Heaven's Garden

Spring Siesta

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:41:16 PST

The spring is the most pleasant season of the year when the earth wears a beautiful garb and is awakened to life by the warmth of the sunshine. In this season the nature is gay and happy and the trees once more look fresh and green. The birds which were silent in the winter announce the common of spring by their thousands of notes.

Nature gives a feast to all our senses and invites to come out and take part in the universal joy. It presents a beautiful sight of the eyes to enjoy. The sweet songs of the birds fill every year with new life and new strength. The wild winds which are quite opposite to the dry winds of the winter, invite us into the open. Buds and flowers decorate trees and plants and spread their sweet smell in all directions while filling us with pleasure when we breathe in it.

The familiar street corners became enigmatic with the tender breeze caressing the halogen lights. Shimul, palash and krishnachura blooming across. It is a season of marriages and festival which are celebrated with pomp and show in the cities and towns and announce the coming of spring.

The pleasures of the spring are many. They can be best enjoyed in a village or a forest, on a mountain or in some place where nature is free and untouched by the hand of man. The enjoyments of nature are beyond the reach of those who remain inside the four walls of the towns and cities. In towns and cities the calendar proclaims the arrival of spring.

Trees in nature are beautiful to the eyes. They are wholesome for the body. The season feels our mind with a sense of devotion to god, the Creator of spring. In this loneliness we can fully realize the glories of the spring. Solitude in the lap of a forest or a cave or on a mountain presents the true beauties of spring before our eyes. Human company mars the glory of this season.

Spring is the season in which the voice of nature is most eloquent. The air would have a strange fragrance, like that of unrequited love, or of spring itself.

Yogurt Flavoured Almond Thandai Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:41:09 PST

Thandai is a cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, magaztari seeds (watermelon kernel), rose petals, pepper, vetiver seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar and is an ancient drink that is quick and inexpensive. The Indian festival of Holi is never complete without the regular dose of different variants of thandai.

When people become a little exhausted after playing exciting yet tiresome holi a glass of Thandai offers instant energy and cools the body.

Thandai is a North-Indian drink made especially when the hot, dry summer winds blow through the region leaving everything and everybody parched. This thirst-quencher is tasty and cooling.

Here is a recipe of the Sweet & Spicy Yogurt Flavoured Almond Thandai:

Ingredients:

# 1 cup of yogurt or combination of half yogurt and half buttermilk
# 1/2 cup almonds, finely grounded
# 1 cup boiled milk
# 1/2 cup water
# 3-5 tsp of sugar/sweetener to taste
# 1/2 tsp cumin powder
# 1/2 tsp whole black pepper powder
# 1/2 tsp fennel powder
# 1/2 tsp poppy powder
# 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
# Pinch of salt
# 1 tsp lemon juice
# 1/2 cup ice cubes
# Dollop of plain yogurt for garnishing
# Few drops edible rose water (optional)

Method:

1. Beat/churn the yogurt or buttermilk and yogurt mixture with the water.

2. Add the boiled milk, sugar/sweetener, almonds till it becomes smooth and frothy along with the pepper, cumin, fennel, poppy, cardamom powder, lemon juice and salt.

3. Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours. Pour in tall glasses filled with crushed or broken pieces of ice. Add a few drops of optional rose water and stir. Add a dollop of fresh yogurt on top. Serve chilled.

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Colours of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:40:39 PST

Colour is all around us and play an important part in our lives. They affect our health, moods, happiness and our lifestyle. Colour in everyday life is very diverse, from knowing that a fruit is ripe to eat, to presentation of vibration in life.

In India & China, red is the color of fertility, prosperity and joy. Brides wear red and front doors are often painted red. Red roses symbolize passionate love.

Green is the color of nature, life. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony.

Blue is the coolest color - the color of the sky, ocean, sleep, twilight. Blue symbolizes the Virgin Mary. A pure blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality.

Pink is the color of universal love. Lovers of beauty favor pink.

Orange is one of the healing colors. It also stimulates enthusiasm and creativity. Orange means vitality with endurance.

Purple has been used to symbolize magic and mystery, as well as royalty.

White is the color of purity. Brides wear white in many countries, because white symbolizes a virgin. White means kindness.White daisies are a symbol of loyal love.

Yellow symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness. Yellow daffodils are a symbol of unrequited love. Sunday's color is yellow-gold.

Gold symbolizes wealth used wisely, but it is also the symbol of good health.

Haridwar: Divine Gateways

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:40:21 PST

Haridwar and Rishikesh attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year, from within India, as well as from other countries. A paradise for nature lovers, Haridwar presents a kaleidoscope of Indian culture and civilization. It is also an entry point to the Char Dham (the four main centers of pilgrimage in Uttarakhand viz, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri).

Har Ki Pauri is a famous ghat on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar. This revered place is the major landmark of the holy city of Haridwar. Literally, "Har" means "Lord Shiva", "ki" means "of" and "paudi" means "steps".

Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are believed to have visited the Brahmakund in Har ki Paudi in the Vedic times. There is a large footprint said to belong to Lord Vishnu on a stone wall.

Kamakhya Temple: Divine Sojourn

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:40:07 PST

The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, and is regarded as one of the 51 holy Shakti Peethams associated with an aspect of the Hindu Goddess 'Sati' and the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna. Legend has it that following the destruction of King Daksha's sacrifice and the Rudra Tandava of Shiva parts of Sati's body fell at several places throughout India, and these places are revered as shakti peethas. The reproductive organ of Sati - the Yoni is said to have fallen here.

Kamakhya, the Goddess/yoni, is known to be the yielder of all desires and exists in the main shrine as a large cleft in the bedrock, covered by water flowing upward from an underground natural spring, emanating from a fissure in a large rock that symbolizes a yoni, generally covered by a red silk cloth, flowers, and red sindur powder.

The Kamakhya temple located on a hill - Neelachala Parvat in the city of Guwahati in Assam is said to have been destroyed many times since medieval times and the exisisting structure was constructed by King Naranarayan of the Koch dynasty from Cooch Behar in the style of medieval temples.

The earlier forms of the structure are unknown. The temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured panels seen here are of interest with images of dancing fixtures and Hindu gods and goddesses on the outside.

Worshiping here still includes sacrifices and devotees come every morning with goats to offer to Shakti. Devotees queue up at the entrance porch from where everyone moves slowly into the semi-dark sanctum sanctorum. Images of gods and goddesses of Hindu pantheon are carved on the walls. The image of the Goddess along with other deities is kept on a throne.

Devotees have to follow a narrow alley behind the throne to enter the sanctum sanctorum. Inside, a short flight of stairs leads to a small subterranean pool. Devotees stand by the water’s edge and offer their puja or worship. From here the symbolic organ that remains covered with a red cloth can be seen.

Every year, on the seventh day of hindu month of Ashaad, which generally is in June-July, it is said that the pool containing the uterus turns red for three days and the pool is covered with a white cloth which turns red after the three days. The red cloth is later cut into small pieces and distributed to devotees, which is considered to be sacred.

During this time the Ambubachi fair is held and every year lakhs of devotees visit the shrine during this time. The temple remains closed for these three days and on the fourth day its doors are again re-opened to pilgrims with much fanfare. After the fourth day when they break their fast, the holy men as well as devotees mingle freely and celebrate by smearing colours on each other. They mostly dress up in red which is considered sacred.

The accumulation of Saints and devotees (sadhus and pandas) from all over the country and the locally available art and craft items for sale on the roadside makes it an interesting place to visit and witness the festivities involved. The pandits chanting mantras on behalf of the devotees and the pilgrims performing puja, make the fair an interesting affair.

The divine powers of the goddess captivates numerous devotees form the entire country as well as the world.

In 2011, the beginning date of Ambubachi Mela is June 22nd and the festival ends on June 26.

