Simple and easy thayir pachidi (Raita)

Ingredients:

 

50 grams of cut tomato pieces or cut cucumber pieces

Mustard seeds, urad dal and oil for tempering

Salt per taste

Curd - 50-75 grams 

Coriander leaves for garnish

 

Mix  cut tomato pieces or cucumber pieces with curd.  Then in a separate pan, splutter mustard seeds and urad dal in oil.  Add this to the raita.  

Add salt as per need.  

Garnish with coriander leaves or curry leaves.  

Offer it to the Lord and then enjoy!!

 

Yummy, healthy and easy to make Strawberry smoothie!!

 

Take 12 oz of strawberries and add 2-3 spoons of turbinado sugar or cane sugar (optional).  

Add 2-3 oz of milk. 

Add few drops of vanilla essence (optional). 

Blend all of this smoothly in a blender. 

Offer it to the Lord and then it's ready to serve! 😊😋

Yummy, Easy Strawberry icecream!!!

 As the name suggests, it's very easy to make, but very yummy and kids love it!!

 

 

Mix 12oz. of condensed milk and 12 oz strawberries in blender (you can use the puree or ice cream mode or blend it using fruit smoothie mode).  Then pour it in a container and freeze for 5 hours.  Then you can take it and give it a mix and then freeze again.  Then it will be ready.  Or you can take out after 5 hours and enjoy 🎉You may want to mix the icecream with a spoon every 4 hours to ensure the crystals are not formed!

Offer it to the Lord and enjoy!!

Would love to have your comments and feedback once you try this recipe!!

Strawberry shortcake bars

 

Writing the blog after a really long time....tried something a couple of days ago after my family picked some berries - strawberries this time, from a nearby farm!!  The above one is a sample picture...

My kids love strawberries and since we have a lot of these picked, I tried some strawberry bars from a recipe that I found online.  My family and many of my friends liked it a lot.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for all my dear friends.

Prep time: 15 - 20 mins.

Cooking time: 28 mins.

Ingredients for the base:

All purpose flour - 3 cups.

Organic cane Sugar - 1.5 cups

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Grated lemon peel - 1 tsp (optional)

Butter - 2 sticks ( equal to 1 cup) - cut these into small pieces 

Yogurt - 2 table spoons

Ingredients for the filling:

Fresh strawberries - 12 oz (Frozen might also work fine)

Organic cane sugar - 1.25 cups

Water - 1/4 cup

Corn Starch - 3 tablespoons

Grated lemon peel - 1 tsp (optional)

Vanilla - 1/2 tsp or a few drops (use one without alcohol).

Steps to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all base ingredients well into a very coarse crumb mixture.
3. Butter can be in crumbs to give the final texture.
4. Set aside 2 cups of this mixture.
5. Place the remaining mixture into a 13"*9" pan and spread them over, pat them.  
6. Bake this for 8 minutes.  At the end of 8 minutes you will see that these have become like shortbread.
7. While it's baking, you can prepare the strawberry filling.
8. Crush the strawberries in a blender coarsely before you start cooking them.
   
9. Mix all of the filling ingredients into a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes in medium heat.  Stir it a few times in between to ensure that these don't stick to the sides.
10. The consistency should be like a jam and easily pour-able on to the baked short bread.
11. Once the shortbread is done, pour the filling, even it out on the whole surface.
12. Sprinkle the remaining set aside mixture onto the top of this jam layer.
13. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown layers are formed at the side.
14. Cool it, offer it to Lord and then enjoy!

Note: After you cool these for 2 hrs or so, these can be easily cut into different sizes.  These can be made in stored for 4 or 5 days.

Please try this and let me know how it comes out!

