The Writer's Blog

‎ "The light of knowledge" Light symbolizes knowledge while darkness represents ignorance. The Lord is the "Knowledge Principle," or Chaitanya, who is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge.  Hence light is worshiped as the Lord himself. Location: Parakkattu Shiva temple Ocassion: Ayyappan Paatu Festival K.Hari Kumar  Tweet me @KATHAHARIK ‎ ‎

Kuttu Ki Puri (Navratri/Ekadashi Special) Indian Cuisine Recipe North Indian Cuisine MY RATING - 9/10 Source - www.indobase.com Ingredients • 1 cup Kuttu Ka Atta (Buckwheat Flour)   • 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves (chopped)   • 1 Potato (boiled and mashed) • 2 Green Chilies (chopped)   • 1 tbsp Oil • Salt to taste • Water for kneading   • Oil for deep frying Method • Take kuttu, coriander leaves, potato, green chilies, 1tbsp oil and salt in a flat-bottomed vessel. Add water gradually to knead a little firm dough. • Make small round balls of the dough and roll out each ball to form a puri / poori. • Heat oil in a frying pan and fry till the puri turns dark brown. • Make all puris like this from the remaining dough, repeating the above-mentioned step. • Kuttu ki puri is ready to eat. Serve with aloo ki sabzi or green chutney.

Gujiya Holi Special Recipe Indian Sweet (North Indian) MY RATING - 9/10 Source - www.indianfoodforever.com     Ingredients desipad.com Ghee / Oil to fry For the Cover : 500 gms Maida (All purpose flour) 6 tblsp Oil / Ghee (melted) For the Filling : 500-600 gms Khoya 1/2 tsp green Cardamom Powder 25 gms chopped Almonda 25 gms Raisins (Kishmish) 25 gms dried Coconut (shredded) 350 gms Sugar (Cheeni) or to taste (powdered) Method Sieve the flour. Mix the six tablespoons of oil with the maida. Using fingers, mix well so that the mixture takes the form of breadcrumbs and binds to a certain extent. Now add some water and knead lightly. Keep adding water as required and knead into a soft but tight dough. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth. Now mash the khoya and fry it in a kadhai / deep pan till light brown in color. Add sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and mix well. Add almonds, cash

PURAN POLI (Gram Flour Bread) Holi Special Recipe Indian Cuisine MY RATING - 8.8/10 Source - www.holifestival.org iloveindia.com Ingredients 300gms. chana (yellow gram) dal 300 gms. jaggery (molasses) or sugar 1 tsp. cardamom powder 150 gms. plain flour 1 tbsp. ghee warm water to knead dough ghee to serve Method Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken. Drain in a colander for 10-15 minutes. Pass through an almond grater little by little till all dal is grated. Mash jaggery till lumps break. Mix well into dal. Put mixture in a heavy saucepan and cook till a soft lump is formed Take care to stir continuously, so as not to charr. Keep aside. Mix ghee with flour, add enough water to make a soft pliable dough. Take a morsel sized ball of dough, roll into a 4" round. Place same sized ball of filling in centre, life all round and seal. Reroll carefully to a 6" diameter round. Roast on warm griddle till golden brown. Repeat ot

Gujarati Gathiya  Holi Special - Tea Time snack Gujarati Cuisine Recipe MY RATING - 8/10 Source - www.indianfoodforever.com tastefood.info Ingredients: 1/2 kg gramflour (Besan) Salt to taste Pinch of soda bicarbonate Oil for frying Method: Seive the besan, soda bicarbonate and add salt to it. Now add enough oil to the besan and salt mixture that it start forming rough balls. With water knead a tight dough and then cover it with a wet cloth piece and keep it aside for 1/2 hour. Now heat oil in a kadai. With the help of a gathiya maker drop gathiya in the heated oil. Fry till golden crisp. Drain excess oil and soak them on tissue paper. Let them dry in open air. When cool store them in a airtight container.

Thandai (Cold Milk & Herb Beverage) Holi Special Recipe MY RATING - 9.5/10 Source - www.holifestival.org Ingredients: 1 1/2 litres water homerecipes.in 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup milk 1 tbsp. almonds 1 tbsp. kharbooj/tarbooj seeds skinned (commercially available) (these are skinned dried seeds of watermelon and cantaloupes) 1/2 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds) 1/2 tbsp. saunf (aniseed) 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder or 15 whole pods 1/2 tsp. rose water (optional) 1 tsp. peppercorns whole 1/4 cup dried or fresh rose petals (gulkand variety) Method: Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used. Keep aside. Wash clean all other dry ingredients, except cardamom if using powder. Soak in 2 cups of remaining water. Keep aside. Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours. Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste. (not sugar) Use a stone grinder (manual or electric) if possible. When the paste is very fine, mix remaining

Here are some interesting facts that were mailed to me by Mr.Pranesh of Delhi Madhvasangha. This is a forwarded message from Shri NarasimhAchar Chintana krama of Maharudra Devaru - ·        Rudra devaru has five faces – the colour of body look like spatika; ·        He has Chandra in his Jate ; ·        He is sarpabhooshana; ·        Always Parvati Devi will be there with him; ·        He has Ganga, the Vishnu paadodaka on his head (to prove Harisarvottamatva); ·        He has three eyes on all his five faces ·        He always has Urdwapundra, shanka Chakra symbol, ·        Has Padmakshi Tulasimaale; ·        In his four hands he has shoola, varamudre, abhayamudre, and deer. I.                   Different Shivanama with meanings – Ashutosha; Andhakasurahara; Chandrashekara; Damarugapani; Doorjati; Gangadhara; Kaamaari; Kruthivaasa; Kailasavaasa; Gajacharmambara dhara; Mano niyamaka; Maheshwara; Mrutyunjaya; Nandivaahana; Nataraja; Nagabharana; Nagabhushana; Neelakanta; Paarvateesha

For the past 2 and half months, clusters of men clad in black drapery have been trekking their way to finally reach their destination- SABARIMALA (शबरिमाला / ശബരിമല). The journey spanning a treacherous path of thorns and keeping alive severe worldly austerities on this journey to visit His Highness, Lord Ayyappa. Who is Ayyappa? People in the northern India often find the name funny and unsuitable for a God! Well, No offences, lack of knowledge can lead to such ignorant thinking. Lord Ayyappa is perhaps the most important Hindu deity for the people of Kerala and He is also followed in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka. Lord Ayyappa also known as Manikantha or the one with the bell around his throat is touted to be the son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Startled??? Surprised??? Shocked??? Well, the story dates back to the great Samudra Manthan (The churning of the Ocean) epic in the Hindu puranas. The clash took place between SurAs(Gods) and asurAs(Demons) to claim Amritham, which was a milky