held everywhere in the locality. Babies, toddlers, infact kids of all age and gender are eligible for the competition.

The spirit of the competition is to see how well kids get dressed up and how truly they look divine. Lord Krishna indeed resides in the tiny soul.

To enjoy the Krishna Ashthami fancy dress, here is a quick and short list you need to gather for dressing up your child as Lord Krishna.

Peacock feather

Peacock feather is the most important part of this fancy dress costume. It is this feather on Krishna’s hair that distinguishes him from other Hindu gods.

Fix the feather on to a decorated crown, or along with just the hair tied with a band.

You may also decorate with pearl jewelries.

Flute

Flute, Bansuri as it is traditionally called in India is another accessory of Krishna. Krishna is always found with his flute as a child and even as an adult.

Dhoti

Dhoti being the ethnic wear in India, it is the best way to dress up when you are planning for a Krishna fancy dress.

You get ready-made stitched dhotis from many clothing stores and also online stores.

If you know how to tie or make your own dhoti then you have won over half the job. Take a long piece of cloth which has golden zhari decorative thread work border, tie the required knots well and make pleats to look like a dhoti.

Jewellery

Jewellery is a part of most types of traditional, ethical, mythological theme fancy dress.

Jewellery selection is based on personal selection. Pearl jewellery, some like golden jewellery, some multi colour stone jewellery while some will opt for floral jewellery.

Butter Pot

Maakhan Chor - Krishna is a good theme for presenting on stage. Send a decorative pot along with flute on stage. Fill the pot with ice cream, yogurt, butter, milk sweet; anything that looks like butter and whatever you child might like to lick. Who cares to see what is in the pot.

Enjoy dressing up little Krishna of your home. Happy Krishna Janmashtani.

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Krishna Janmashthami as a festival calls for a lot of preparation for the celebration. Especially delicacies that are linked to this festival are the most awaited ones for all of us.

Chakkuli and unde (laddu) as we call in Udupi are the important preparations that take place in every house hold. Variety of laddus are made and offered during the puja of Lord Krishna.

Laddus are easy to make. The basic rule is to make syrup from jaggery and binding together the main ingredient of the laddu along with few roasted cashew pieces.

Varieties of laddus include;

· kadalekayi unde (peanut)

· yellu unde (til or sesame)

· kaju unde (cashew nut)

· aralu unde (coarsely powdered puffed paddy)

· hesaru hittu unde (green gram flour)

· gundhittu unde

· shunti unde

Today lets have a quick discussion on how kadale unde/peanut laddu is made.

The recipe is simple and is a must try during Janmashthami.

You will need

2 cups peanuts
2 cups jaggery
Cardamom powder 2 spoons
Cashew nut pieces 2 – 3 spoons (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Ghee 2 spoon for greasing palms

Recipe for Kadale Unde/ Peanut Laddu

Dry roast peanuts in a thick bottomed pan or wok. Once the nuts begin to crack, take a couple of them and rub with your hands. If the peel comes off easily, then roasting is done. Switch off the flame and spread the peanuts on a paper or cloth.

Allow it to cool. When it cools, use a rolling pin and roll on the peanuts. The nuts break open into half and the peel also separates easily. You can blow away the separated peel.

This makes the peanuts ready to be used for making laddus.

Now, prepare the jaggery syrup. In a thick bottomed vessel, melt jiggery over low flame. Stir well so that it does not get burnt.

Tip: Place 1 or 2 drops of jaggery in a bowl of water. If the jiggery does not dissolve and you are able to make a tiny ball out of the jaggery drop, then your syrup is ready.

In a large bowl, add the peanuts and cardamom powder. If needed, ghee roast a small amount of cashew pieces and add it along with the peanuts. Mix well.

Add jaggery syrup to the bowl of peanuts little by little. Do not add all at once. Add as and when needed.

Grease both your palms with ghee. Take small amount of mixture from the bowl and bind it together into small balls.

This makes the Kadale Unde ready to be served.

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I cannot control myself writing on Krishna janmashtami J. The festival is nearing and arrangements are at the peak here. The fact is we devotees want to enjoy and have fun at the name of Lord Krishna.

Now the fancy dress materials are gathered and sweets are getting cooked, but many of us do not know how the Indian ethnic wear dhoti is worn. That too if you are dressing your kid as Lord Shri Krishna then dhoti is the perfect costume. Most of us purchase the readymade designer dhotis but wearing it yourself is easy and comfortable.

Below are few steps and a short video on wearing dhoti for your child. All you require is a soft silk cloth of your child’s favourite colour.