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Leaping to the Occasion

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:56:47 PST

Its a leap year and that means an extra day to live. So here's a smart walkthrough of how you can utilise the precious hours of this day...

♥ Write a thank you letter. Pull out your pen and paper and write a little note to someone for something small. Thank them for making you smile, making you dinner or even just making the bed.

♥ Wear your best dress. While you're at it use your fancy plates for dinner.

♥ Make a vision board or update one you already have.

♥ Switch off, and switch back on. Get off Facebook and get into real life. Meet a friend for coffee {instead of emailing/texting/messaging}. Take time for the people you adore.

♥ Take yourself out for cake. And you're not allowed to count the calories or feel guilty about it either. Not for one moment.

♥ Say sorry. Mend any bridges that need fixing. Be the person to make the first move.

♥ Make something. A necklace looks like it could be knocked over in an afternoon, and would look sweet with fluro yellow string. Or a broccoli fettuccine looks scrum-diddly-umptious.

♥ Plan a holiday. Not only is it fun to go on a vacation, but it's also pretty exciting to plan it, talk about it, dream about it and then head off when it's finally time.

♥ Sprinkle joy. Smile at strangers. Give money to buskers. Play longer with your kids. Greet your husband with a kiss and a hug. Be kind. Call your best friend.

♥ Donate a few bucks to the really needy. It's only a few bucks but it could make a huge difference.

Kaziranga: Wildlife Trove

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:39:49 PST

Located on the edge of the Eastern Himalayas, Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the state of Assam. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world.

Situated on the banks of the mighty Bramhaputra river Kaziranga National Park is spread in an area of approximately 430 square kilometres. The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.The best time to visit Kaziranga national park is mid-November to early April.

Kaziranga is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, crisscrossed by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, and the park includes numerous small bodies of water. Kaziranga has been the theme of several books, songs, and documentaries. The park celebrated its centennial in 2005 after its establishment in 1905 as a reserve forest.

Kaziranga National Park, which make green a vivid colour, showcases a perfect balance in all its hues and shades.

Sight seeing and elephant safaris are also organised by the forest authorities. Tourists can also stroll in the nearby coffee, rubber and tea plantations. An elephant safari in the valley exudes extreme bliss, with the whispering meadows to accompany you.

The air around you will give a feeling of wonderment. The lazy mountains will make you ponder; and tempt you to stay there forever.

Travellers Info:

Kaziranga is easily accessible through all the three modes of transport and is 217 kms from Guwahati and 97 kms away from Jorhat, the nearest major town from Kaziranga.

By Air: Guwahati, is connected through major cities in India from there you can take a connecting flight to Jorhat airport. After reaching the main town you can book a Car/Jeep till Kaziranga.

By Rail cum Road: Guwahati is connected by rail from major cities in India. From Guwahati you can catch another train till Furkating, the nearest station from Kaziranga, which is 75 kms away from the wildlife park. The main road that connects Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary is the NH-37 and you can hire a cab/Jeep from Guwahati for the entire trip.

By Bus: Daily bus services deluxe/ordinary from ISBT Guwahati till Jorhat from where you can book a Car/Jeep till Kaziranga.

Ample accommodation facilities can be availed at the park.

Asparagus Soup Delights

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:42:24 PST

Asparagus s a spring vegetable native to the western coasts of Europe. Already about 20,000 years ago, asparagus was eaten near Aswan in Egypt. It has been used as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavour, and more. It is pictured as an offering on an Egyptian frieze dating to 3000 BC. Greeks and Romans ate it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use in winter; Romans even froze it in, high on the Alps, until the Feast of Epicurius.

Emperor Augustus reserved the Asparagus Fleet for hauling the vegetable, and coined the expression "faster than cooking asparagus" for quick action. Only young asparagus shoots are commonly eaten: once the buds start to open, the shoots quickly turn woody. The shoots are prepared and served in a number of ways around the world, typically as an appetizer or vegetable side dish. In Asian-style cooking, asparagus is often stir-fried. Asparagus may also be quickly grilled over charcoal or hardwood embers. It is also used as an ingredient in some stews and soups. In recent years, almost as a cycle dating back to early culinary habits, asparagus has regained its popularity eaten raw as a component of a salad.

Here is a recipe for the Asparagus Cream Soup:

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh asparagus ends, cut into 1/2 pieces.

4 cups chicken broth/vegetable broth cubes

1 large red onion

1 small minced garlic clove

1 cup milk/heavy cream

3 to 4 tablespoons butter/margarine/olive oil

3 to 4 tablespoons flour

2.5 cup water

1 tsp salt and pepper

Method:

1. Take a heavy bottom pan, add oil or butter or margarine and then sauté the onions till it turn slightly golden. Add the asparagus and flour making a roux and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown.

2. Add the chicken or vegetable broth. Add cream and season with salt and pepper and then cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes till the asparagus becomes tender.

3. Allow it to cool down and then blend it into a smooth paste .

4. Add the milk and heat it a bit so that it just begins to boil. Remove from the stove and serve hot with a roasted bun or bread.

Flame of the Forest: Gulmohar

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:43:07 PST

Noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers, in many tropical parts of countries around the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant. It is also one of several trees known as Flame tree.

In India it is known as Gulmohar suggesting a spectacular show of color, like the extraordinary colors of a peacock's tail.

In Bengali it is known there as Krishnachura, the crown of the Lord Krishna. The bright red flowers of the Krishnachura (and the yellow flowers of the Radhachura) give Bengal a bright look during the summer season.

The orange-red colours of this tree's flowers are so intense, bringing in burst of color to the greening trees.

Golden Flamboyant: Radhachura

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:45:22 PST

Also known as Copper pod, Golden Flamboyant, Yellow Flamboyant, Yellow Flame Tree, Yellow Poinciana etc., it is known as Radhachura in Bangla and Perunkonrai in Tamil and is a popular ornamental tree grown around the world.

Spiritual Odysseys: Swayambhunath & Boudhanath

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:48:04 PST

The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. Thousands of multi-coloured prayer flags flutter overhead and hordes of pilgrims flock here daily to perform the ceremonial circumnavigation of the shrine.

The square tower is topped by a pyramid with 13 steps from the base to the pinnacle, represents the ladder to enlightenment or ‘Bodhi’ from which Boudhanath Stupa gets its name.

There is a gilded canopy at the top of the tower, the embodiment of air, with above it a gilded spire, symbolic of ether and the Buddha Vairocana.

Swayambhunath

A golden spire crowning a conical wooded hill, Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Katmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spires are visible from many miles and from all sides of the valley. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. They are holy because Manjushree, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning was raising the hill which the Swayambhunath Temple stands on. He was supposed to leave his hair short but he made it grow long and head lice grew. It is said that the head lice had transformed into these monkeys.

The Tibetan name for the site means 'Sublime Trees' (Wylie:Phags.pa Shing.kun), for the many varieties of trees found on the hill. The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Licchavi period. he dome at the base represents the entire world. When a person awakes (represented by eyes of wisdom and compassion) from the bonds of the world, the person reaches the state of enlightenment. The thirteen pinnacles on the top symbolize that sentient beings have to go through the thirteen stages of spiritual realizations to reach enlightenment or Buddhahood.

The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on. which represent Wisdom and Compassion. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye.,According to Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with an enormous lake, out of which grew a lotus. The valley came to be known as Swayambhu, meaning "Self-Created." The name comes from an eternal self-existent flame (svyaṃbhu) over which a sūpa was later built.

