Mint Mango Chutney – ಫುದಿನಾ ಮಾವಿನಕಾಯಿ ಚಟ್ನಿ

Raw mangoes have become a constant in my house. Just love the flavor of Raw Mango. Made this delicious chutney from the Mint which has started growing in my place.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup fresh grated coconut
2. 1/4 cup grated Raw Mango
3. 10-12 Mint/Pudina leaves
4. 1/2 bunch coriander leaves
5. 10 green chillies
6. 1 inch grated ginger
7. 1/2 tsp lemon juice
8. salt to taste, and 1/4 tsp sugar
9. for seasoning – 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal. 1 red chilli, 4 curry leaves, pinch of hing

Method:

1. Grate Raw Mango, and Coconut. Wash the Pudina/Mint.
2. Now, add all the ingredients from 1-8 and grind to a smooth paste.
3. Heat a small pan, add 1 tsp oil. Now add all the ingredients mentioned in 9 for seasoning.
4. Add this seasoning to the chutney, and serve with Idli, Dosa, Poori, chapathi or GundaPongalu

P.S: I didn’t add the seasoning, since didn’t want to eat too much oil.

Update: Concert by Padma Vibhushan Dr. M Balamurali Krishna

Like I mentioned earlier, we had been to the Concert yesterday. Below are some of the songs I could note down which Dr. M Balamurali Krishna sang. He is 82 years old, but his voice was unbelievable. We enjoyed every moment of this concert.

The first invocation song was on Lord Krisna, Ganapthi and Hanuman. It was called Sri Sakala Ganadhipa Palayamam, Aarabhi Raga.

http://music.raag.fm/Carnatic_Movies/songs-19093-Maestro_At_His_Best-Dr_M_Balamuralikrishna

The second song was again his own composition on Lord Hanuman. It was called Hanuma Anuma Oh Mana Ma. This song has just stuck in my mind, and I have been reciting this every since I returned from the concert.

The next two were pure Carnatic songs.

The 5th one was Pibare Rama Rasam. The song can be found here on youtube:

The next song he sung was composed just for the concert the day before. It was again on Lord Hanuman.

It was called ramanamave niku raksha, hanuma ni namave maku raksha. It was just awesome.

I tried noting down the songs, raaga but not knowing Telugu I had a hard time understanding them.

It was just an awesome evening we spent. One of the most memorable nights of my life thus far.

For those of you residing in the DC Area, just wanted to let you all know that next Saturday, there is a concert organized by SBAT.org. Padma Vibhushan Dr. M Balamurali Krishna is going to sing along with others.

It is by on Saturday April 6, 2013 at Greenbelt. This location is near Shiva Vishnu Temple. We just purchased to tickets for the event. The location is:

EleanorRoosevelt High School,

7601 Hanover Pkwy, Greenbelt, MD-20770

For more details check sbat.org.

Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ

I am just so tired of preparing the same Upittu, Sabhudana Khicahdi, Avalakki and Chapathi on Thursday’s. Today, I decided I am going to try something different. The refrigerator was almost empty, with just carrots and 1 cucumber. There was lots of frozen vegetables, but I had to prepare something quick and get to work. So, I decided to make Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ. Akki Rotti – ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ at my place can always have just one vegetable and it is Onion. My husband was not sure why I was preparing Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ on a weekday. I told him, it will not take too much time, and will be ready even before he realized. I use one Tava and one Bandale so I can make two at a time. The Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ  was just amazing.

This Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ is very common in most of my relatives houses where they have never eaten Onions. Like in my Mysore Ajji’s house. Ajji has never eaten Onion. She used to prepare Cucumber Akki Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ for her, and onion rottis for us when she stayed with us.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Rice Flour
2. 1 large Cucumber finely grated
3. 6-8 green chillies finely chopped
4. 1/4 cup fresh or frozen coconut
5. 8-10 sprigs cilantro leaves finely chopped
6. 1 tsp jeera
7. salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with water. The dough should be pillable, not too watery.

In a cold pan or tava, add 1 tsp oil. Now take a tennis size ball of the dough and place in the center of the tava.

With your palms, slowly start tapping the dough until it forms a thin circle around the tava.

You can add oil or water to your finger tips while doing this.

Once the rotti is thin and evenly spread, turn the gas on and place this Tava.

Let it cook in medium heat until all sides are done.

Simultaneously on another stove, make the rotti on a bandale, pan.

Reverse and cook for a minute or two.

Serve with Chutney or pickle.It tastes crunchy, spicy and way too yummy.

