STORY OF MUMBAI’S FAVORITE STREET FOOD - PANIPURI

 

The crispy Puris with delicious filling

The very thought of the crunchy, miniscule hollow balls with spicy potato and chickpea filling, dipped in a tangy tamarind concoction made fragrant by the addition of mint and rock salt, sets our mouth drooling. Yes! I am talking about the delicious street food variant called Pani Puri in Maharashtra, Gol gappa, Gup chup, Pani ke pataashe or Phulkis in different regions of North India. In Bengal, this eternal favorite goes by the name of Puchka.

I first tasted the Puchka, when I visited Kolkota during my childhood for the summer vacations and it immediately settled into the numero uno position as far as my fetish for street food was concerned. Then during my teens I came across a fast food vendor just outside my college which served the most scrumptious Panipuris. My eyes would be fixed, mesmerized, as he picked up a nice round crisp puri, prod it with his thumb in the centre to carve a hole, fill it with a mixture of mashed potatoes and chickpeas, add a little sweet and sour chutney, and the then dip it in a bowl of the tamarind based minty concoction and hand it over with a flourish on to my plate. Oooph! The explosion of flavor and taste as I push it into my mouth in one go has to be experienced to be believed. 

Panipuri ready to be shoved into the mouth

I have nostalgic memories of waiting for the refill of spicy pani after my puris were done, setting my mouth on fire and water flowing like a stream from my eyes and nose. The panipuri climbed, rather jumped up the ladder of ratings on my must have fast food list. Later, during the course of my travels, I have sunk my teeth into the luscious Gol gappas in Delhi and the Pani ke Pataashe on the streets of Varanasi.

It was only recently though, that I learnt that the Panipuri in one of its various forms is believed to have been in existence since ancient times, well before 600 BCE. The story of its origin, though contentious, is very interesting and there are not one but two interesting legends, including one from the epic Mahabharata, involving Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, and her daughter in law, Draupadi. The legend goes that the Pandavas along with Kunti and Draupadi were in exile after losing their kingdom. Once, Kunti, wanting probably to test her daughter in law, gave some dough and some potatoes to Draupadi. She asked her to cook some dish with the two ingredients that would be tasty as well as satisfy all her five husbands. This was a mighty challenge no doubt, but Draupadi proved her mettle by inventing a fantastic concoction that resembled panipuri. Kunti is believed to have been so extremely impressed by the ingenuity and resourcefulness of her daughter in law, that she is believed to have blessed the dish with immortality.

Another popular belief is that the panipuri originated in the form of Phulki in the ancient kingdom of Magadha, well known for being the origin of the Maurya and Gupta empires. Magadha corresponds to the South Bihar area. As I mentioned earlier, in certain parts of North India the Panipuri is still known as Phulki.  

Pani puri is not restricted to being a street food sold by dubious vendors now. It has made its entry into the menus of well known restaurants and hotels where it is served as a super special chaat item. One finds people making a beeline for the chat stall at high end weddings just to fulfill their craving for the scrumptious panipuri.

 Five places where you can find the most delicious Panipuri in Mumbai

• 1.      You have a wonderful choice between Gupta Chaat centre and Pankaj Pani Puri in Matunga East.
• 2.      One cannot miss the outlet at Elco Market at Hill Road, Bandra West. They serve the most delicious panipuri, the taste of which lingers on.
• 3.      Guru Kripa at Sion near SIES college is a college student’s delight.
• 4.      Want to try the most famous panipuri in South Mumbai? Visit Kailash Parbat at Colaba.
• 5.      Ram and Shyam Chaat Stall in Santacruz is another popular outlet, and so is the Punjab Sweet House in Bandra. 

  Are you tempted? Go ahead and enjoy! Happy eating folk!

#Panipuri, #Golgappe, #puchka, #phulki, #pani_ke_pataashe, #streetfood, #Mumbai, #story

The #Story of #Navaratri for #children about Goddess #Durga as #Mahishasuramardini

 

We are once again in the midst of our favorite festival Navaratri. But children, do you know the story behind this festival and why we celebrate it with so much fervor?

Once upon a time there was a demon or Asura called Mahishasur.  He had the face of a buffalo with two pointed and sharp horns and a human body.  Mahishasur prayed to Lord Brahma for many, many years, doing strict penance.

Lord Brahma appeared before him and said, “Hey Mahishasur! I am pleased with your devotion and prayers. I will grant you any boon that you want.”

The Asura was pleased. He said, “I want to be immortal. Grant me the boon that I will never die.”

Brahma shook his head. “I am sorry, Mahishasur. I can’t grant you immortality. It is against the law of nature. Ask for something else.”

Mahishasur thought for a moment. Then he said, “My Lord, grant me a boon that I cannot be killed by any God, Man or animal.”

“Thathastu!” exclaimed Brahma with a smile. The Asura, in his arrogance, had not considered a woman as being strong enough to confront him. 

Mahishasur became proud of his prowess and his invincibility. He started harassing the Sages, Maharishis, and conquered the whole world. He then moved on to heaven and the Devas had to concede defeat because of Lord Brahma’s boon.

The Devas rushed to Lord Brahma for a solution. Brahma said that only a woman would be able to kill Mahishasur. It was then that Lord Brahma, Mahavishnu and Mahadev created a beautiful, divine woman Shakthi called Durga Devi, with ten arms and a lion as a mount. Each of the Devas presented her with their weapon. She had a weapon in each of her ten arms including Mahadev’s Trishul and Mahavishnu’s Chakra, Brahma’s kamandala and Indra’s thunderbolt and presented a magnificent sight sitting majestically on her mount, the lion.