Steps to wear dhoti for your kid

Spread the silk cloth wide
From backwards, tie silk cloth around the waist.
Tie a knot at the front (at the stomach). Let the knot be slightly at the right direction.
Now you have two partitions of silk cloth at the center. Fold 4 to 5 fleets ( like saree) from the right hand side. And tuck up the cloth of the left hand side at back side.
Again the fleet up the remaining cloth lying at the backside.
Traditional dhoti is dressed perfectly. You can decorate some beaded chains around the waist.

Watch the video on how to wear dhoti.

I hope this video helps all mother's in dressing up their child in Krishna Fancy dress.

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Read Previous Article: How To Wear Dhoti For Krishna Fancy Dress

When you receive something handmade, then it is a humble gesture of making your feel special. There are so many ideas of gifting personal custom made items for your beloved ones. Handmade soaps, handmade painting, handmade gift boxes, homemade chocolates, handmade greeting cards; the ideas are many.

With teacher’s day just gone, we had a wonderful opportunity to make our dear teachers feel greatly loved and proud.

5^th September is a day dedicated to teachers in India as it marks the birthday of the greatest teacher India ever had, Dr. Radhakrishnan. This day is celebrated with joy and reverence across all schools.

Hand drawn cards or flowers make a great gift for every teacher. Kids specially meet their teacher on this day with the best of wishes and their hand drawn card. These are treasured and make every teacher feel special.

No teacher’s day celebration is complete without the kids wishing their teacher. So, grab the opportunity and teach your child about how to make a hand drawn greeting card for teacher.

It is simple. Just put some thoughts and gather creative ideas from your child. Combine all possible simple ideas and get to work.

This is how you get involved in your kids activities. It allows you to spend at least 2-3 hours with your child.

Here are 2 simple ideas of making a hand drawn greeting card for your favourite teacher.

Hand drawn flower greeting card

Take a circular coin and draw about 5 circles on a thick paper. Fill the circles with color of your child’s choice.

Once done, cut them and make paper coins. On a greeting card arrange the paper coins into a floral shape and stick then with glue.

Draw a stem, add leaves and leave a personal message on the card.

Colourful handmade greeting card

This is another simple idea of filling the card with different colours. Draw slanting lines from one end to the other. Fill all the lines with bright colours.

Stick your decorative cuttings of flowers/birds along with the personal message of best wishes.

Have you tried making greeting cards at home? Do share your ideas.

* Guest Post

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Patanjali as a brand needs no advertising. The brand is popular based on word-of-mouth advertising. Each happy customer steer dozens of new customers.

They have new products every now and then. Patanjali Coconut Hair Wash was added in to their hair care range some time back.

A tube with flip cap opening is very sturdy type of packaging. This is a wonder to be believed as they are usually not good with their packaging. Leakage from their bottle, tube and tub has been very common right from the initial days. Bit off late, their products are coming in a fully sealed leak proof bottles and tubes.

Patajali Coconut Hair wash tube pack is also great considering that it does not leak and is easy to handle without making any mess.

Texture is creamy and looks like thick milky white cream. It does not lather instantly. You have to add some water and work out for the foam to be formed. This is then a perfect consistency for hair wash.

Patanjali Coconut Hair Wash creamy shampoo

It cleans scalp well. Hair feels fresh and bouncy when dried after wash. It does not strip off natural moisture from hair. Hair feels soft and smooth. It is a combination of both shampoo and conditioner.

This shampoo works excellent on dry hair. People with normal hair can also try this product for greater results.

With extracts of Aloe Vera, Methi, Bhringaraj & Henna combined with coconut oil, Patanjali Coconut Hair Wash is a must have product in your wash room.

I love the fragrance though there is no trace of coconut aroma.

Since it is mild in nature and forms foam slowly, you might feel that the quantity needed is more to wash the heavily oiled hair.

Price: Rs. 95 for 150 ml

Rating: 5/5

Recommendation: Yes. Highly recommended ! Try this once, and you will botice that you will forget about all the Dove, Pantene, Sunsilk, Loreal, all similar brands.

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Now with the end of Krishna Janmashtami, we will be welcoming Ganesha chaturthi in the upcoming week. Ganesha chaturthi is one more Indian festival celebrated grandeur as the birth of Lord Ganesha. There is a practise of making a clay model of Lord Ganesha, perform rituals, offering naivedhya (food offered to god) and with devotion the clay model is dropped into water (visarjan). The visarjan is followed differently in different parts of India like some follow the same night, some after 3 days and in some take a long stretch up to 10 days.

This was a brief description of the known festival, now our aim is only towards “stomach and tongue”. Festivals mean “delicious sweets”. Modhaka /Modhak , a sweet dumpling of rice is commonly cooked around the nation during this occasion. Again, in different parts of India there are many recipes of modhaka. Let me show how this is prepared in south of Karnataka.