Sri Sri Sri MahaPeriyava Panchakam

श्री श्री श्री महापेरियवा पञ्चकम्

(महिषासुर मर्धिनि इव रागम् )

ஸ்ரீ ஸ்ரீ ஸ்ரீ மஹாபெரியவா பஞ்சகம்

(மஹிஶாஸூரமர்தினி மெட்டு)

Sri Sri Sri MahaPeriyava Panchakam

(Mahishasura Mardhini tune)

தட்டச்சு கைங்கர்யம்: ஸ்ரீவித்யா கிருஷ்ணா

शिवगुरु नन्दन शङ्कर शोभित

काम पदाङ्गकित पीठपथे

नृपजन वन्दित विश्व मनोहर

सर्व कलाधर पूततनो

श्रुतिमत पोषक दुर्मत शिक्षक

सज्जन रक्षक कल्पतरो

जयजयहे शशि शेखर देशिक

काञ्ची मठेश्वर पालयमाम् ॥१॥

ஶிவகுரு நந்தன ஶங்க¹ர ஶோபி³த

காம பதா³ங்கித பீடபதே¹

ந்ருபஜன வந்தித விஶ்வ மனோஹர

ஸர்வ கலாத⁴ர பூததனோ

ஶ்ருதிமத போஷக துர்மத சிக்ஷக

ஸஜ்ஜன ரக்ஷக கல்பதரோ

ஜயஜயஹே ஶஶிஶேக²ர தேஶிக

காஞ்சி மடேஶ்வர பாலயமாம் (1)

Shivaguru nandana shankara shobita

Kaama padaankita peetapathe

Nrupajana vandita vishva manohara

Sarva kalaadhara pootatano

Shrutimatha poshaka durmatha shikshaka

Sajjana rakshaka kalpatharo

JayaJayaHé Shashi Shekhara Deshika

Kaanchi Mateshwara Paalayamaam (1)

श्रीधर शशिधर वेद विकल्पन

दोष निवारण धीरमते

रघुपति पूजित लिङ्ग समर्च्चन

जात मनोहर शीलतनो

बहुविध पण्डित मण्डल मण्डित

संसति पूजित वेदनिधे

जयजयहे शशि शेखर देशिक

काञ्ची मठेश्वर पालयमाम् ॥२॥

ஸ்ரீத³ர ஶஶித³ர வேத விகல்பன

தோ³ஷ நிவாரண தீ³ரமதே

ரகுபதி பூஜித லிங்க ஸமர்ச்சன

ஜாத மனோஹர ஶீலதனோ

பஹுவித பண்டித மண்டல மண்டித

ஸந்ஸதி பூஜித வேதநிதே⁴

ஜயஜயஹே ஶஶிஶேக²ர தேஶிக

காஞ்சி மடேஶ்வர பாலயமாம் (2)

Sridhara Shashidhara veda vikalpana                        

Dosha nivaarana dheeramathe

Raghupathy poojita linga samarchchana

Jaata manohara sheelatano

Bahuvidha panditha mandala manditha

Sansati poojita vedha nidhe

JayaJayaHé Shashi Shekhara Deshika

Kaanchi Mateshwara Paalayamaam (2)

हिमगिरि संभव दिव्य सरिद्वर

शोभिशिरोवर भक्ति निधे

निज सकलागम शास्त्र विमर्शक

पण्डित मण्डल वन्द्यतनो

पुतजन रञ्जक दुर्जन मानस

दोष निवारक वाक्यरथे

जयजयहे शशि शेखर देशिक

काञ्ची मठेश्वर पालयमाम्  ॥३॥

ஹிமகிரி ஸம்ப⁴வ திவ்ய ஸரித்³வர

ஶோபிஶிரோவர ப⁴க்தி நிதே⁴

நிஜ ஸகலாக³ம ஶாஸ்த்ர விமர்ஶக

பண்டித மண்டல வந்த்யதனோ

புதஜன ரஞ்ஜக துர்ஜன மானஸ

தோ³ஷ நிவாரக வாக்யரதே¹

ஜயஜயஹே ஶஶிஶேக²ர தேஶிக

காஞ்சி மடேஶ்வர பாலயமாம் (3)

Himagiri sambhava divya saridhvara

Shobishirovara bhakti nidhe

Nija sakalaagama shastra vimarshaka

Panditha mandala vandyatano

Puthajana ranjaka durjana maanasa

Dosha nivaaraka vaakyarathe

JayaJayaHé Shashi Shekhara Deshika

Kaanchi Mateshwara Paalayamaam (3)