 Attracted by her magnificent beauty, Mahishasur expressed a wish to marry her. Durgadevi was angered by this and started a war with the buffalo faced Asura. The fierce battle lasted for nine days and nine nights. On the tenth day, Durga Mata vanquished Mahishasur  by piercing him with her trident.  Durga Mata is also called Mahishasuramardini and Simhavahini.

Thus the festival of Navaratri, meaning nine nights, celebrates the victory of Shri Durga Mata over the wicked Mahishasur. 

To know about how different States celebrate Navaratri in different ways read https://lalithabalasubramanian.blogspot.com/2019/09/5-states-in-india-celebrate-navaratri_14.html

Jai Mata Di

#Navaratri  #Story_for_children #DurgaMata #Mahishasur #Mahishasuramardini #Trident #Festival

The #Religious Significance and #Medicinal Properties of #Vilva #Bilva or #BelPatra

We cannot imagine a puja for Lord Shiva without the sacred Bilva leaves also known as Bel Patra or Vilvam. Offering of the Bilva leaf with devotion has a deep religious significance, as Mahadev is said to bless the devotee with whatever he wishes for. 

 The Bel Patra is trifoliate and, as per Hindu belief, symbolizes the holy Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.  The trifoliate Bilva is said to represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva and the three syllables of the Omkara, namely Akara, Ukara and Makara. It is also said to represent the three spokes of the sacred Trishul. Yet another interpretation is that the Bilva personifies the three gunas, namely, the Satva, Rajas and Tamas, and the middle portion of the Bel patra indicates the perfect balance of the three gunas.

According to the Skanda Purana, while Goddess Parvati was performing penance to get Mahadev as her husband, drops of perspiration fell on the Mandrachal mountain and Bilva trees grew from these sweat droplets. Hence it is believed that Goddess Parvati resides in the leaves, flowers, fruits, roots and all parts of the Vilva tree.

Girija - Root

Maheshwari – Stem

Dakshayani or Sati - branches

 Parvati – Leaves

Gowri – Flowers

Katyayani – Fruits

Another belief is that Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth resides in the Bilva tree as it was born from her breasts. People believe that by even having a darshan of the Bilva tree and touching it, you can be freed from sins.  

Just like the Tulsi is said to be dear to Lord Vishnu, the Bel Patra is held dear by Mahadev and it is believed that offering even one Bel Patra to Lord Shiva with sincere devotion can free a person from their sin or ailment. Devotees worship Lord Shiva with Bilva leaves while reciting the sacred Bilvasthakam. 

The Bel Patra is said to absorb Mahadev’s energy. Hence we generally find devotees taking back home a leaf or two to transfer a little of this positive energy to themselves.

There is a very interesting story of a hunter who was in the forest to hunt for his food.  Even by nightfall, he had not found any animal. Scared by the appearance of a Lion, he climbed a tree. Neither was he aware that it was a Bilva tree, nor did he see the Shivaling under the tree. To keep awake and pass time during the night, he kept plucking the leaves and dropping them below. The Bel patras were falling on the Shivaling. Lord Shiva was pleased with the continuous offering of the Bilva leaves and saved the hunter from the lion.

Another story from the Shiva Puran goes, that a hunter who was searching for food on Maha shivaratri day, did not find anything to eat. At night, he climbed unknowingly atop a Bilva tree to spot his prey. There was a Shivaling below the tree and a pot of water was hanging above, which the hunter did not see. When he moved a little, the water pot would shake and water would fall down on the Shivaling. He also plucked many of the leaves inadvertently and dropped them down until the Shivaling below was covered with Bilva leaves. So without being aware of his actions, he had fasted during the Maha Shivaratri day and also worshipped Lord Shiva with Bel Patras and water. His mind was getting purified. Just then a deer appeared. The hunter happily aimed his arrow at the deer, but the deer asked him to wait till he bid goodbye to his mate and children. For the first time in his life, the hunter felt sympathy for the deer and agreed. After some time the mate came searching for the first deer and then the child deer. Each of them requested the hunter for some time to bid goodbye to their family and overcome by kindness, he agreed. The deer family appeared together in front of the hunter to keep their word, but by then his mind was completely purified. He did not want to kill animals anymore and in turn asked the deer to forgive him. Hearing this, Lord Shiva gave him darshan. The hunter fell at Lord Shiva’s feet and turned into a great devotee and achieved salvation.

The Bilva tree (Aegle Marmelos) also called the Wood Apple, is also known for its medicinal properties. According to the Ayurveda, the Bilva fruits and leaves are antibacterial and anti fungal and can be used to treat various stomach related ailments and gastric ulcers. The extract of the Bilva leaf can be used to control Cholesterol levels in the blood, control blood sugar levels, and cure respiratory disorders like Asthma and common cold.  Inflammation is also said to be quickly cured when the extract of Bel Patra is applied on the inflamed region. This is due to its anti inflammatory property.  

#Shiva #Bilva #BelPatra #Religious #Vilvam #Medicinal #Ayurveda #worship #Mahadev #Parvati

#Religious Significance and #Medicinal value of #Tulsi

 

 

One of the most auspicious plants in a Hindu home is the Tulsi plant, which is worshipped as a Goddess, an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. People plant the Tulsi in a special pot called the Tulsi Madom which has carvings of Goddess Lakshmi among others on its four sides. There is a space on this pot dedicated to the placing of a lighted diya or lamp. One has to water and care for the Tulsi plant daily and the leaves are used for the worship of Lord Mahavishnu. They are generally woven into a garland to adorn Sri Krishna or Sri Rama. In fact, a Tulsi leaf is generally used for offering Neivedyam to Gods and Goddesses during worship. There are two types of Tulsi which are worshipped by the Hindus. They are the Rama Tulasi which has a light green stem and the Krishna Tulsi or Shyam Tulsi which has a dark stem. Vrindavan, the forest of Tulsi, is completely under the protection of Devi Vrinda. She is the one who arranges everything for the divine couple Sri Krishna and Radha Rani. Entry into Vrindavan is only possible with her blessing.  The Tulsi is said to connect the devotee with the Lord and lead him on the path of bhakti..