Modhaka Recipe – Sweet Dumplings for Ganesha Chaturthi

Ingredients:

One cup rice (steam rice/dosa rice)

Half cup fresh grated coconut

Half cup jaggery

Cardamom pods (2 or 3)

Procedure:

Soak rice for 2 hours till rice gets softened. You can even soak overnight and prepare the batter next morning.

Collect half cup coconut grates. Now in a wet grinder, pour the soaked rice and coconut grates for grinding. The batter shoud be slightly heavier than dosa so keep a watch while adding water. You need not even make a fine paste of batter. In general in comparision with dosa batter, modhaka batter should have medium thickness and slightly rough texture.

When the batter is grinded, add half cup jaggery , cardamom pods and a pinch of salt to the grinding mixture and allow to grind for few minutes so that they get blended well.

Remember do not add jaggery at the beginning as the batter becomes watery.

Pour the batter to a deep pan in low flame. Keep on stirring the batter, the batter becomes thick allowing you to form shape. Once the batter has reached the dumpling form switch off the flame and the mass dumpling is ready.

When your palm can bear the heat, form the cone shaped dumplings resembling modhaka.

Grease a wide vessel with ghee and place the small dumplings. Steam cook for 15 minutes and the modhaka is ready.

Serve sweet modhakas this Ganesha chaturthi as worship to Lord Ganesha.

The same can be prepared with rava/semolina. Roast semolina before forming batter and form coconut and jaggery paste. The rest remains to be same.

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Read Previous Article: Modhaka Recipe Sweet Dumplings for Ganesha Chaturthi

Basically Shrikhandis hung curd. Thick collected curd got after hanging it overnight is mixed with personal favourite flavours and whisked thoroughly to form a creamy textured curd.

Preparing shrikhand is very easy and simple. You will need one large bowl of curd, cardamom powder, saffron strands, sugar (as per your taste), almond pieces, and any more flavors if you wish to add.

Take a big vessel. Place a thin cotton or muslin cloth on the vessel. Pour all the curd on this cloth. Leave this setting overnight so that all the whey gets drained.

If you fear for the curd turning rancid, then keep these hanging curd setting in the refrigerator.

Next morning you will find all the whey collected in the vessel below.

The thick curd on the cloth can be scrapped out into a different bowl very easily.

Soak 4-5 almonds in half cup hot milk. Also add saffron strands to this. You will see saffron releasing its flavour, essence and color. Allow the milk to cool.

Once the milk is cooled, you will find that the milk has kesar/saffron flavour. Also the almonds would have softened enough to remove its peel away.

Chop the almonds into tiny bits and add it back to the kesar milk.

This is the traditional kesar-badam milk we Indian love.

Now, to the hung thick curd, add sugar, powdered elaichi and kesar-badam milk. Mix thoroughly.

Beat the curd with a ladle or a spoon until it forms a blend of smooth cream like consistency.

Shrikhand is ready for serving.

Serve it chill as a dessert after lunch or dinner. You can also serve shrikhand along with puri or chapathi.

How thin or thick you want your shrikhand to be, is your personal choice.

It tastes best when it is thick and chill.

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Wishing you all a very Happy Ganesh Chathurthi !

Have lots of fun worshiping Lord Vinayaka and cooking for the fiesta !

Read Previous Article : Happy Ganesh Chathurthi 2015

Mosquitoes are those tiny flies making annoying sound and pin pierce the skin of its prey. It is known that female mosquitoes with their mouth part proboscis pierce the skin usually of mammals as they sweat and release lactic acid.

Nothing much serious about mosquitoes and their bite, a simple clap smashes them to death. But there are some disease causing mosquitoes with life dangers and not treatable at home. Here are some home remedies for common non dangerous mosquito bites.

Indian Borage (Sambara balli/ dodda patre):

It is a succulent herb with fleshy leaves and a strong scent. The herb is easily grown in gardens and pots with very little care and spreads the entire space. These leaves are a part of ayurvedic medicine and consumed as food in south of Karnataka mainly for common cold, sore throats, cough and other respiratory infections.

Crush a small leaf and collect its water in a clean spoon. Apply over mosquito bite, the inflammation and itching is gone instantly. This remedy is helpful even for kids which I usually do for my child. It is known that the aromatic scent of these leaves drives away flies, mosquitoes and insects from the surroundings.

Ice Cube:

Wrap an ice cube with a hygiene napkin and rub over the insect bite. It provides relief, numbs the area and blocks the skin inflammation. Also for the bug bite ice cubes or any frozen items is known to remove out the stings.