मधुसम भाषण दुर्मत शोषण

सज्जन पोषण धीरमते

शुक मुनि तातज सूत्र विमर्शक

शङ्कर बोधित भाष्यरथे

निगम सुलक्षण रक्षण पण्डित

भास्वर मण्डल पोषकहे

जयजयहे शशि शेखर देशिक

काञ्ची मठेश्वर पालयमाम्  ॥४॥

மது³ஸம பா⁴ஷண துர்மத ஶோஶன

ஸஜ்ஜன போஷண தீ⁴ரமதே

ஶூகமுனி தாதஜ ஸூத்ர விமர்ஶக

ஶங்கர போ³தித பா⁴ஷ்யரதே

நிகம ஸுலக்ஷண ரக்ஷண பண்டித

பா⁴ஸ்வர மண்டல போ¹ஷகஹே

ஜயஜயஹே ஶஶிஶேக²ர தேஶிக

காஞ்சி மடேஶ்வர பாலயமாம் (4)

Madhusama bhaashana durmatha shoshana

Sajjana poshana dheeramathe

Shukamuni thaataja sootra vimarshaka

Shankara boditha bhaashyarathe

Nigama sulakshana rakshana panditha

Bhaasvara mandala poshakahé

JayaJayaHé Shashi Shekhara Deshika

Kaanchi Mateshwara Paalayamaam (4)

प्रतिपति सुन्दर रूपमनोहर

पुतजन मानस सारसहे

तुहिन धराधर पुतयविमोहित

काम कलेश्वर पूजकहे

कनकधराधर कार्मुक नन्दित

कामकला दृढ भक्तनिधे

जयजयहे शशि शेखर देशिक

काञ्ची मठेश्वर पालयमाम्  ॥५॥

ப்ரதிபதி ஸூந்தர ரூபமனோஹர

புதஜன மானஸ ஸாரஸஹே

து¹ஹின த⁴ராத⁴ர பு¹த²யவிமோஹித

காம கலேஶ்வர பூஜகஹே

கனகத⁴ராத⁴ர கார்முக நந்தி³த

காமகலா த்³ருட ப⁴க்தநிதே⁴

ஜயஜயஹே ஶஶிஶேக²ர தேஶிக

காஞ்சி மடேஶ்வர பாலயமாம் (5)

Pratipati sundara roopamanohara

Putajana maanasa saarasa hé

Tuhina dharaadhara puthayavimohita

Kaama kaleshwara poojakahé

Kanakadharaadhara kaarmuka Nandita

Kaamakalaa druda bhakthanidhe

JayaJayaHé Shashi Shekhara Deshika

Kaanchi Mateshwara Paalayamaam (5)

Shaligrams and their signficance

Another very informative forward on Shaligrams..

Significance of Shaligram 

The Kali Gandaki or Gandaki River is one of the major rivers of Nepal and a tributary of the river Ganges in India. It is also called Krishna Gandaki in Nepal. However, one of the most important features of the river are the smooth, shining, black, egg-like stones that are found on the banks of Gandaki called Shaligram. These dark Himalayan fossils are believed to be somewhere between 140 to 165 millions years old.

Gandaki River Is An Important River For Hindus For Several Reasons:

It is here that Valmiki Rishi wrote the great epic, Ramayana. The ancient Valmiki Ashram still exists today and is a place of pilgrimage. Believed to be the birthpalce of Luv and Kush, the two sons of Lord Ram and Sita.

The hermitage also landmarks the ‘Falahar” (eating place) of Sita. Ashwamedh horse was believed to be tied here. The river is mentioned in the epic of Mahabharata.Its evolution is described in Shiva Purana, Kumarakhand and in the chapter of the killing of Shankachuda. Also known as shilas, these stones are revered and worshiped by Hindus as manifestations of Lord Vishnu himself. It is believed that Saraswati cursed Lakshmi in anger once which changed Lakshmi into a tulsi plant and forced her to live on earth forever.

Vishnu intervened and modified the curse, saying Lakshmi would remain on earth as tulsi until the river Gandaki flowed from her body. In the meanwhile, he would stay by the riverside in the form of a stone until he can take her back to His abode. It is for this reason that the tulsi plant and shila deities are always worshiped together as Lakshmi and Vishnu.