The legend goes that Brinda (Vrinda) was the pious wife of the Asura King, Jalandhara. She was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. Due to her continuous worship of the Lord, Jalandhara gained in strength and became almost invincible. None of the Devas could defeat him as Vrinda had undertaken vows for his victory. The Devas prayed to Lord Shiva to fight and vanquish Jalandhara. But it was difficult for even Lord Shiva to defeat him as Vrinda’s devotion and worship proved to be the protective shield for the Asura King.

Jalandhara was becoming more and more proud of his prowess and the prolonged battle worried Mata Parvati. She knew that the power of Jalandhara was in his wife’s virtuous love for her husband and her devotion to Lord Vishnu. The Devas therefore approached Mahavishnu for help. The Lord, though not happy about deceiving his beloved devotee, had to take the decision to come to Vrinda in the guise of her husband. Believing the Lord to be her husband Jalandhara, she left her worship and touched the feet of Mahavishnu reverently. Her one minute of distraction was enough to make Jalandhara weak and Lord Shiva could vanquish him. When Vrinda came to know of her husband’s death and the cause of it being her beloved God, she was saddened and furious. She cursed Mahavishnu to become a stone for being stonehearted towards her devotion. She also cursed the Lord to be separated from his wife which happened in the Rama avatar, when Rama and Sita were separated. The Lord accepted her curse and turned into a black Shaligrama stone. He also blessed his devotee to become a Tulsi plant and promised to marry her on the Prabhodini Ekadashi day, and that’s the reason for the Tulsi-Shaligrama vivah being performed with great devotion every year on that day.

 Apart from the religious significance of the Tulsi, the medicinal properties of this plant are well documented in the Ayurveda. Also known as the Holy Basil, the Tulsi leaves are an important ingredient in almost all ayrvedic medicines for cough, cold, headache and other ailments. The plant of the family Lamiaceae is widely found in India and some other South East Asian countries.

It is a rich source of Vitamin C and Zinc. Hence it is an immunity booster. It has anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal properties, thereby helping the body to fight against infections. The juice of Tulsi mixed with ginger and honey is very effective in reducing cough and cold, influenza, bronchitis and asthma. It has anti inflammatory properties which reduce inflammation and blood pressure. It is good for heart patients as well as for reducing sugar levels in diabetic patients. The Tulsi is also useful in treating gastrointestinal disorders, Gout and Kidney stones. Apart from all this it is said to improve the skin texture and prevent premature ageing because it is rich in antioxidants.

#Tulsi #HolyBasil #Medicinal #Religious #plant #antioxidant #Antiinflammatory #immunitybooster #Vrinda #SriKrishna #Vrindavan #Shaligrama #TulsiVivah

How Lord #Ganesha hoodwinks the mighty #Ravana #ChildrensStories

 

Ravana was the mighty king of Lanka. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Once his mother wanted him to pray to Mahadev and procure the Atmalingam for worship in Lanka.

Ravana at once set out to Kailas. He prayed fervently and performed great penance. Lord Shiva was very pleased with his devotion. He appeared before him to bless him and grant him a boon.

Ravana said, “Mahadev, please give me the Atmalingam to take with me to Lanka.”

Shiva was taken aback, but since he was pleased with his devotee and had promised to grant him a boon, he said, “Ravana, I will give you the Atmalingam on one condition. You have to walk your way to Lanka and not place the Lingam on the ground even for a few seconds on the ground. If, by any chance, you do keep it down anywhere on the way, the Atmalingam will get rooted to the earth there.”

Ravana agreed to the condition. He was quite confident that he could carry the lingam all the way to Lanka.

He accepted the Atmalingam from Mahadev and walked away. Seeing the mighty Lankesh with the powerful Atmalingam held close to his chest, the Devas were scared. They knew that if Ravana succeeded in his mission of installing the Atmalingam in Lanka, he would become almost invincible.

They rushed to Mahavishnu praying for a solution. Mahavishnu knew that only the wise Lord Ganapati was capable of handling this situation. He accompanied the Devas and narrated the sequence of events. He and the Devas then humbly requested Lord Ganesha to find a solution.

Ganesha thought for a moment. He said, “Don’t worry. I know the importance and power of the Atmalingam. And also I know that the mighty King of Lanka can misuse its power. So I will find a way to prevent him from taking the lingam to Lanka.”

The Devas were relieved. Lord Ganesha took the form of a Brahmin boy and appeared on the shore of the sea with a few cows. As per their plan, Mahavishnu shut the rays of the sun with his Sudharshana Chakra to make it seen as though it was sunset.

Now, Ravana was a devout Brahmin and would not skip his prayer rituals at any cost. Thinking that the sun had almost set, Ravana arrived at the sea shore wanting to perform his Sandhyavandhanam. He could not do sandhyavandhanam with the Atmalingam in his hands. And he could not place it on the floor too.

He was in a dilemma. At that moment he saw the Brahmin boy with his cows. Thanking his stars, he approached the boy and requested him to hold the lingam for a few minutes while Ravana performed his ritual.

The boy agreed but said, “Oh Mighty King, I will hold the lingam in my hands for a little while, but as you can see, I am a little boy. If I feel its weight to be too much for me to hold, I will call you three times. You have to come immediately and take it from me. Otherwise I will keep it down.