Coconut Oil:

Apply coconut oil to insect bite area. You will find instant relief from itching and inflammation. Its anti bacterial and antimicrobial action kills harmful bacteria from the infected area and moisturizes skin infected area.

Turmeric:

The Indian spice known for its goodness from centuries ago is a home for antiseptic contents. Rub the organic turmeric to a rough stone with water and collect turmeric paste. Apply to the bite area, it kills all the germs and blocks the infection.

Tea Bags:

Do not through the used tea bags. The tannins in the tea residue are astringents which reduce itching and relieve pain. Rub and compress the used tea bags before you dump them into waste on the mosquito bite area.

Aloe gel:

Freshly plucked soothing aloe gel cools the bite area and reduces inflammation.

Essential Oil:

Tea tree Essential oil is antiseptic and antifungal helps in soothing inflammation and any skin infections from mosquito bites. Damp cotton with the essential oil and compress on the skin area. The oil is known to sterilize the area and works even on bug bites.

Remember:

· Never collect water in your surrounding area, water is a breeding area for mosquitoes.

· Whenever you apply any medicine make sure your hands are hygiene.

· Home remedies work only for common mosquitoes and flies which are easily treatable.

· Some venomous rare mosquitoes brings serious changes in your health apart from itching and swelling. This requires consultation and serious action from doctors.

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Read Previous Article: Natural Remedies for Mosquito Bites

Pickles are the preserved food items and served as a condiment in Indian cuisine. We are really lucky to taste different unique flavoured pickles as Indian pickles vary at every region and are cooked from wide range of vegetables and fruits, spices and edible oils. From the list of Indian pickles, Lemon pickle is one the of easiest and simple.

There are different lemon pickle recipes, like either the fresh citrus fruit is blended with spices or the citrus fruit boiled with spices. In the first methodology you will have to wait for a month for the pickle to be ready, while in second way the pickle is instant ready.

Here is a recipe on instant lemon pickle.

Ingredients

10 medium sized lemons

10 green chillies

One bowl table salt or crystal salt

Turmeric

Procedure:

Clean and wash lemon and green chilly.

Chop lemon quarterly and tiny chop the green chillies.

In a vessel, add bowl full of salt and 1/2 cup water. I have made use of crystal salt.

Boil water till salt dissolves. Salt does not dissolve completely as the water quantity is much lesser compared to amount of salt.

After about 5 to 6 minutes when half the amount of salt is dissolved, add the chopped lemon and green chillies to the boiling water.

The lemon spreads all its juice filling the entire vessel. Keep boiling till you find the lemon peels and green chillies boiled and turned brownish. This might take around 15 more minutes. Also the left out salt gets dissolved in lemon water.

Add a pinch of turmeric while boiling; this is just to act as a colouring agent.

When the lemon is completely boiled, switch off the flame. Pour into an moist free glass bottle after cooling.

Do not panic when the boiled mixture is watery. Once it attains room temperature, it turns to be sticky and thick syrup. After the solution is thickened, your lemon pickle is perfect at this state.

You can serve immediately or keeping it aside for 2 days tastes great.

Remember:

1) Do not pour loads of water at the first step as it makes the pickle watery. Lemon releases enough citrus juice which is sufficient for further boiling.

2) You can add ginger and asafoetida while boiling.

3) Store lemon pickle in an air tight glass container. Plastic bottles are unhygienic and unsafe for storing food.

4) Water spillage spoils the pickle causing fungal attacks.

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Sheera /sooji halwa is a common Indian dessert prepared during festivals and traditional occasions. This is a quick dessert cooked with very little ingredients and short time. The same sooji sheera recipe can be slightly influenced with the fruit pineapple. The dessert comes out awesome with a fruity flavour. The cooking time is so efficient where you can even start up when you welcome an unexpected guest.

Pineapple flavoured sheera/pineapple halwa.

Pineapple Sooji Halwa / Pineapple sheera

Ingredients:

Chopped pineapple – 1 bowl

½ cup Rava/sooji

Sugar

Ghee

Saffron

Cashews

Cardamom powder

Procedure:

Peal the thorny skin of pineapple and chop them into cubes.

In a deep pan heat 4 to 5 spoons of ghee and roast cashews. Once they turn brown remove them out of pan and keep it aside.

Add ½ cup sooji to the same pan and roast till sooji leaves its odour. Add ghee if required. Keep on stirring so that sooji does not get burnt.

Transfer the roasted sooji in a clean tray/plate.

To the same pan add 1.5 cups of water, chopped pineapple and sugar. Allow the fruit to boil at low flame for about 10 minutes till it softens and spreads its flavour.