The Boudhanath Stupa is very similar to the Swayambhunath Stupa, only it is bigger and enjoys better symmetry. The great white dome on which it is situated is almost perfectly spherical when compared to the somewhat irregular shape of the one at Swayambhunath although the actual four-sided dome-topped golden tower at the top is almost completely identical. Another key difference between the Boudhanath Stupa and the Swayambhunath Stupa is that the Swaymabhunath Stupa was built on a hilltop while the Boudhanath Stupa is situated on the valley floor.

swayambhunath boudhanath map guest house bhaktapur patan durbar square photos travel guide history

Fragrance of Losar

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:47:13 PST

Losar festival is celebrated to commemorate the advent of the Tibetan New Year. Losar (Lo means year and Sar means new) is the most important of all the socio-religious events of the Buddhists and is celebrated on the first day of the eleventh month of every Lunar year, which falls mainly in the month of February. For all Buddhists, Losar is a sacred time and a time for feasting and celebration. It is a time to be with the family, and a time to ensure that bad omens are not carried into the New Year.

The New Year festivities at all homes begins with the 'Metho' ceremony during Losar eve, when processions of people carrying flaming torches pass through the Monasteries, villages, markets and lanes, chanting prayers to chase away evil spirits believed to have accumulated during the year as a result of bad Karma (deeds).

An interesting display of fire and light is created by the whirling of the flaming torches which are then thrown away in a gesture to bid farewell to the old year and to welcome the New Year ahead. The New Year day itself starts with making offerings at the shrines of personal gods and clan ancestors and with greetings to family elders, relatives and friends, with the first day generally reserved for family and the second and third for friends and more distant relatives.

Tibetans also visit monasteries and make offerings at this time. This festival is full of music, dancing and merry-making. Losar is primarily a three-day festival. Even so, typical Tibetan families keep the festivities going for up to 15 days. Losar is celebrated by Buddhists in Tibet, India, Bhutan, and in Tibetan communities throughout the world.

Losar is marked with activities that symbolize purification, and welcoming in the new. The last day of the year is a time to clean and prepare for the approaching New Year. During 'Gutor' the entire neighborhood is cleaned, and everyone whitewashes and cleans their houses to prepare for the New Year. As the big day approaches, any or all of the eight auspicious symbols are drawn on the kitchen wall with phye mar.

The mouths of household vessels such as water cans, clay pots and so forth, are tied with white woolen scarves, and window and door curtains are replaced. A small amount of dirt is collected, which will later be thrown onto a place where spirits are thought to dwell. Homeowners race through their houses shooting off guns or firecrackers to drive out evil.

Monastaries begin their celebrations the day before Tibetan New Year's Eve by conducting a protector deities' ritual (puja). On the last day of the old year, decorations are put up and elaborate offerings made called "Lama Losar".

Preparations for Losar basically consist of collecting fresh roasted barley flour for phye mar (sweetened barley flour symbolizing good wishes), gro ma (a small dried sweet potato) bras sil (sweet rice), lo phud (a young sprout of wheat or barley symbolizing the birth of the new year), chang (barley beer), khab se (fried biscuits), tea, butter, sheep’s heads, butter lamps, of various sizes, and fruits and sweets. Locally produced foodstuffs are preferable.

A complete set of these seasonal delicacies is also required for arrangement on the altar. These are prepared in huge quantities days, weeks, or even months before Losar, according to the need of the household; most families, however, prepare them one day before Losar. Khab se and chang together form the basic medium of exchanging greetings.

New clothing may be prepared, especially for children, but most adults wear their finest set of old clothing; often, a person will own only one such set of fine clothing, which they usually keep locked in a trunk until an appropriate event, such as Losar or the marriage of their relatives.

Lines are laid down in white said along the sides of the path from the gate to the door, and in the center of the path are drawn symbols such as a swastika, which symbolizes indestructible good fortune, or a conch, which symbolizes the flourishing of the Dharma.

On the first day, in the early dawn, the housewife of the family runs to collect the year’s first bucket of water. She burns incense at the water source, ties a scarf around the tap, and sets out an offering of the first portionphye mar and chang to appease the nagas (subterranean serpent beings) and spirits. On reaching home, she serves boiled chang porridge while awakening every member of the family, bidding them “Tashi Delek.”

Then all, now quite awake after relishing the chang porridge (and some perhaps already a bit soused), attire themselves in their best costumes. After performing their devotions before the altar by making prostrations, reciting prayers, lighting lamps and the like, they take their seats, lined up according to seniority within the household. The housewife then serves phye mar, chang phud and sweet rice, followed by tea, sweet soup, boiledchang porridge, and a set of khab se called dkar spro.

When this formal family ceremony is over, the household members run off to their next door neighbors’ houses, chewing phye mar and chang phud while shouting “Tashi Delek!” Children especially love to fill their pockets with sweets and show off their new outfits. On this day people neither socialize extensively, nor spend money freely, for it is believed (with or without reason) that if anyone were to do so, the fortunes of their household would diminish.

From the second day of Losar onwards, people visit each others’ houses, gamble, play dice, cards, dance and sing songs. If the lunar calendar predicts that the second day will be favorable, people raise prayer flags, both horizontally and vertically, on their roofs. And while on the roof, they also offer incense, sending great pillars of smoke rising into the sky.

This ceremony is primarily, a ritual of appeasement offered in honor of their deities of the home (skye lha); it is also a rite to increase the family’s luck and fortune, as well as to placate gods, goddesses, mountain dwelling spirits (btsan), local spirits (yul lha) and nagas.

This incense offering ceremony is also accompanied by an offering of black tea to the gods and goddesses of the home and the locality; it concludes with the shouting of “Ki Ki So So Lha Gyal Lo!” (“May the gods on the side of virtue be victorious!”) three times while holding tsampa between the thumb and the tips of the fingers of one’s right hand.

One then throws the tsampa toward the sky, filling the air with a fine mist of powder. When the incense burning and prayer flag ceremony is held in public, the scene is even more lively and lovely. People also make offerings to the moon for happy and prosperous life. At night, they illuminate the house with oil lamps.

In private homes, whether of high or low social status, aristocratic or working class, everyone enjoys the festivities, ongoing rituals and pageants of the Losar festival, while exchanging hospitality and sharing conviviality. The Losar merrymaking lasts for at least a week, and in some places even longer. Some people even get married during Losar to make things especially festive!

Some playful and naughty people jubilantly polish others’ faces with tsampa to tease them; people of the opposite sex are a favorite target. They also participate in various religious ceremonies during the day. The most popular is the play in which the people perform masked dances. Crackers are burnt to light the darkness of the New Year and to scare off all the evil spirits. It symbolizes victory of good over bad.

osar potala kathmandu dharamshala tibet

Pitha: Steamed Dumplings

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:47:32 PST

As the chilly air blows around, stoves are lit all over and the atmosphere fills with the aroma of the season's delicacies, the delicious tender Pithas (rice-cakes). No, you don’t have to wait for winter to arrive to savor these dessert delicacies of Bengal and some other eastern parts of India as these can be made and devoured any time of the year but as tradition has it, pithas are mainly made in the winter months, at the completion of harvesting, to celebrate the harvest festival of the new crop, called the Nabanna.

These festivities start from the month of November to mid December (aghrayan) and continue to from a part of the Poush Parbon (makar sankranti), the festival of the month of Poush (mid December to mid January). Climatic conditions favor one of the harvests to be held at the end of the monsoons and at this time of the year.

In India, pithas have always had an innate relationship with the winter season. Nowadays pithas can be found all over, from mum's electric stove to supermarket shelves.

Pithas are cakes essentially made of rice or rice flour and in some preparations, made with wheat flour. Rice or wheat usually goes into the preparation of a pouch (khol), which are stuffed with fillings (pur) of grated coconuts and sometimes stuffed with sweetened vegetables. These pouches may be of different shapes – oval, oyster and flat shaped ones are the most common ones.

Generally, these pithes are fried (pakan pithe) or steamed (bhapa pithe). Dumplings, called puli pithe also feature among the different varieties, which include muger pulli, dudh pulli and chandrapulli. Another exclusive dessert is the patishapta, which contains sweet kheer as filling.