Ravana agreed. As soon as he went into the sea to bathe and perform Sandhyavandhanam, the Brahmin boy, who was actually Ganesha in disguise, called out his name thrice in quick succession. Before Ravana could come out of the water and reach him, he had already placed the Shivalingam down.

Ravana was furious. He tried to lift it from the ground but it did not move. He turned angrily towards the boy but the boy had already vanished taking the cows along with him. Just then, Mahavishnu removed the Sudarshana Chakra and the sun's rays fell again on earth. Ravana understood that he had been tricked. Deeply aggrieved, he tried his best to lift the Atmalingam, but he failed miserably. In frustration, he threw the pieces of outer covering in three different places. The lingam was now in the shape of the ear of a cow. 

Realising that his efforts were futile, Ravana prayed to Lord Shiva and named the Atmalingam as Mahabaleshwara , the all powerful God. He then proceeded to his kingdom. The Devas were all in praise for Lord Ganesha, who had wisely hoodwinked the mighty King of Lanka, Ravana.

Even today, the Atmalingam is worshipped as Mahabaleshwara at Gokarna in Karnataka. Gokarna incidently means the ear of the cow.

The pieces of the covering of the Atmalingam which were flung away by Ravana in fury turned into Lingams instantaneously and are worshipped as  Dhareshwara, Gunavanteshwara, Murdeshwara and Shejjeshwara. These five holy places are together called the Pancha Kshetra.   

#Onam in #Kerala A magnificent and favourite #festival

The magnificent festival of Onam celebrates the annual visit of Kerala's beloved King Mahabali Chakravarthy also lovingly called Maveli. Everywhere, we can find Onam Sadhyas being served on banana leaves in a traditional way and colourful pookalams decorating  the entrances of houses. No wonder then that it is the favorite festival of Keralites.

Here is an excerpt from my book Kerala the Divine Destination on this festival.

'Kerala is synonymous with its most important festival, Onam , which is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar, corresponding to the months of August-September. There is a festival atmosphere around the whole region, with each house having a pookalam, a floral rangoli adorning its portico. 

Come dawn and the mist is driven away by the first rays of the sun revealing a kaleidoscope of colours in each pookalam. Simple yet stunning, it’s floral magnificence captures the spirit of the land, the joy and merriment associated with the festival of the season  The making of the pookalam starts on the auspicious day of hastham (attam). Every day more and more intricate designs are added for a period of ten   days culminating in a huge magnificent floral carpet on the final day of Thiru Onam. Preparations for the festival also start on this Attam day.

Houses are cleaned, pickles are prepared, and everyone is involved in the festivities. In villages, people prepare swings hung between the boughs of two big trees and decorate it with flowers allowing for the entire span of ten days to be spent in joy and playfulness by the kids of the houses. The joint family system, or the Tharawad as it is popularly known, still prevails in most parts of Kerala. On Utharadam, the day prior to Onam, the members and dependants of the tharawad present the produce of their farms consisting of vegetables, fruits coconuts and three varieties of plantains to the Head of the Tharawad, generally the eldest person in the family. This is known as onakazhcha. 

In return, he presents them with a sumptuous feast. Utharadam is followed by the most important day of the festival, the Thiru onam.  

Legend has it that the great King Mahabali visits his subjects once in a year. Mahabali belonged to the Asura clan but was an ardent worshiper of Lord Vishnu. His bravery and strength of character earned him the title of "Mahabali Chakravathy" or Mahabali - the King of Kings. It is said that there was no poverty, sorrow or disease in the reign of King Mahabali and everybody was happy and content. At the request of the Gods, who were worried about the king’s growing strength and popularity, Lord Vishnu assumed the Vamana avathar, that of a poor Brahmin, and approached King Mahabali for a gift of a piece of land. The King who was known for his generosity did not disappoint, and requested the Brahmin to take as much land as he wanted. The Brahmin however had a strange request. He wanted land that would cover his three steps. Startled, the king agreed.  The Guru of Asuras, Shukracharya, recognizing the divine presence of Lord Vishnu, tried to prevent the King but in vain and lost one of his eyes in the process.Vamana, the Brahmin, began to expand and eventually increased himself to the size of cosmic proportions. With his first step he covered the whole of earth and with the second he covered the whole of the skies. He then asked King Mahabali for place to keep his third foot. The King realised that he was no ordinary Brahmin and so with folded hands and bowed head asked him to place his last step on his head so that he could keep the promise. The Brahmin placed his foot on the head of the King, which pushed him to patala, the nether world. There the King requested the Brahmin to reveal his true identity. Lord Vishnu then appeared before the king extremely pleased with his devotee’s generosity and benevolence. He asked the King to ask for a boon. The king was so attached to his subjects that he requested the Gods to allow him to visit his people for one day in a year to ensure their well being. The people of Kerala wish to show their beloved king that they are as grand and prosperous now as they were during his rule.

Rituals on the auspicious day of Thiru Onam begin as early as 4am. People wake up very early. The finishing touches and the last circle of flowers are added to the pookalam. Then they make a conical figure of clay depicting Thrikkakara Appan, Lord Vishnu in his Vamana avathar and place it in a the pride of place in the midst of the floral carpet. They decorate Thrikkakara Appan with a paste of rice flour and water, and flowers. Everyone wears new clothes or the Onapudava which are presented to them in a ceremonial manner by the head of the family. They prepare neivedyam, an offering to the God and begin their prayers.