To the boiling mixture drop a pinch of colour/saffron to give a golden colour to the cooked dessert.

Pour the roasted sooji carefully as it splitters out and stir the mixture immediately to avoid lumps.

Allow the sooji to cook in low flame till the entire water is absorbed. This might take 5 more minutes making the sooji swell up and form a mass. Add cardamom powder when the sooji is half boiled.

Switch off the flame and garnish with the roasted cashews.

Pineapple sheera/halwa is ready to serve.

Tips:

1) Choose the fruit pineapple which is more orange than the greenish raw one.

2) You can add saffron strings soaked in milk while cooking.

3) The water ratio should be 1:3 of sooji and water. Here again you can add milk as a replacement to water. This makes the dessert much creamier and richer.

4) Pineapple pulp/pineapple water can also be added instead of pineapple chunks.

5) You can roast raisins along with cashews or any of your favourite nuts.

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Read Previous Article:Pineapple Sooji Halwa / Pineapple Sheera

Constipation is a gastrointestinal issue due to irregular bowel movement causing difficulty in emptying bowels or the dry stool. The major cause for such hard times is unhealthy diet and low fibrous food. Even though the situation is found in both adults and kids, for kids it is a painful act and a great challenge for parents. Also kids have a common behaviour of withholding the stool making them more dehydrated and hard.

The issue is rare in liquid diet babies who are breast fed as the breast milk balances fat and proteins, but some formula fed babies may experience constipation. Following healthy diet and some home remedies provides relief from constipation.

Causes for constipation:

•Low nutrition and low food consumption commonly found in children.

•Change the behaviour of holding the bowel movements in your child. Even though it is challenging, make a hygiene practice of emptying bowels.

•Some formula baby foods cause constipation. This is because of high milk protein content in formulas which is undigested in babies. Keep changing the formulas and dilute the formulas before feeding.

•Too much medication causes constipation.

•Fat creamy milk or too much dairy may cause constipation or diarrhea.

Home Remedies for Constipation in Children

Hydration:

Hydration is very important for healthy physical and mental mechanisms for humans irrespective of all ages. Feed spoon full of water at irregular intervals even for a breastfed baby.

Raisins:

Home Remedies for Constipation in Infants and Toddlers

Raisins are fibrous food and a traditional remedy for constipation in kids.

Soak raisins in boiled water for 4 to 5 hours till it plumps. For a teething child provide raisins for chewing for infants below 1 year blend them to fine paste and feed a spoon full. Also the soaked water can be fed. This relieves constipation immediately

How to prepare ajwain water?

Ajwain water:

Ajwain is a well known medicine for easy digestion and digestive problems. Even though it is useful for both adults and children, the method and quantity of consumption differs. In case of children below one year, prepare ajwain solution (boil ½ spoon of ajwain in ½ glass water for about 5minutes). Feed two spoons of concentrated ajwain water to your child. Increase the quantity of ajwain for an elder child gradually.

Ajwain releases oils that promote bowel movements helping to flush out the waste. Regular consumption is a permanent remedy for constipation and many gastric troubles in kids.

Juices:

Fresh fruit juices from fruits like apple, mango, orange, water melon and the banana pulp is highly fibrous and nutritious. Consumption of these fruit juices keeps your child away from the fear of constipation. Blend them as whole with the addition of milk or water and feed the fresh fruit extract. Do not add sugar as it promotes constipation and fruits themselves are sugary.

Also once your child has started solid foods you can try the vegetables like boiled carrot juice, boiled spinach juice and the boiled beetroot juice. Smashing the boiled lentils is also an healthier option.

Dairy:

Until your child is breast fed there is no limitation for milk but when it comes to pasteurized milk there is a limit for its consumption. Excess dairy cause’s constipation but low dairy also causes the same. Provide medium fat cow’s milk for your child with a count of 2 glasses per day. This is an excellent coolant and source of calcium.

Oiling belly button (navel):

This is a traditional tip guided by my elders and which I usually follow. Greasing the belly button of your child either by ghee or oil overnight. I do not know how medically it works but it eases out stool in your child the next morning. It works faster for infants and quite slower in toddlers.

Remember:

Laxatives and Enemas are not healthy for children. Use them under severe conditions under the guide of pediatrics.

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Read Previous Article: Home Remedies for Constipation in Infants and Toddlers

Festivals are a great treat for ladies and young girls in India. Shopping for festive clothes and many other things happen in full swing. The list for shopping is endless.

Navaratri, Deepawali, Holi, Karvachauth, Teej, Ganesh Chathurthi, Krishna Janmashthami, and many more festivals bring a lot of excitement in the air. The preparations begin at least a month prior to the festival.