Some recipes use jaggery, date fruit juice or palm syrup to sweeten these pithas. Often different ingredients and spices like cashew, pistachio, cardamom and camphor are added to top up the flavor. The sweet pitha sometime go additional treatment with milk, in a payesh kind of preparation which is called the dudh pulli. These are probably the most popular sweet with the Bengali's only second that to rasogolla.

Here is a recipe of the Steamed Pitha:

Ingredients:
(10 servings)

# 500 gm rice or freshly pounded rice flour .
# 100 gm grated coconut
# 200 gm molasses (patali gur)

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in 6 cups of water for 60-120 minutes. Drain water and spread rice in the colander, keep for 30 minutes, pound and grind rice to make flour. Keep aside.

2. Prepare the stuffing by mixing coconut and molasses in a separate bowl and keep aside.

3. Add salt to the rice flour and sprinkle some lukewarm water just to moisten the flour. Sift the flour again and make a round dough. Do not make it too soft. It should be hard enough to roll it without using any flour or oil.

4. Make balls with the covering dough. Flatten them on the palm into a circle with the other (hand's) thumb make a hole in the center. Use your fingers to make a shape like a muffin cup and put the stuffing in it. Cover it completely with the dough and fold the edges.

5. Assemble a small but deep saucepan (steamer) with a lid and a strainer that can be fitted on the saucepan. Boil some water in the saucepan placing the strainer above it.

6. Put around 8-10 stuffed doughs on the strainer according to the size of the pan and cover it with the lid and let it cook for around 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Holding the cloth remove pitha from the strainer. Serve hot pitha at breakfast.

Here is the recipe of Patishapta:
(6 servings)

Ingredients:

# 180 grams grated fresh coconut
# 2 cups rice flour
# 3 tablespoons milk powder
# 100 gm molasses or sugar
# 1/4 cup sugar
# 1 tablespoon ghee

Method:

1. Dissolve molasses or sugar in 2 cups of water. Add rice flour and mix well, batter should be moderately thin. If necessary add a little water. Keep for 2-3 hours.

2. For the filling, mix the entire grated fresh coconut, molasses and the milk powder. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan and fry the above mixture just for 30-60 seconds and keep it aside.

3. Now, Heat the frying pan, pour in 1/4 cup of batter. Move the pan so that the batter spreads all over it. Reduce heat. When pan cake dries up place I tablespoon prepared filling at one edge.

4. Roll on the pancake. With the back of a serving spoon press the roll lightly. When sticky remove from heat. Serve as a dessert or in the breakfast.

Pithas are usually enjoyed with the sweet syrups of khejurer gur (jaggery made of dates). It is often said that the tradition of pitha is under threat with the burgeoning popularity of fast food. Being able to relish hot scrumptious pithas, while shivering in the early morning chilly mist of the countryside, is a completely different experience.

Modak Kozhukattai Steamed Dumpling Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:41:14 PST

Modak is a sweet dumpling made of fresh coconut and jaggery while the shell is of rice flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. The steamed version is eaten hot with ghee.

Modak has a special importance in the worship of the Hindu god, Lord Ganesha. Modak is believed to be his favorite food and hence is also known as modakapriya. During the Ganesha birth festival, Ganesh Chaturthi the puja sometimes concludes with an offering of modaks to the deity and as prasad.

Here is a recipe of the Steamed Coconut Modak:

Ingredients:

# 3 cups rice /wheat flour
# 4 tbsp oil
# 1 tsp ghee
# 4 cups grated coconut (wet or dry)
# 1/2 cup jaggery or sugar
# 6 cups water
# 1 tsp cardamom
# 1/2 cup milk
# Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix jaggery and grated coconut and keep the mixture aside for half an hour.

2. Boil water in a vessel and add oil and pinch of salt to it. Take off heat. Add the rice flour, little by little to avoid lumps and cover the mixture and let it cool.

3. When it is cool, knead it well into dough with a smooth finish. Do not make it too soft. It should be hard enough to roll it without using any flour or oil.

4. In a heavy-bottomed pan add the ghee, cardamom, coconut and jaggery / sugar for the stuffing and add milk. Keep on low flame while stirring. Cook the mixture on medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove while it is moist. Keep it aside for cooling down.

5. Make balls with the covering dough. Flatten them on the palm into a circle with the other (hand's) thumb make a hole in the center. Use your fingers to make a shape like a muffin cup and put the stuffing in it. Cover it completely with the dough and fold the edges tapering to the centre.

6. Steam-cook the ball in a cooker for 15 minutes until it is done.

ukadiche modak recipe

The Infernal Republic Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:35:16 PST

A lonely demon in a remote corner of Hell oversees a divine but rigged typing contest. A sentient house in San Francisco decides to become vacant once again... by any means necessary. A supernatural first date in Hong Kong goes hysterically, horribly awry. How did this become my life? And... now what? These questions recur throughout The Infernal Republic as a cast of characters you’d either love or run from confront the unlikely and surmount the impossible. The Infernal Republic is the new collection of short fiction from Marshall Moore, the author of The Concrete Sky, Black Shapes in a Darkened Room, and An Ideal for Living. Comprising stories published between 2003 and 2009, as well as several unique to this book, The Infernal Republic is Moore at his best: surreal, hilarious, wise, brutal, and sometimes just plain wrong.

Marshall Moore's ‘The Infernal Republic’ is a forebodingly immoral witty assortment of twinkling squat yarns about modern affairs and their out of the blue finales in seventeen inimitable locales varying from Seattle to San Francisco and to the more striking locales of Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Korea, all with their own feats and slips.

A lot of of the shorts appear to endow with ethical or wisdom modules, which somewhat dares to sense about stuff a slight in a different way. One by no means discerns where his wits will take, with grubby disquieting, thunderous satanic sagas of mania, folly, reprisal, liability, and brood, who can be engaged separately and reassembled at the whims of the adults, who only want them to give in to their commands.

The seventeen assorted anthology of squat tales in the tome are over and over again a tad madcap or sinister and at times both charmingly twirl imaginary tales into show business, which not only shove the cloak but obliterate it. Incessantly ingenious and pied at times, the volume reverts to a more built-up text, connecting the reader in a shelter lattice of veracity prior to plunging into a new circle of vigorous revulsion. One anecdote is enlightened from the viewpoint of an abode and a new through the ogle of a pariah superhero with a less than enviable clout.

Each one of these accounts tints a representation, immorally scrumptious in its gnaw where any way, each and every one shufti into the cavernous fogginess where ennui secretes was a culpable bliss, where as a rule the heroes parade signs of glum, twinge and torment from some muddle or harrowing occurrence, in the midst of a staggering startling aflame coldness or the frenzied delight.

The reserve is an echo into which one doesn't want to look too closely for the dread of bearing in mind a touch that may be like oneself. Without being posed, these warped anecdotes lean to heart on eccentric and potentially twisted characters that decide tongue-in-cheek twirl of upshot and the reader is offered with a bizarre and char yanking providence that shoves the mind's eye.

There are rubbles of veracity that incise to the nippy of the shadowy plane of the soul state, portraying beings and, in fact, their compassion as a docile article of trade, a touch that oscillate depending upon the state of affairs and more than a little castle in Spain that echo upon the notion that we are all just hocks in a match being schemed by preternatural rules.

A lot of of the chronicles head into the sphere of science-fiction and is painless to befall in the writers’ style who has a way of transporting feelings and sentiments into the vista departing you to not recall your own exertions. The narratives will take you where you’ve never been before and in some case where you may not fancy too have left and is like inspecting the nastiest set-up unfurl facing your ogles time and again, never shredding where it will finish up and being utterly powerless to deduce any more than not fine.

This uncooked petite legends position up the album well, some which perchance were better left tacit, but yet so it's at hand and you can't let alone the stuff your viewing that orders consideration and is definite to glee and perturb those agreeable to bestow it a prospect and truly illustrate the alleyway that Moore opts to seize in the set.