The religious rituals are then followed by the most exciting part of the onam celebrations, the Onasadhya, the grand feast organized by each and every household. 
Traditionally the onam sadhya is served on plantain leaves in a row on a mat laid on the floor. There is a fixed order of serving the sumptuous vegetarian dishes and a set place for each dish on the leaf.  First the payasam , the sweet dish, is served on the lower right corner. Kichadi, curry, kootu, kalan, avial, and olan are served from right to left on the upper portion of the banana leaf. Then follow the pickles. The pickles are generally made of mango or lime and are served on the extreme left.  Bananas are then served on the left upper corner. The Pappads and plantain wafers known as varathupperi are served next to the pickles. After everyone is seated, rice is served. It is followed by a spoon of ghee and then sambhar. Rasam is next. The main sweet course is then served the adapradhaman and palpayasam. The meal ends with curd and rice.  It is to be noted that the entire meal is usually eaten with hand and not with spoons. The people also make it a point to offer the entire meal to Lord Ganapathi as an offering and then proceed with their own meals.

After this fabulous mouth watering meal, the youngsters seek enjoyment in games. 

There are various forms of onakalikal like Kummattikali, kaikotikali, pulikali etc. Kali means game and onakalikal means games played during Onam. The kaikotikali is a popular rhythmic group dance performed by the womenfolk of Kerala around a gorgeous pookalam with a ghee villakku (lamp) placed in the centre. 

The elderly people retire to play indoor games like chess or dice. The young men however prefer to play outdoor games like the panthukali, a ball game, or thekayyankali, a combat game or kutukutu which is similar to the nationwide popular game of kabbaddi.

The Vallamkali or the Snake Boat Race is the most enchanting facet of the festival of Onam.  The race was popularized by the first prime minister of India, Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was so enchanted that he instituted a trophy for the winning boat. The event is promoted as a major tourist attraction of the state of Kerala and draws a large number of domestic and international tourists. The race is very competitive and requires great skill and balance. Even a small mistake by one of the oarsman may cause imbalance and lead to the boat overturning. This race instills a great sense of unity and team spirit amongst the participants.

Another important feature of the Onam festival is the elephant procession held in Trissur. The elephants are decorated with ornate gold caparisons on their foreheads and project a magnificent sight.

Onam in Trikkakara, a place 10 km from Kochi (Cochin) on the Edapally- Pookattupadi road, said to be the capital of the mighty King Mahabali is celebrated with great pomp and vigour. A temple with a deity of 'Trikkakara Appan' or 'Vamanamurthy' is also located at this place. The Ona sadhya is itself an offering to the Lord here. 

Onam is a festival which mirrors the cultural ethos and the unity and secular nature of the inhabitants of Kerala. The grandeur of the celebrations and the underlying faith of the people during the festival of Onam, can be actually experienced, if one takes part in the gamut of cultural activities held to mark the festivities.'

#Onam  #Maveli #MahabaliChakravarthy #OnamSadhya #Onakazhcha #VallamKali #Pookalam #Vamanamurthy #TrikkakaraAppan

The Wisdom of #Ganesha wins the #contest with #Karthikeya - Ganesha Story 2

 

Ganesh and Karthikeya are the two sons of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Once as they were engrossed in playing games, Sage Narada, known for his mischievous nature, entered with a luscious mango in his hand.

“Oh Lord! I have been given this mango by my father Lord Brahma. This is not an ordinary mango. The person who consumes it will be blessed with everlasting knowledge and wisdom.” So saying, he handed the fruit to Lord Shiva. 

Shiva knew Narada’s mischievous nature very well. He accepted the fruit and handed it over to Parvati.

“Let us give it to our children,” the Goddess exclaimed.

“Ganesha, Karthikeya, come here,” she called out. The siblings immediately ran towards their mother.

“See. Narada has brought this extraordinary mango.”

“But Mother,” interrupted Narada. “You cannot cut the mango into two. The fruit will be effective only if one person eats it fully.”

 Lord Shiva smiled. “So this is your idea! I knew that there would be a catch in this, when you came here itself.”

 He turned to Parvati, who did not know what to say.

 Both the children wanted the mango after knowing that it would grant them knowledge. It was a dilemma for the divine parents.

“Let us find a way,” said Mahadev. “Why not hold a competition between both of you?”

Parvati agreed. The children were excited.

“Both of you go round the world thrice and the one who finishes first will be the winner of this wonderful mango.”

Karthikeya was happy and got on his peacock and flew away to complete the rounds.

Ganesh was stunned. He knew that his mouse would not be able to compete with the swiftness of the peacock. He thought for a few moments. Then he got on his mouse and commenced his journey. He made Shiva and Parvati sit down and then did three parikramas round his parents and held out his hand for the prize.

Parvati looked at her son in bewilderment.

“You have not even stepped out of here, Ganesh,” she said.

“But Mother. You asked me to complete three rounds of the world. Both of you mean the world to me. For me the world is at your feet. So I did three parikramas of you both. Am I not the winner?” he asked.

The Goddess wondered at his wisdom and hugged her son, declaring him the winner of the race. By this time Karthikeya had completed his three rounds. He came down on Mount Kailas on his peacock.

Seeing the mango being given to Ganesh, he was furious.

“How can you declare Ganesh as a winner, when I have completed three rounds as stipulated, whereas he has not gone anywhere?”

Parvati explains, “Karthikeya, you have completed three rounds of the earth. But Ganesh has also completed the three rounds faster than you, as he did three parikramas of us, his parents. And for a child, his parents are the world to him.”

 Karthikeya had to finally acknowledge his brother Ganesh’s intelligence.