Today, we list down what to prepare for Navaratri festival. The last day of Vijayadashami holds great importance.

Clothings

Clothes of course hold a very important place when it is the celebration of any festival. As per South Indian traditions, choose a beautiful bright silk saree with gold zari border. How wide a border the saree has is as per your choice.

Bring out different varieties of silk for each day. Simple cotton silk, kanjeevaram silk, mysore silk, temple border silk, embroidery border silk, plain solid color silk saree; there are so many to choose from.

Patte langa which is a traditional pleated lehenga stitched from silk piece of cloth is the common attire for little girls.

And young teenage girls prefer wearing half saree with beautiful dupattas along.

Jewellery

Festivals are incomplete without jewelleries. Navaratri is a great occasion to unleash all the beauty of your ancestral and modern jewelleries.

Antique temple design jewelleries in gold are the recent trend with silk sarees. Diamonds, pearls, rubies, navaratna stone jewellery, all of these matches very well with the traditional ethnic outfit.

Recipes

Indians are foodies round the clock throughout the year. The variety of recipes available from different parts if the country is the proof.

Pies/puddings/payasas are a great treat during Navaratri. Prepare different variety of sweets every other day.

Flowers

Floral decorations are great to have in and around the house. They add great aroma and divine look to the festive atmosphere.

Lightings

When the entire city is illuminated with colourful lights, why not decorate your house with decorative lights.

Sparkling color lights add a great beauty to the decoration.

Rangoli

Rangoli is a way to welcome home all the guests. It is a very unique form of art practised throughout the country.

Rangoli designs made from white powder and other colour fillings are traditional way of decorating the entrance of the house. Prepare a design and finalize on the color combination. Within the house, plastic rangoli designs and rangoli stickers are a best way to decorate.

Gombe

Navaratri, Vijayadashami – Dasara holds a great tradition of arranging gombes (clay dolls).

Arranging dolls according to a theme is a common practice - dashavatara’s of Lord Vishnu, a typical market place, vegetable seller, mythological stories, marriage ceremony of raja and rani, and many similar themes.

Carefully bring out all your existing mud/clay dolls for the step arrangement.

Also if you plan for a new theme, buy suitable dolls as per your need.

This tradition of gombe arrangement is passed on to next generation.

Invite your friends and relatives for a great view of the entire festive look at your home. Serve your guests the great recipes prepared by you at home. Dress yourself up in the finest look you ever adorned. Not to miss to pair with your favourite jewelleries.

Happy Dusshera.

Read Previous Article: What to Prepare for Navratri/Vijayadashami

Sundal is a common recipe in every Indian kitchen especially in South India during festivals.

With the beginning of Navratri, we begin to show the culinary talents. No festival is complete without the preparation of sweets and pie/puddings. Today we share with you the first recipe on the occasion of the first day of Navratri.

Sprouted Channa Sundal for Navratri – Day 1

You will need

1 or 2 cups channa (white or brown)

Half cup jiggery

3-4 spoon grated/scrapped coconut

Half spoon mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal

1 long red chilli (optional)

1 spoon ghee

Salt, as per needed

Sundal recipe

Soak channa and leave it overnight. Next morning, drain all the water used for soaking the channa. Spread it on a dry plate and close it with a lid. After about 8 hours, you will see sprouts occurring and with every passing hour it grows longer.

Pressure cook the sprouted channa for 2 or 3 whistles.

Now, in a wide pan, ghee roast the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and red chilli.

When mustard seeds splutter, add the boiled channa and mix well.

Add jaggery and allow it to dissolve well. Also add salt and mix properly.

Switch the flame off and then add grated/scrapped coconut and mix well one last time.

Now, close the pan with a lid for about 5 minutes and allow the aroma to settle within.

Sundal – Navaratri special recipe is ready to be offered for puja and later on served as prasad.

Read previous Article: Avalakki Payasa - Navaratri Special Recipe Day 2

Navaratri is a festival of success dedicated to Goddess Durga and worshiped for 9 days and nights. The Hindu historically story on Navaratri is where goddess Durga destroys an asura (devil) named Mahishasura. It is known that the war took for 9 nights and the 10^th day Goddess Durga slained evil to death (Mahisha Mardini) which is celebrated as Vijaya Dashami.

Whatever be the story, the view of the entire festival is the victory of truth and goodness over the evil.
This Navaratri let us worship Goddess Durga to destroy all the evils residing within the entire mankind and bless with good health and thoughts. This was a brief description on history of Navaratri.

Now coming to the point of celebration, we all know as India is rich in diversities, every aspect is followed differently in every corners of the nation. In my home town every house and temples perform Durga Pooja with beautiful flower arrangements. Ladies offer bangles, sindhur and flowers to each other and distribute the Naivedhya (food offered to lord).