By turns acerbic and upsetting, stirring and stimulating, the volume is a tour de force for those readers who want to twirl off the beam and glimpse at what dwell at the rear the smokescreen of the well attuned and is fairly like a smorgasbord of saucers that could be frenzied as fare in refined culture. This anthology is definitely not for the benevolent, as the writing is pink, profound and doesn't sugar-coat its views in what it is trying to illustrate with the shady witty tonality dwell ubiquitously right through the copy, and is a touch readers will either adore or abhor.

Moreover once you at last discover who triumphed the gamble between the scamps and the typewriters, you’ll be delighted you kissed your typical sensing routine depart and dangle on for the outing. There's surely a lot to take pleasure in and discern in the book, but you have to be in the true state of mind to get on this cruise.

Moore's compilation demonstrates no central view and is undeniably going to be one of those diminutive narrative sets that will each have ample legends that ring with you, or that you won't mind for at all. The writing confirms astuteness and mind with an unsullied expurgation where the state of affairs and yarns surely are, as the bumf pronounces, dreamlike and vicious.

All in all, a grand assortment in a period in viewing outside-the-box or if you are glancing for a chalk and cheese perspective on existence with each customary, atypical and mysterious nugget in this reserve a startling escape of conjure into expanse that are depicted in undemanding and eloquently unequivocal facet. The Infernal Republic is an astonishingly thwarting yet salutary treatment for an off-putting co-existence.

Title: The Infernal Republic | Author: Marshall Moore | ISBN: 9789881516404 | Publisher: Signal 8 Press | Published: February 2012 | Pages: 228 |Edition: Paperback

Spiritual Odysseys: Kedarnath

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:45:53 PST

Kedarnath set amidst the stunning mountainscape of the Garhwal Himalayas at the head of the Mandakini River is a majestic sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks.

This serene and holy destination is located in the gigantic and captivating mountain ranges of Himalayas in Uttarakhand.

The Kedarnath temple is a beautiful place with the ultimate beauty of its own. The magnificent carvings and simple stones on the walls of temple give a splendid look to the temple and a delightful experience for the pilgrims. The present temple, built in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.

The place is a wonderful excuse to be with nature. Crisp mountain air, rivers that run waters from melting glaciers along with lush green forests surround the place.

kedarnath badrinath helicopter service timings photos yatra tour histroy live darshan wiki pictures map inside

Nokia 808 41 MP PureView: Game Changer

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:49:04 PST

Nokia managed to squeeze a 41-megapixel sensor into a smartphone using the new PureView technology . Camera aside, the 808 features a 1.3 single-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4-inch AMOLED display, and a curved plate of Gorilla Glass allowing for a big clear view of what’s going on, under any lighting conditions , that runs on the Symbian Belle OS with Feature Pack 1 enhancements. These enhancements allow improved performance, personalisation and entertainment options, with a new browser, the latest Nokia Maps and an improved notifications bar.

In typical Nokia fashion, the 808′s downright crazy camera features a Carl Zeiss lens, and is capable of recording video in 1080p recording at 30fps, with 4X lossless zoom thanks to the big sensor and powerful image processing which handles over 1 billion pixels per second. At lower resolutions, the capabilities of the zoom increase, with 6X at 720p and up to 12X lossless zoom in nHD (640 x 360) recordings.

With Nokia’s brand-new pixel oversampling technology, the oversampling technology also allows for significantly improved low light performance than previous camera phones, Compared to a typical optical zoom camera used at full zoom, the Nokia 808 PureView captures over 5x more light. Under normal lighting conditions, performance is also enhanced, as this combination allows for faster shutter speeds, reducing the effects of camera shake.

Nokia has folded their new Rich Recording technology, which apparently allows for recording audio at nearly CD-quality. It also sports Dolby headphone technology that allows users to experience their media in surround sound.

FarmVille Hawaiiian Paradise Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:05:56 PST

FarmVille’s Hawaiian Paradise is coming soon, so prepare yourself by collecting some of the needed supplies to uncover treasure on your Hawaiian farm. In FarmVille Hawaiian Paradise you will be able to farm on both the land and the sea. Likewise, there will also be Sea Treasures for you to uncover in the ocean and Buried Treasure to uncover inland.

Finding Treasure will work similar to uncovering frozen presents in Winter Wonderland. You will need to collect a specific amount of items, Fishing Nets for Sea Treasures and Crowbars for Buried Treasures, to uncover the Treasures and find out what’s inside.

FarmVille Sea Treasure Requirements:

FarmVille Small Sea Treasure – Need 10 Small Fishing Nets (Click here to Request)
FarMVille Medium Sea Treasure – Need 28 Small Fishing Nets (Click here to Request)
FarmVille Large Sea Treasure – Need 50 Large Fishing Nets (Click here to Request)
FarmVille Extra Large Sea Treasure – Need 85 Large Fishing Nets (Click here to Request)

FarmVille Small Sea Treasure	FarmVille Medium Sea Treasure	FarmVille Large Sea Treasure	FarmVille Extra Large Sea Treasure

FarmVille Small Fishing Net (Total: 10)	FarmVille Small Fishing Net (Total: 28)	FarmVille Large Fishing Net (Total: 50)	FarmVille Large Fishing Net (Total: 85)

FarmVille Buried Treasure Requirements:

FarmVille Small Buried Treasure – Need 10 Small Crowbars (Click here to Request)
FarmVille Medium Buried Treasure – Need 28 Small Crowbars (Click here to Request)
FarmVille Large Buried Treasure – Need 50 Large Crowbars (Click here to Request)
FarmVille Extra Large Buried Treasure – Need 85 Large Crowbars (Click here to Request)

FarmVille Small Buried Treasure	FarmVille Medium Buried Treasure	FarmVille Large Buried Treasure	FarmVille Extra Large Buried Treasure

FarmVille Small Crowbar (Total: 10)	FarmVille Small Crowbar (Total: 28)	FarmVille Large Crowbar (Total: 50)	FarmVille Large Crowbar (Total: 85)

Looks like Farmville is in a mood to give away some Farm cash, but you got to be lucky to win something big... Here is a preview at the upcoming FV Sweepstakes feature which promises to help you earn BIG... Well, only time will tell how big, and whats the cost to play this one... But for now, here is some info...

A Rainbow Body Horse arrived in the FarmVille Market at a cost of 30 Farm Cash. The Rainbow Body horse will be offered as a quest reward for an upcoming FarmVille quest. Even though it’s now in the market for sale (FarmVille is being sneaky), you may want to refrain from buying it and save yourself some Farm Cash.

Here’s more images of upcoming FarmVille Bonsai Trees and are already showing up in the FarmVille Market for some farmers. Try searching keyword “Bonsai” in your FarmVille Market and you may find a few Level 1 Bonsai Trees.

Farmville has introduced the new Mardi Gras Quest. Here is a complete Master Guide:

Quest 1 : Beads! Beads Everywhere!

Requires

* Get 4 Mardi Gras Beads

* Harvest 25 Vegetable Crops

* Harvest 25 Strawberries

Rewards

125 XP Mardi Gras Duck 2500 Coins

Quest 2 : Mardi Gras Masquerade

Requires

* Get 6 Mardi Gras Masks

* Harvest 25 Fruit Crops

* Harvest 75 Lilac

Rewards

150 XP Pile of Doubloons 3000 Coins

Quest 3 : The Colors!

Requires

* Get 8 Mardi Gras Streamers

* Harvest Mardi Gras Duck Once

* Harvest 100 Morning Glory

Rewards

175 XP Mardi Gras Llama 3500 Coins

Quest 4 : Doubloons!