 #Ganesh #Karthikeya #Shiva #Parvati #contest #Wisdom

#Neyyattinkara #ShriKrishna Swami #Temple in #Kerala #IncredibleIndia

 

This beautiful temple to Shri Krishna Swami is located just about 20 Km from Thiruvananthapuram at Neyyattinkara on the way to Kanyakumari. We wanted to visit this temple, having heard so much about it being considered as the Guruvayur of Thiruvananthapuram.

Depiction of the Bhagavad Gita on the Entrance Tower 

A divine scene from the Bhagavad Gita with Lord Krishna explaining the Gita to Arjuna, is beautifully depicted on the main entrance to the temple. The temple is built in the typical Kerala style of architecture with sloping tiled roofs amidst vast tracts of green land.

The long corridor leading to the Sanctum

We proceed towards the sanctum where the main deity of UnniKannan (baby Krishna) with butter in both hands is worshipped. 

The main Sanctum

The Lord is also called Navaneetha Krishnan. We were asked if we wanted to make an offering of ‘Thrikaiyyilvenna”. Vennai means butter and this is the most important offering to the deity at this temple.

 Another thing that caught my eye was a huge pazhakola kept in readiness to be offered. We were told that it was the first plantain produce of the season and the farmer wanted to offer it to UnniKannan.

Pazha Kola (plantains) as offering to Shri Krishna

The temple is also said to have historical significance and there is a very interesting story behind the construction of the temple by His Highness Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the erstwhile Prince of Travancore in 1750 to 1755.  The Prince had taken strict action against ‘Ettuveettil Pillaimar’. This turned them against him, and he was being chased and surrounded by his enemies. It is said that when he reached the place where this temple is situated, he was actually looking for a safe place to hide. A small boy appeared there and led the Prince to a huge jackfruit tree which had a hollow trunk. The boy asked the Prince to hide in the hollow space and assured him that no one would find him here. Miraculously that is what actually happened. The enemies left without finding him and his life was saved. The Prince searched for the boy but could not locate him anywhere. The Prince was then told by the astrologer that it was his Lord Unnikrishnan who had come in the guise of the little boy and saved him from his enemies. To express his gratitude to Shri Krishna, he built this temple. The tree where he hid himself is still preserved in the temple premises and protected by an enclosure. It is visible to all devotees who worship Shri Krishna at Neyyattinkara. It is called  ‘Ammachi Plavu’. (Plavu is Jackfruit tree)

The 'Ammachi Plavu' in a protective enclosure

The presiding deity is a west facing, panchaloha idol of Shri Krishna with butter in both hands. According to what we heard there, the original idol was made of wood. But the boat which was carrying the idol got stuck and stopped on the way. To keep the installation in accordance with the auspicious time schedule, the panchaloha idol was installed. This is also believed to be according to Shri Krishna’s wish.

Apart from the main shrine to Shri Krishna Swami, there are shrines to Lord Ganesh and Dharmasastha. There is also a shrine to Nagaraja outside the main complex. The temple is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Shops outside the Temple selling Puja materials and souvenirs

The main festivals celebrated at the Neyyattinkara Shri Krishna Swami Temple are Janmashtami called Ashtami Rohini, Vishu, Navaratri, Mandala Puja and the main annual temple festival in the Malayalam month of Meenam. As in all Kerala temples, this annual festival starts with the Kodiyettram on the first day and ends with a grand Araattu (a sacred dip of the deity in the river Neyyar) procession on the day of the star Rohini in the month of Meenam. During the festival the jewels and ornaments of the deity, ceremoniously kept at another temple, are brought to the Neyyattinkara temple to adorn Shri Unni Krishna. There is a huge crowd of devotees in the temple on that day waiting to have darshan of their beloved Lord adorned with all the ornaments.

#Neyyattinkara #ShriKrishna #UnniKannan #temple #incredible India #Kerala #Keralatourism #Thiruvananthapuram #Thrikayyilvenna 

A visit to the #Omkareshwar temple in #MadhyaPradesh on #ShravanSomvar #Templetales

The Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is located around 80 Kms from Indore in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the sacred Narmada. We had started out early and the drive from Indore was wonderful as we breezed past green fields and colourful villages. Along the way we saw many groups of devotees carrying kavads and walking barefoot towards the temple. The driver told us that this was very common during the month of Shravan. The devotees would fill their jars with water from the sacred Narmada and carry it to the temple for performing abhishek to Lord Shiva at Omkareswar as well as Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain.

A view of the Omkareshwar Temple

Kavadias on the way to Omkareshwar

 

There was a traffic jam at a certain point and noticing an open wayside café, we got down to have coffee.  We then proceeded to Omkareshwar. It was a Shravan Somvar and there was a fair like atmosphere all around.  The shimmering blue waters of the Narmada, dotted with colourful boats waiting to ferry devotees to the temple was a welcoming sight. 

Colourful boats dotting the Narmada River

We chose to however use the Jhula Phul, a beautiful hanging bridge, about 272 feet long, built over the Narmada connecting the mainland to the island. 

The Jhula Phul

The shape of the Mandhata Island resembles the sacred Hindu symbol ‘OM’. The Omkareshwar Jyotirling temple, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in India, is located atop this island. As we walk towards the temple, we find stalls on both sides of the lane selling any kind of puja items. We climb a flight of steps on the ghats to reach the temple. The base floor of the temple which houses the sacred Jyotirling immersed in water. There is a silver image of Goddess Parvati behind the Shivaling. We were allowed to perform abhishek for the Jyotirling with water and milk and offer Vilwa leaves to the Lord.