The wonderful part of this festival in Udupi is, Lord Krishna is dressed and worshiped as goddess Lakshmi(Durga) all nine days. It is so mind blooming to watch Shri Krishna as Shri Lakshmi.

Navaratri Special Krishna Alankara 2015 - Day 1 & 2

Here are some photos of Krishna alankara during Navaratri and the flower decorations in the temple. As today is the second day of Navaratri , here are just two photos of this year’s celebration.

Mohini Alankara

Navaratri Special Krishna Alankara - 2014

Here some photos of previous years celebrations.

Happy Navaratri

Photos from the courtesy of

Udupi Krishna Kaniyoor matt

Udupi Krishna Shiroor matt

Read Previous Article: Navaratri Celebrations - Udupi Sri Krishna Alankara

Continuing with the series of payasams, today we bring you the most delicious payasa of all that are available – Appi Payasa which is also called as Happala Payasa and somethime Puri Payasa.

But Appi Payasa is the apt name for this special sweet.

If you are familiar with the recipes of Shivalli Brahmins of Udupi, then you will know how this payasa tastes.

Let us see how Appi Payasa is prepared.

You will need

· 1 cup chiroti rava

· Water

· Salt (for taste)

· Ghee for deep frying

· 1 litre milk

· Sugar (for taste)

· Saffron strands

· Cashew and almond pieces

· Cardamom powder

How to prepare Appi Payasa

Heat milk in a wide thick bottom pan. Once the milk boils, simmer the flame and continue boiling so that it reduces to ¾ th the original quantity. Keep stirring at short regular intervals.

Mean while, add little water to chiroti rava and make stiff dough. Make tiny lemon sized balls of the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the balls flat like a chapathi or papad.

Make cutting impressions on the rolled out papad.

Now, heat ghee in a pan and deep fry the pieces of the chiroti rava papad. Allow the fried papad

pieces to cool for some time.

Do not forget to keep stirring the milk you have been boiling for some time now. Once the milk reduces to 3/4^th quantity of the original quantity, add cardamom powder, saffron strands, cashew nut pieces, almond pieces and sugar. Allow it to boil for few minutes.

Now, add the papad pieces to the pan of boiling milk and stir well.

Switch off the flame and allow cooling. The papad pieces will absorb some amount of milk and the whole preparation will thicken to some extent.

This is the king of payasams. This traditional sweet of Karnataka is a must taste for all sweet lovers.

Happy Navaratri.

Read Previous Article: Appi Payasa - Navaratri Special Sweet Recipe Day 3

There is no end to the preparation of sweets during this festive season.

Milk or coconut milk sweetened with sugar or jaggery is the main theme of preparing payasa. These South Indian dessert recipes are great to serve along with lunch during special occasions.

Today we bring you the simple recipe of Sabudana Payasa also called as Sabbakki Payasa.

You will need

Half litre milk
Sugar according to taste
One cup sabudana
Powdered elaichi
Saffron strands a generous pinch

Simple Recipe of Sabudana Payasa

Heat the milk in a heavy thick bottomed no-stick pan. When it boils, simmer the flame and continue boiling while continuously stirring the milk.

Add sabudana/sabbakki to the boiling milk and stir continuously.

Carry on with low flame boiling of milk until sabudana turns transparent and soft.

The milk will get thicken. If you need more milk, add accordingly and adjust the consistency.

Scrap the thick milk from the edges of the pan and add it back to the boiling milk.

Once sabudana is cooked completely, add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron strands and mix well.

Allow it to cool and serve accordingly - hot or chilled, as per personal preference.

Read Previous Article: Sabakki Payasa – Navaratri Special Recipe Day 4

This is the fifth day of navaratri and food lovers like me are enjoying the delicious rich sweets on the name of lord. Offering to lord is just an reason for fulfilling our tongue and tummy, true right? J. Here is one more easy and famous dessert sapada or banana pudding.

Sapada is mostly prepared during sathyanarayana pooja. The recipe is similar to sheera with flavour of ripe banana.

Let me tell you the meaning hidden in the name “sapada”. “Sa” means same and “pada” means quarter. The four main ingredients of sapada (semolina, milk, ghee, sugar) are added in same quantities thus the name sapada.

Ingredients:

One cup semolina

One cup milk

One cup ghee

One cup sugar

3 ripe bananas

Cashews, raisins

Almond powder, saffron strands.

Cardamom powder

Procedure:

In a deep pan add 2 spoons of ghee and heat in low flame. Roast cashews and raisins. Do not burn them, transfer to a plate.