Each Shaligram piece is unique and they are worshiped according to the markings and shape of the stone. Some stones resemble Vishnu’s paraphernalia such as chakra, lotus, conch, mace. Shaligram stones come in dfferent colors such as red, blue, yellow, green and black. Of these, the yellow, blue and black varieties are considered more sacred. The yellow and golden-colored Shaligrams are considered most auspicious and are believed to bestow great wealth and prosperity on its worshipers.

Shaligrams of Different Shapes are Often Associated with Different Avatars or Incarnations of Vishnu and Believed to Bring Different Energies with Them when Worshiped, Such as:

Matsya: Incarnation of Vishnu in the form of fish. It bestows the worshipper with peaceful environment, austerity and philanthropy.

Kurma: Incarnation of Vishnu in the form of Tortoise. The worshiper gets immense perserverence, strong will power, patience, wealth and happiness in his life.

Varaha: Incarnation of Vishnu in the form of Boar. Brings immense protection and removes negativity.

Narsimha: Incarnation of Vishnu in the form of half man and half lion. Instills fearless and success in all endeavors.

Vamana: Incarnation of Vishnu in the form of small dwarf. Brings immense strength to fight against all odds, evils and enemies.

Krishna: Worshiper of Krishna shaligram will earn a great respect and dignity in the society.

Surya: Depicts Lord Vishnu himself. Brings the quality of the sun – to rule and to move continuously with brilliant radiance and strength. Gives happiness, popularity and material gains.

Shivlinga: Symbol of auspiciousness, brings health and peace. The worshipping of this shaligram increases the family harmony.

Mahalakshmi: Bestows the devotee with good health and wealth . Man can progress in business and service and spends his life happily, shields from loss.

Ganesha: Removes obstacles and brings success in all undertakings.

Maha Vishnu: Brings eternal peace, contains influence of all ten incarnations and considered the most powerful Shaligram.

Lakshmi Narayan: A rare Shaligram, it is the direct representation of goddess Lakshmi and Lord Narayana. Brings immense wealth, protection and very good health.

Lakshmi Narasimha: Another very rare Shaligram, it represents goddess Lakshmi and Narasimha. Brings protection, good fortune, peace and all worldly comforts.

Shaligram Is Mentioned In The Following:

Lord Krisha refers to the qualities of Shaligram while giving discourse to Yudhistra.

In Padampurana, it is said that whatever homes you find a Shaligram, that home is better than places of pilgrimage.

In Skandpuran, Shiva has narrated the importance of Shaligram.

In Brahmvaivartpuran, Prakritikhand, it is said that wherever one finds Shaligram, Vishnu resides there.

Shaligram worship can be traced to the time of Adi Shankara through his works, especially in Taittiriya Upanishad and Brahma Sutras, suggesting that the use of Shaligram in the worship of Vishnu has been a well-known Hindu practice.

The largest and the heaviest Shaligram is located at Jagannath Temple while the main ISKCON temple in Scotland, called Karuna Bhavan is famous for housing the largest number of Shaligram Shilas outside of India.

The Shaligrams are usually hereditary and are passed down through many generations. Sale and purchase of Shaligram shilas are prohibited in Skanda Purana.

Ahobilam pictures

Got this as a forward email and wanted to share it in blog for readers:

14 Pictures of Ahobilam, Holy Place of Lord Narasimha

Ahobilam, located in Andhra Pradesh, is one of the main holy places for Lord Narasimha. According to some Puranas it is the location where Lord Narasimha blessed Bhakta Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakashipu. In the pictures below, the tall mountain is the pillar that Lord Narasimha appeared from. Originally it was a pillar in the palace of Hiranyakashipu.

First entrance to the main Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple.

Ugra Stambham where Lord Narasimha appeared from a pillar.

100 Pillar Mandapam at Upper Ahobilam

Way to Bhargava Narasimha Temple.

The Gopuram at Lower Ahobilam

Trek up to Ugra stambham at Ahobilam

The Gopuram at Lower Ahobilam

View from atop the Ugra Stambham.

Bhargava Narasimha Swamy, one of the Nava Narasimha Temples at Ahobilam.