Inside the temple

A priest doubled up as a guide and led us to the Sabha Mandap standing on 60 pillars with artistic carvings.  He also told us that the temple is called the Omkar Mandhata temple as it was the Ikshvaku Maharaja Mandhata’s devotion that brought Lord Shiva to this place. The temple itself is a five storied structure with a shrine to Mahakaleshwar on the first floor and shrines to Siddhanath, Gupteshwar and Dhwajeshwar on the subsequent floors.  The priest told us that main pujas and abhishek with milk, curd and water are performed three times in a day at Omkareshwar. The first one is performed by the temple trust early in the morning. The second puja is performed by the priest of the Scindias, and the third in the evening by the priest of the Holkar State. Again there is a belief that Lord Shiva rests at Omkareshwar every night. So the Shayan Aarti at 8.30 pm in the night is worth watching. A bed is laid out for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and a game of Chaupad is placed for them to play. This Aarti is open to the public.   

There is an open corridor with a view of the joyous and youthful flowing Narmada, where the priest guided us to perform the puja and abhishek to Mahadev with a small Shivaling and water from the Narmada. This was indeed spiritually satiating.  

Performing Puja in the temple premises

Though the temple was extremely crowded due to it being Shravan Somvar, we got very good darshan, albeit after a wait of almost an hour. Photography is not allowed inside the temple sanctum. But anywhere else one can take photographs.

The priest guide then led us to the Mamleshwar temple on the opposite bank. We now chose to have a boat ferry us across the river. This was another wonderful experience. 

On the boat ride across the Narmada River

The Mamleshwar temple’s original name is Amareshwar and there is equal significance accorded to it. In fact many people say that both Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar are Jyotirlings and so devotees make it a point to visit both. This temple complex has an ancient look and is protected by the ASI. The carved sculptures on the stone walls are aesthetically beautiful and the Nandi Mandap is exquisite. We were told that the Lingarchana at Mamleshwar is worth seeing as a thousand Banalingas are placed in concentric circles around the main Shivalinga. They are then worshipped. But unfortunately we could not see this puja as it was already over by the time we visited the temple.

As in many pilgrimage destinations there is a parikrama path which can be done on foot or by boat if the water level in the river is good. 

Stalls set up on the banks for Shravan

The Omkareshwar Parikrama passes through several temples including the Kedareshwar temple, Markanda Ashram with a huge image of Sri Krishna, the Gauri Somnath temple, Khedapati Hanuman and Patali Hanuman temples, Siddhanath temple and a giant statue of Lord Shiva.

Another place to visit, if you have time, is the Mandhata palace, where the views from the Jharokhas or hanging windows of the temple and the river are mesmerizing to say the least.

#ShravanSomvar #Omkareshwar #Mamleshwar #MadhyaPradeshTourism #IncredibleIndia #Temple #Pilgrimage #Jyotirling  

#AadiPooram and #Srivilliputhur #templestories 8 and the #story of #Andal

We set off from Madurai to the Srivilliputhur Andal temple in Virudhunagar district.  The temple is located at a distance of around 80 Kms from Madurai and takes about one and half to two hours to reach. The sight of the extremely beautiful temple tower (gopuram) signaled that we had arrived at our destination. Interestingly, this 192 feet tall, 11 tiered imposing Raja Gopuram is featured on the emblem of Tamil Nadu indicative of the importance accorded to the temple as one of the 101 Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Mahavishnu.

Raja Gopuram

The temple has been in existence since ages and is also associated with the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi as Andal (also known as Kothai or Godha). So it is a two in one temple complex with shrines to Vatapatrasayana Perumal and Andal separately.

The original deity is Lord Vatapatrasayana Perumal. We enter a huge hall and have to climb a flight of steps to reach the main sanctum sanctorum. 

On the way to the sanctum sanctorum

There are three doorways through which one can have the divine darshan of the Lord in a reclining posture on the Adishesha with his consorts, Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Sage Brighu is standing near the Lord while Sage Markandeya is praying with folded hands reverently at his feet. 

Perumal Sannidhi

There are also images of Narada, Panchamurthis, Sanatkumara, Surya and Chandra, apart from Villi and Puttan.

Way to Andal Sanctum

There is a garden in the middle where Andal is said to have appeared as an infant near a Tulsi plant and was found by Periazhwar. This is called Andal avatharitha Nandavanam. The temple tank in called Mukkulam and is believed to have the holy waters of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi.

The entrance to the Andal temple has a huge Mandapam.

Entrance to Nandavanam where Andal made her first appearance

 The deity of the Goddess is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is a Kalyana Mandapam and Madhavi Pandhal  a little further away. 

Andal Sannidhi

The story of Andal is an exceptional example of devotion.  

The great devotee, Periazhwar, had no children. Once on the day of Aadi Pooram, he found an infant girl child near the holy Tulsi plant in the temple. With the permission of the Lord, he adopted the girl child and named her Kothai/ Godha meaning a garland of flowers. He brought her up with love and affection. Periazhwar used to pluck flowers and tulsi leaves from the garden and weave a garland for Lord Vatapatrasayee with his own hands. He would then present it to the Lord. Kothai used to observe this and help him. One day when Periazhwar left her for a few minutes before leaving for the temple, she had a strange desire to wear the garland. She wore it and then removed it before her father came back. Without knowing that Kothai had worn the garland, Periazhwar offered it to the priest for Lord Mahavishnu.  Kothai started wearing the garland and admired herself every day after that before her father took it to the temple. But one day the priest happened to see a strand of hair in the garland. He was furious. He refused to offer it to the deity. Periazhwar was stunned and sad at the turn of events. He kept a secret watch over the garland and found to his dismay that it was his daughter, Andal, who was wearing the garland before he took it to the temple. He was very angry with her and discarded the garland. He then made another garland to be offered to the Lord. That night he had a dream when Mahavishnu said that he would accept only the garland worn by Andal. This happened when the child was just five years old. 