Requires

* Get 8 Doubloons

* Harvest Mardi Gras Llama Once

* Harvest 125 Carrots

Rewards

200 XP Mardi Gras Building 4000 Coins

Quest 5 : Winner Takes All

Requires

* Get 8 Baby Doll Trinkets

* Master Mardi Gras Duck (1 Star)

* Harvest 150 Cranberries

Rewards

225 XP Mardi Gras Ostrich 4500 Coins

Quest 6 : Colorful Cakes

Requires

* Get 8 King Cakes

* Harvest Mardi Gras Ostrich Once

* Harvest 150 Rice

Rewards

250 XP Mardigator 5000 Coins

Quest 7 : Remembering Tomorrow

Requires

* Get 9 Cameras

* Harvest Mardigator Once

* Harvest 150 Pepper

Rewards

275 XP Mardi Gras Peacock 5500 Coins

Quest 8 : Doubloons! Doubloons!

Requires

* Get 10 Bags

* Harvest Mardi Gras Peacock Twice

* Harvest 150 Red Tulips

Rewards

300 XP Masked Pig 6000 Coins

Quest 9 : Colors In The Sky

Requires

* Get 12 Mardi Gras Balloons

* Master Mardigator to 1st Star

* Harvest 200 Grapes

Rewards

325 XP King Cake Gnome 6500 Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quests Master Guide

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 1: Gone Fishin’
Requirements: Get 4 Fishing Lines (Click Here to Request), Harvest Polar Train Station & Harvest 275 Gingerbread
Rewards: 100 XP, Ice Fishing Hut, & 2,500 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 2: What Lurks Below
Requirements: Get 6 Sparkly Doodads (Click Here to Request), Make 3 Ginger S’mores & Harvest 275 Iced Rice
Rewards: 200 XP, Ice Walrus, & 2,500 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 3: Make a Hole!
Requirements: Get 8 Ice Saws (Click Here to Request), Harvest Ice Walrus & Harvest 275 Frozen Grapes
Rewards: 300 XP, Fishing Camp, & 2,500 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 4: Stranger Things
Requirements: Get 8 Fish Sweaters (Click Here to Request), Make 2 Peanut Brittle & Harvest 300 Carrotcicles
Rewards: 400 XP, Bow Wolf, & 2,500 Farm Coins
FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 5: Surprise
Requirements: Get 8 Hugs (Click Here to Request), Harvest Bow Wolf & Harvest 300 Iceberg Lettuce
Rewards: 400 XP, Surprise Zing, & 2,500 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 6: Hands in the Air!
Requirements: Get 8 High Fives (Click Here to Request), Master Ice Walrus 1 Star & Harvest 300 Mint Candy
Rewards: 400 XP, Party Peacock, & 5,000 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 7: Elf-felt Thanks
Requirements: Get 8 Appreciation Notes (Click Here to Request), Make 2 Candy Canes & Harvest 350 Red Iceberries
Rewards: 500 XP, Party Winter Squirrel, & 5,000 Farm Coins
FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 8: Picture Time!
Requirements: Get 8 Photos with Elves (Click Here to Request), Harvest Party Winter Squirrel & Harvest 350 Frozen Grapes
Rewards: 500 XP, Party Penguins, & 5,000 Farm Coins
FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 9: Refreshing
Requirements: Get 8 Yummy Drinks (Click Here to Request), Make 2 Frozen Fruit Tarts & Harvest 350 Gingerbread
Rewards: 1,000 XP, Disco Ball Gnome, & 10,000 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 10: Cheers!
Requirements: Get 9 Cheers for You (Click Here to Request), Master Bow Wolf 1 Star & Harvest 400 Gummi Bears
Rewards: 500 XP, Ushanka Polar Bear, & 5,000 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 11: You Say Goodbye…
Requirements: Get 10 Goodbye Gifts (Click Here to Request), Make 2 Candied Apples & Make 2 Gingerbread Houses
Rewards: 500 XP, Hammock Penguin, & 5,000 Farm Coins

FarmVille Winter Wonderland Chapter 7 Quest 12: Heating Up!
Requirements: Get 12 Map Pieces, Master Ushanka Polar Bear 1 Star & Harvest 400 Red Iceberries
Rewards: 1,000 XP, Candy Copter, & 10,000 Farm Coins
FarmVille Quest Task Gifting Links:

FarmVille Fishing Line (Quest 1)

FarmVille Sparkly Doodads (Quest 2)

FarmVille Ice Saws (Quest 3)

FarmVille Fish Sweater (Quest 4)

FarmVille Hug (Quest 5)

FarmVille High Five (Quest 6)

FarmVille Appreciation Note (Quest 7)

FarmVille Photos with Elves (Quest 8)

FarmVille Yummy Drink (Quest 9)

FarmVille Cheers (Quest 10)

FarmVille Goodbye Gifts (Quest 11)

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Pears First Masoom Moments Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:46:09 PST

Pears First Masoom Moments Contest

Here is a fantastic chance to cherish your child's First Masoom Moments forever. Participate in the newly launched contest by Masoom Pears –‘Pears First Masoom Moments Contest’. All you need to do is share pics of your darling Angel’s first Masoom Moments to create an album with suitable description and win exciting prizes from Masoom Pears. So hurry and treasure the golden moments now & forever by using this apps.

Click here to participate

Lakmé Fashion Week Contest

Contest 1: Tip toe your way to Lakme Fashion Week! Pamper yourself at the Lakme participating salons at Mumbai and get invited to one of the biggest fashion events of the year!!!

Click here to participate

Contest 2: Upload a stylish picture of you & your friend and complete the slogan “Lakmé Salon makes me fast and fabulous because...” and you could win invites to the event.

Click here to participate

Lakmé Salon Beautiful Brides Contest

Brides-to-be, don not miss this chance to win a bridal outfit worth Rs. 1 Lakh, bridal photography package, makeovers and much more! Hurry and enter now if you are a bride-to-be or know one!! Enter the contest today itself! All you need to do is upload a stylish picture and get all your friends & family to vote for you!

Click here to participate

Philips Love Mania Contest

Guys and girls, till Feb 24th, on every purchase of Philips Personal Care Product, you stand a chance to win a date with John Abraham or get bikes, Tabs etc! Celebrate the Valentine season in style.

Click here to participate

TVS Ride a Wego Contest

Let the Wego take control of a date for you. Take your date on a ride and click pictures. Upload the pictures on the link! The picture with the most likes should be ready for a surprise :-) Get your friends to like your picture!

Click here to participate

Himalaya Herbals India's Most Like-able Lips Contest

Think you have great lips, Flaunt them. Take a Photo of yourself (Full Face Profile) and submit it. You can submit as many photos as you like by the submission end date. Then you and everyone else can vote for your favorite entries, and from those they'll pick One winner! who will get the Grand Prize

Voting starts February 23rd , 2012

THE PRIZE

* 10 Photos with the most votes get a Himalaya eGift Card worth Rs.500/- each.

* 1 Photo will get the Grand Prize of a Himalaya eGift Card worth Rs.1000/-

Click here to participate

Maruti Suzuki Estilo couple of the week contest

Send a picture of you and your special someone which you feel shows your love at its most alive. If it is selected by us, you become the couple of the week and win exciting prizes. Hurry today is the last day to send in your entries for this week.

Click here to participate

Apex Ultima India's Most Beautiful Homes Contest

Participate in "India's Most Beautiful Homes" Contest and see if your home can win against the beautiful homes from all over the country. Participate and increase your chances of winning a Blackberry 3G!!

Click here to participate

Close Up Chance Encounters - Contest

Do you want to meet the stars of London, Paris, New York??? Don't miss this amazing opportunity...participate in the Chance Encounters contest and you could be the lucky winner...

Click here to participate

As of today, nearly 25 billion Apple apps have been downloaded worldwide. Which is almost as amazing as the apps themselves. So Apple want to say thanks.

Download the 25 billionth app, and you could win a US$10,000 App Store Gift Card.* Just visit the App Store and download your best app yet.