To the same pan add 3 to 4 spoons of ghee and add semolina. Roast semolina/sooji till it leaves the aroma.

Transfer the roasted semolina to the same plate. Add one cup milk, one cup sugar, saffron strands, almond powder and allow boiling.

Meanwhile chop banana into fine pieces.

To the boiling milk add the roasted semolina, cashews, raisins and chopped banana. Pour the remaining ghee to the boiling mixture. Keep on stirring to avoid lumps.

Semolina cooks in 5 to 6 minutes and forms a mass. Add cardamom powder and stir well. Switch off the flame.

Sapada or banana pudding is ready to serve.

If you are diet conscious then you can lessen the quantity of ghee and add more of milk/ water like you prepare sheera. But equal proportions of the sapada ingredients make the dessert rich and delicious.

Happy Navaratri.

Read Previous Article: Sapada Recipe Navaratri Special Recipe Day 5

If you are a travel freak or hold interest in traditions and customs of different places, then Mysore is one must visit place for all.

Tourists of all class and categories visit here round the year. Dasara is the time when the city is filled with crazy people looking for unique festival celebration.

Ever wondered why Dasara is so world-famous? There are numerous reasons to love everything about the city and its royalty. The preparations for the celebrations begin at least 2 months earlier.

If you have been waiting to see something special in Mysore, then this is the chance for you to pounce upon.

What to look for in Mysore during Dasara

Mysore Dasara was called as Nada Habba (State Festival) by the Wodeyars. The name given was a complete justice to the royal festival celebrations.

If you are at Mysore during the 10 days of Dasara, then the experience is unique. You can roam around until you drop, yet you wouldn’t have seen all that needs your attention.

Here is a list of things which you should definitely do while in Mysore during Dasara days.

Practising/Training the Elephants for Jumbo Savari

Just wander around the wide roads of Mysore. You will get to see the line of elephants walking in great royalty and pride through the busy roads of Mysore amidst the traffic. It is the practice session for the elephants and horses for the soon arriving grand procession on Vijayadashami.

Elephants practising for Jumbo Sawari Mysore

Jumbo Savari is the main attraction and people from far away visit Mysore.

Decoarted Amba Vilas, the Royal Mysore Palace

The royal palace Amba Vilas gets highly decorated. The beauty of the palace lightings and illumination is beyond any words.

The beautiful ornate stage in front of the palace will be set for artists to perform as a part of Dasara Celebration. Famous artists and celebrities are invited for performing.

Dasara Street Lightings

The roads are jewelled too. The light hangings from the tree make everything more royal. The vintage old charm in the circles and heritage buildings is well retained.

Dasara Street Lighting 2015

Mysore Pak at Guru Sweets

One should not miss the chance of visiting Guru Sweets.

This was where Mysore Paka took birth. This family has been preparing and serving the traditional sweet ‘Mysore Pak’ to the royal family of Wodeyars of Mysore. The tradition continues until this generation.

Chitra Santhe – Painting/Art Exhibition

Chitra Santhe, literally means The Market Place of Pictures.

Mysore is a great place for artists and art lovers as Dasara is the chance to exhibit, sell, buy, promote, and encourage everything about paintings and other form of art.

Flower Show

Flower Show at Kuppanna Park is the hard work of caring and arranging of the flowering plants and vegetables.

Book exhibition finds its place in one of the many parks in Mysore.

Doll Exhibition at Bombe Mane

Bombe Mane is another beautiful attraction for people who love to collect dolls. Dasara is always connected with arrangement of dolls. Bombe Mane is a place where you get to admire the ideas of doll sets and the beauty involved in doll making and decorating. The clay dolls are great pieces of attraction and.

Bombe Mane Doll Exhibition 2015, Dolls for sale

Natives of Mysore observe the traditions of 5 or 9 step doll arrangements at home. Eventually they invite friends and relatives home for flaunting their decoration and follow with a grand Dussehra Party.

Doll arrangment for Navaratri at home

Dasara Exhibition

The famous Mysore Dasara Exhibition is what one can expect every year at the Exhibition Ground.

The large area of the ground is reserved for the exhibition and entertainments and it runs for several months even after Dasara.

Msore Dasara Exhibition Grounds

Buy wood toys, home decor items, hand crafts, fancy jewelleries, cotton bed sheets and other handloom items.

Shopping

What do you want to take back with you? Glass or clay bangles, silk, wooden toys, handicrafts, sandalwood items, clay dolls of royal members and royal service men, the list is never ending.

So, what are you waiting for? Few days left for the final show of Mysore Dasara. Plan your Mysore travel itinerary soon. This year of 2015 will witness Dasara with the new scion of the royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar.

Happy Navratri.

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