Andal grew up and her father wanted to search for a suitable bridegroom for her. But Andal’s mind was fixed on her Shri Krishna. Her devotion to the Lord was unshakable. Then it was that the Lord appeared once again in Periazhwar’s dream and bade him bring Andal dressed as a bride to Srirangam. It is believed that, when Andal was taken in wedding procession and reached Srirangam, she just entered the sanctum and merged with the Lord.  

The festivals celebrated at this temple are Aadi Pooram, GodhaRangamannarThirukalyanam, Vasanta utsavam, Brahmotsavam etc.

#Andal #AadiPooram #festival #Srivilliputhur #temple #GodhaRangamannar 

#Aadi month, #BhagavathiSevai and delicious #NeiPayasam

During the Aadi masam, it is common for people to perform Bhagavathi Sevai puja at their homes to worship the Goddess mother. The priest (Vadhyar) draws the Padmam himself and decorates it with yellow turmeric powder and red Kumkumam. The vilakkus (either two or three as per the tradition of each house) are then decorated with flower garlands, chandanam(sandal paste) and kumkumam. They are filled with ghee and lit. The puja starts with the invocation of Lord Ganesh. This is followed by invocation of Goddess Parashakthi. Lalitha Sahasranamam, Lalitha Thrisithi Mantram, Durga Sooktham, and some chapters from the Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Sapta Shathi) are chanted, while offering various types of flowers to the Goddess.  The atmosphere is divine and one can actually feel the presence of the Devi when the puja is performed with sincerity and devotion. 

There are two neivedyams offered during this puja, the delicious Nei Payasam and Ulundu Vadai. The neivedhyam is then offered as prasadam to all those who are attending the puja.

Here is the recipe for the Nei Payasam

Ingredients

Raw Rice – 250 gms.

Jaggery - 1 Kg.

Ghee – ½ Kg

Cardamom – 6-8 crushed to powder

Fresh coconut – finely sliced ½ cup

Method of Preparation

First sauté the thinly sliced coconut pieces in ghee till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

Wash the rice well and cook.

Powder the jaggery/vellam/gud (you can use powdered vellam available in grocery stores). Take the jaggery in water just enough to dissolve in a thick bottomed vessel or Kadhai.

Boil it till all the jaggery melts and dissolves into syrup. Strain for impurities.

Add the cooked rice to the jaggery syrup and stir continuously while adding ghee little by little. You have to ensure that no lumps are formed. The mixture will thicken as you keep stirring. It will slowly start leaving the sides of the vessel. Add the powdered cardamom and the coconut slices.

The delicious Nei payasam for neivedyam is ready.

(For a variation you can sauté some cashew and raisins in ghee along with the coconut slices. It tastes really good.)  

#Aadi #Bhagavathi_Sevai #Nei_Payasam #recipe

#AadiPandigai/ #AadiPirappu – #cultural and #religious #significance of the #AadiMasam in #TamilNadu #Festival 8

Everywhere in TamilNadu, there are posters and announcements of Aadi thallupadi. These indicate heavy discounts for shoppers through the month on almost all items including clothes, jewellery, electronic items and consumer goods. But though the month is a shopper’s delight, it is not the only thing which makes the month of Aadi significant. There are cultural and religious intonations galore, what with a plethora of festivals included in the religious itinerary for the month.

AadiPirappu (16^th July 2020) marks the beginning of the Dakshinayana punyakalam (the night of the Devas) which lasts till the end of the month of Margazhi. Beautiful Kolams are drawn in front of the house and entrances are decorated with maavelai thoranam. A visit to a nearby temple is followed by a feast which includes delicious payasam and vadai.   Aadi Pandigai is of special significance to newly married couples. They are invited to the bride’s home to partake in an elaborate luncheon and are presented with new clothes and other gifts.

Aadimasam is said to be dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Amman. Devotees perform the sacred Bhagavathi Sevai puja either in their homes or in the temples. Tuesdays and Fridays of the month, (Aadi Chevvai and Aadi Velli) are extremely significant for worship. Devi Mahatmyam, Devi Bhagavatam and Lalitha Sahasranamam are recited with great devotion and fervor. Aadi Pooram (24^th July 2020) is celebrated as the birthday of the Goddess. The famous temples of Madurai Meenakshi Amman, Kanchi Kamakshi Amman, the Aadhiparashakthi Amman temple at Melmaruvathur and Srivilliputhur Andal are full of festivities, as are all other temples in the State dedicated to the Goddess. The celestial union of Mahavishnu as Ranganatha Swami and Goddess Andal (who is believed to be the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi) is celebrated on Aadi Pooram day. In addition, Varalakshmi Vratham (31^st July 2020) is performed to invoke the blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

 The eighteenth day of the month is Padinettam Perukku (2^nd August 2020), the festival, celebrated to honour and thank Mother Nature for her benevolence.   People gather to worship on the banks of the sacred river Cauvery and then have a variety of rice preparations.

 Aadi Krithigai is dedicated to the worship of Lord Murugan. Coincidently, Aadi Krithigai is falling on 16^th July 2020, the same day as Aadi pirappu. Not only that, 16^th July 2020 is also Ekadashi, making it such a spiritually significant day.

Amavasya is Aadi month is special too, as people pay obeisance to departed ancestors at sacred places like the Agnitheertham at Rameshwaram and the confluence of the seas at Kanyakumari.

Aadimasam is significant for devotion, worship and spiritual programs. However, it is considered inauspicious to conduct weddings or have new beginnings during this month.

#AadiPandigai #AadiPirappu #AadiMasam  #TamilNadu #MaduraiMeenakshi #AndalThirukalyanam  #AadiKrithigai #AadiAmavasya