Click here to participate

Hindustan Unilever Limited has introduced a new promotion for its brand ‘Kissan’ where you get an assured free packet of tomato seeds. After getting the tomato seeds you have to plant these seeds in your garden or pots and then you have to upload photos and videos to the website while seeding, sprouting plants and plants when the fruits come on them, based on which they will give points.

Based on the maximum number of points earned, Kissan will select Top 100 participants who stand a chance to feature their child's photo on a special Kissan Ketchup bottle. Based on your points, top 50 winners at each stage will get a sipper, a Kissanpur mug and a USB Pen Drive respectively

How to get the free seeds:

1. Click here to go to order your free seeds

2. Click on want tomato seed.

3. Fill up your shipping details and submit it.

Airtel Prank Friend Contest

Time to be a prankster! Play a prank on your friends, upload it and stand a chance to win an Airtel HD recorder.

Click here to participate

Star Parivaar Awards Contest

Want to see your favorite Stars of STAR Parivaar? Vote for them & then participate in the contest that gives you a chance to win a free pass to the event:

Click here to participate

Alpenliebe Eclairs Secret message Contest
You could get to WIN Alpenliebe Eclairs Hamper for sending max no of messages to unique friends in a day.

Click here to participate

Listerine Love Your Smile Contest

Beauty may be only skin deep but a beautiful smile reaches all the way to someone’s heart. Upload an image of your 100% beautiful smile in our ‘Love Your Smile’ contest and stand the chance to win an exciting prize from LISTERINE

Click here to participate

Disclaimer: All the contests/promotions are organised by the respective organisations/companies and this blog or the blogger in no way is associated with them or is compensated by them. Any correspondence or grievance relating to the contests, promotions or the products should be addressed to the respective companies. The contests are listed here for information purpose only.

Shivaratri: Night of Shiva

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:50:47 PST

Mahashivaratri (the great night of Shiva) falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna (February- March), and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. This festival is universally observed by the Hindus. On this day devotees sing bhajans in honor of Shiva, recite Sanskrit shlokas (verses) from scriptures, offer prayers in the morning and evening, and some observe fasting throughout the day. People visit nearby temples of Shiva and offer prayers in large crowds.

It’s a popular festival in North India. The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water and specially prepared sacred food to Shiva and his divine consort Parvati, whilst the chanting of the Mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" continues.

Offerings of Bel leaves and dhatura (a flower) are made to the Lingam as both these items are considered very sacred and it is said that Goddess Lakshmi resides in them. Some devotees, especially the men, prepare an intoxicating drink called Thandai (made from cannabis, almonds, and milk), sing songs in praise of the Lord Shiva and dance to the rhythm of the drums.

Unlike other festivals which are celebrated by day, Shivratri is nocturnal, celebrating the mythic marriage of Shiva and Parvati. Lord Shiva has no human embodiment. His celestial form makes him a different entity. The lord Shiva signifies, he is a preserver of the world, the bestower of fertility and tranquility. Further, he is emblematic of the trebling of his potency and also symbolises the perversion of three vital urges for "possession, property and authority.

Lord Shiva meaning “auspicious”, is considered the Destroyer and Re-Producer of life and is the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon. He is known by many names and is the most sought-after deity amongst the Hindus, who believe he has a magnanimous heart and grants all their wishes.

In temples, Shiva is usually found as a phallic symbol of the lingam, which represents the energies necessary for life on both levels. The image of Shiva is distinct: his hair is piled high on the top of his head with a crescent tucked into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hairs. A coiled serpent is around his neck representing Kundalini, the spiritual energy within life. He holds a trident in his left hand in which is bound the 'damroo' (small leather drum). He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot and wears the 'Rudraksha' beads.

Shivratri is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Parvati. Generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with pure devotion is freed from all sins. He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

Firefox 13 Alpha Released

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:34:50 PST

The browser wars are heating up and Firefox intends to catch up with chrome version numbers by following much shorter release cycles now.

Currently the Mozilla Firefox 11.0 a1, 12.0 a1 and 13.0 a1 is available for download. Mozilla currently labels the test versions as Aurora releases and the Mozilla-central versions as Nightlies.

The latest Mozilla Firefox 13.0 Alpha build comes with redesigned "New Tab" page enabled by default.

Here you can download the new versions for windows OS and is compatible with XP, Vista & 7:

Firefox 13.0 a1 | Firefox 11.0 a1 | Firefox 12.0 a1

You can also download a cool new firefox wallpaper for your desktops here:

resolution: 1600x1200

Flame of the Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:50:01 PST

Also known as Flame of the forest, Palash flowers represents the resurgence of spring, a beautiful sign of rebirth. It is also referred as "Parrot Tree" because of the shape of the flower like a parrot's beak flowers and is found in abundance in forests throughout India in spring. It is called Kinshuk in Sanskrit and Muttuga in Kannada. Rabindranath Tagore had used the term ‘Kingshuk’ in his songs to immortalize spring.

These flowers during olden times was the source of the wonderful, traditional colour for Holi. The flowers are soaked overnight in water and can also be boiled to obtain a fragrant yellowish orange coloured water. The dried flowers can be dried and powdered for a orange powder. It is believed that Lord Krishna played Holi with Radha using colors made from Tesu flowers. Even today many of the temples in Vrindavan, Braj area and Mathura play Holi with traditional yellowish-orange coloured water extracted from dried Tesu Flowers.

Fresh Tesu flowers are used to welcome guests and it is also used to sprinkle water on devotees during Holi. It is mentioned in the Ramayana, where Sita sees the flowering trees, and thinks some stretches of the forest were on fire.

The leaves of this tree are made into leaf plates, which are said to impart health giving qualities to the food served on them.

Palash, in the Indian context reflects happiness, and worship of life on earth. Palash after all is the ultimate statement of spring in this part of the world adorned by bright orange-red flowers, as if the beauty of nature has blossomed to celebrate life on earth.

Kashmir: Enchanting Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:48:14 PST

My shangri-la beneath the summer moon
I will return again.
Sure as the dust that floats high in June
When movin' through Kashmir...

-Kashmir by Led Zeppelin

Kashmir situated at the extreme north of India is like a jewel crowned on the top of the country. Also known by the nickname of the 'Switzerland of the East', Kashmir is truly a paradise on earth with myriad hues and colours changing with every season like a multi-faced diamond, with sunlight kissed snow clad peaks, enchanting sound of the waterfalls and the blooming saffron meadows.

The mellow pink during spring draped cherry blossoms gives way to sparkling greenery during summers and are followed by the flaming orange hues of Autumn and then the fairy white cover of winters.

There isn't a better season than autumn to cruise down the scenic Jhelum when the Valley is dressed in shades of gold and auburn In a season as painterly as autumn is in the Valley, nothing escapes its surreal magic. There's a special luminosity in the environs, giddy fragrance fills the air and every nook wears fresh colour. The accolades for nature’s makeover are all directed towards the elegant chinar, which dresses its leaves in the most blazing colours to lend a radiant twist to the vistas and add a new hue to life and its routines. That a simple leaf can herald hope and joy appears quite incredible but that is what’s always been on view. As autumn enters its final stages, the chinar is at work again, preparing for the grand finale of its fall collection that carpets its grounds to add a degree of romance to reality.

Surrounded by the mighty snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan range in the east and Pir Panjal range in the west and south, the swift Jhelum River flows across the valley. The regal Chinar, Maple and Oak trees stand stall oozing beauty all throughout the picturesque serpentine roads criss-crossing the meadows and the hills.

Situated in the heart of Kashmir is Srinagar the capital city with the river Jhelum encircling it and the Dal and Nagin lakes enhancing its picturesque setting.

Shikaras or wooden house boats wade through the glistening waters of the Dal with some stunning views of the misty mountains encircling the lake on three sides and the Char Chinar on the centre of the lake enhancing its visual beauty especially during Autumn when the Chinars spread themselves into Orange hues.

The Mughals Gardens with their vivid displays of fountains, trees and exquisite flowers dotting the area are water front gardens laid by the Mughals during their 19th century rule; and will beckon you to visit it in every season to feel the real beauty of it. Other notable gardens are the Shalimar bagh and the Tulip Gardens.

Situated at the confluence of the streams flowing from Sheshnag Lake and the Lidder river is Pahalgam with the Kolohoi Glacier, situated up the Lidder Valley encircling it. The Kolohoi mountain is a popular trekking circuit up the Lidder Valley with some of the most difficult terrains in the western Himalayas, but the breath-taking views will force you to go on and on.

Just 56-km south west of Srinagar is Gulmarg, which looks like a fantasy set in a film and has featured quite a few films here. Standing at 2,730 metres, Gulmarg means the 'Meadow of Flowers'. The meadow remains covered in a wide variety of colourful flowers from daisies to bluebells, forget-me-not, buttercups and a thousand more. Gulmarg also boasts of having the longest cable car ropeway in Asia ferrying around 600 people per hour to and fro Kongdoori mountain, nearby the Afarwat Peak at 13,780 feet.

Kashmir valley also boasts as a favourite adventure sports destination with diverse activities ranging from Skiing, golfing, trekking, hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, para-gliding, camping, kayaking and canoeing among others. Kashmir also boasts of a number of pilgrim centres, with it being the starting point of the most revered pilgrimages of Amarnath and Vaishno Devi.

The exquisite handicrafts of Kashmir from Pashmina shawls to silk carpets, exquisite woodwork, copperware, silverware, and a number of other crafts are some items to be treasured for a lifetime. And for the local delicacies the cherries and the apples during winter will always invite you with the numerous orchards on the way. You can also have some local home-made cheese and Kashmiri tea, Kahwa along with rezwan on the way.

It is said that a visit to Kashmir divides your life into two parts – before and after Kashmir. Once you visit this enchanted land, its beauty and charm will remain etched in your memory forever. Kashmir looks like a picture straight out of a fairy-tale. In the words of one of the mughal rulers, If there is paradise on this earth, this is it, this is it, and this is it.

Travellers Info:

By Road: Srinagar is well connected by road network with Jammu, Kargil and other neighbouring areas.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to Srinagar is Jammu, which is at a distance of 290 km. Jammu is well connected by rail with major cities of India.

By Air: Srinagar airport is is 14 km from the city.

If you want to catch some mysterious folktales surrounding this amazing place, visit here

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Anarkali Disco Chali

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:13:17 PST

After her hit performance in Munni Badnaam Hui, Malaika Arora Khan turns the heat once again and is back with her quintessential lachak-machak in yet another saucy track and has gone retro for her next item number aaj ki Anarkali Disco Chali in Housefull 2.

Bollywood is on a overdose of the item numbers these days. For the un-initiated the definition of item numbers in wiki's standards is- "An item number or an item song, in Indian cinema, is a musical performance that has little to do with the film in which it appears, but is presented to showcase beautiful dancing women in very revealing clothes, to lend support to the marketability of the film. The term is commonly used in Bollywood, Kollywood and Tollywood, to describe a catchy, upbeat, often sexually provocative dance sequence for a song in a movie."

It all re-generated with Malaika Arora Khan turning the heat in the hit film Dabbang with her dancing to the tunes of the catch and peppy Munni Badnaam Hui, which really catched the fascination of the nation with Munni featuring everywhere from Chat sessions, Jokes to SMS's. In short the song means 'Munni (pleasure girl) becomes disgraced, for you oh darling'. And believe it or not the song has also now entered into the Guiness Book of World Records with over 1200 people dancing for three minutes on the song, led by Malaika in none other than Australia. Now that's quite a feat. Munni has now gone global with her gyrating hips.

And if Munni was not enough then came the Sheila in Katrina Kaif dancing all over to take the breath of the nation with her 'My Name is Sheila, Sheila ki Jawani' (the youthful lust of Sheila). Bollywood surely knows how it all works to make big moolahs and to give a bit of western touch it included some English lines too with all the hidden inner and double meanings. And the beauty of both these songs are you'll fall in love with them, the very first time you hear them. They are easy to remember, catchy and reverbartes in your mind again and again. The lyrics, the music along with the performance just hooks up in your mind.

Then came two numbers which had the oomph factor but really didn't catch the fascination of the nation, maybe because of the lyrics. Remember bot just the name, music and the star, the lyrics also has to be catch and peppy in an item song. Mallika Sherawat didn't leave behind. After all she was one of those to bring the 'hot' back to Bollywood. And to turn it one she was in the form of Jalebi Bai,(Jalebi for the un-itiated is an Indian sweet dish with a unique rolled up appearance like a maze). Then Kareena Kapoor gyrated to the tunes of Chammak challo in Ra.one.

And to have a taste of these songs here are the videos:

Footnote: Not every Munni, Sheila or Jalebi can catch the imagination of the masses how revealing they may be. Ultimate its to the wording, music and then the performance which makes it a complete hit package. Producers have often tried to repeat the tricks but more often than not it fail. And then there are the so called moral morals who try to claim their 10 seconds of publicity by doing as much they can to actually promote it, which otherwise may not perhaps have even entered the drawing rooms.

Chocolate Cherry Truffles & Cake Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyan P) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:20:34 PST

Romans discovered the sweet cherry fruit in the Asia Minor in about 70 BC. They then introduced them in the first century AD to Britain. The German word Kirsch-the cherry liqueur comes from the word karshu. This is the name given to the cherries that were first cultivated in Mesopotamia in 8 BC.

Tart cherries, enjoyed as dried and frozen cherries and cherry juice, have among the highest levels of powerful antioxidants compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin c, potassium and fiber.

Since the cherry fruit bruises easily, you need to handle them with care. When buying cherries, look for a bright color and those with a supple exterior. Cherries, which are plump and firm, are very good to taste. If you are looking for good quality cherries, try to go in for cherries with their green stems attached. Cherries are very easily perishable and they rarely ripen after harvest. Therefore, you need to refrigerate them soon after their purchase. These can remain fresh in the fridge for at least 2 days.

Here is a recipe of Chocolate Cherry Truffles:

Ingredients:

# 1/3 cup Whipped Cream
# 2 tbsp Butter
# 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
# 10 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate
# 24 Fresh ripe Cherries with stems
# Chocolate Coating

Method:

1. Combine cream, butter and sugar; bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat.

2. Add chocolate. Stir until melted. Chill mixture until firm enough to handle for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon truffle mixture. Chill Chocolate Coating.

4. Partially melt chocolate over hot water. Remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.

5. Dip cherries in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper lined tray. Chill to set chocolate.

Here is a recipe of Chocolate-Topped Bars Cake:

Ingredients:

# 500 gm refrigerated sugar cookies
# 3 eggs
# 250 gm cream cheese, softened
# 1/2 litre sweetened condensed milk
# 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
# 3 drops red food colour
# 20 fresh ripe cherries, finely chopped, drained on paper towels
# 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
# 1/2 cup butter or margarine
# 1/2 cup whipping cream

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat 1 egg white until frothy. Brush egg white over crust. Bake 3 minutes longer or until egg white is set.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg yolk, 2 eggs, the condensed milk, almond extract and food colour; beat until well blended. Stir in chopped cherries.

4. Pour cherry mixture evenly over crust. Bake 16 to 20 minutes longer or until set. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool 20 minutes.

6. Stir whipping cream into chocolate mixture until well blended. Spread over cooled bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.

7. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Cherries are very versatile fruits and can be a part of any meal or dessert. From breakfast to soups and salads, these find their way into any food item easily! Being delicious, these can be frozen and devoured whenever you wish.