P.S:  After you finish making one rotti, the tava or pan has to washed in cold water so that you make another one. If the pan is hot, the dough sticks and you can’t make a thin rotti.

You can find recipes for other rotis posted here:

• Cucumber Rotti – ಸೌತೇಕಾಯಿ  ರೊಟ್ಟಿ with Jowar flour
• Akki Rotti

3 Million(30 Lakh) Visitors to Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu – Thank You

It is with great joy that I am writing this post to inform all of the visitors that this blog has exceeded 3 Million (30 Lakh) visitors.

There are many visitors who are not just visitors, but regular contributors. Thanks to each and every one who contribute regularly to this blog. Also, there are many who regularly comment and bring a smile to my face. And I do thank many of you who write to me personally, and many who don’t comment.

The blog has more than 600 posts with several thousand comments. I am amazed by the wonderful emails I receive from many who are regular visitors. It brings a great sense of satisfaction that I have been able to influence and be a great role model for many of you. Thanks for letting me know that as well. What started as a hobby has become an obsession now. I am really happy that I am able to contribute something useful to our community.

Once again, three million thanks to all the contributors, and to all those who visit and comment, and also to those who visit and don’t comment.

May our Beloved Rayaru who’s B-Day is tomorrow, bless each and every 3 Million Visitor.

Maha Shivaratri – 10th March 2013

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated on Sunday March 10th 2013. It is mandatory to visit the temple and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva during this day. In many customs they do fast on this day, but in our Madhwa tradition it is a festival and we do not fast. I remember visiting the Shiva Temple at Vijaya College in Bijapur which had 1001 Lingas along with my parents every year.

The SSVT temple in Greenbelt is celebrating Shivarathri on March 9th 2013. The SBAT temple is celebrating on March 10th 2013.

Attached below are prayers to say for Lord Shiva and seek his blessings.

Vandhe Sambhum Umaapathim Suragurum
Vandhe Jagath Kaaranam
Vandhe Pannaga Bhooshanam Mrigadharam
Vandhe Pasoonaam Pathim
Vandhe Soorya Sasaanga Vahnni Nayanam
Vandhe Mukundha Priyam
Vandhe Baktha Janaasryam Cha
Varadham Vandhe Sivam Sankaram

Meaning:

I bow to Sambu the Lord of Uma and the teacher of the Devas. I bow to the Lord Who is the root cause of the entire world. I bow to the Lord, Who has the serpent as His ornament, Who carries a deer. I bow to the Lord of all beings. I bow to the Lord Who has the Sun, the Moon and the Fire as His three eyes. I bow to Him Who is fond of Mukundha. I bow to Him, Who is the refuge of all devotees and Who grants boons to them. I bow to Siva, the creator of all auspicious things.

This blog has lyrics for several songs on Lord Shiva. Check the links below

• lingashtakam-shiva-stuthi

• ಶ್ರೀ ರುದ್ರ ದ್ವಾದಶನಾಮ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ – Sree Rudra Dwadashanama Stotra Lyrics

• ಭೋ ಶಂಭೋ ಶಿವ ಶಂಭೋ -Bho Shambho Shiva Shambho Lyrics

• ಚಂದ್ರಚೂಡ ಶಿವಶಂಕರ ಪಾರ್ವತಿ – Chandrachooda Shivashankara Parvathi Lyrics

• ಧವಳ ಗಂಗೆಯ ಗಂಗಾಧರ – Dhavala Gangeya Gangadhara Lyrics

• Song on Kashi Vishwanatha

• Namo Buthanatha – Song from Sathya Harischandra Movie

• Shiva Ashtotra PDF @ SSVT

2012 Year in Blogging – Amazing Numbers

I received this statistics from wordpress.com yesterday. The report was mind blowing and amazing as well. I thought it would be nice to share it with you all as well and thank a few people who have tirelessly sent many lyrics, recipes and commented as well.

Attached below are some statistics. Very interesting. 910,000 visitors in a year. Oh my god, unbelievable.

Visitors from 181 countries, can you believe that?

• India – 480,801 Visitors
• USA – 180,806
• United Kingdom – 18,634
• Australia – 11,806
• Madagascar – 5 (Haha)

And drum roll please, below is the list of most comments received. Thanks so much to each one of you. This blog wouldn’t have been possible without you all.

ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಕಡಲೇಬೇಳೆ ಪಾಯಸ or Akki-Kadalebele-Rice-Channadal Payasa

If you have been to any of the Rayara Matta’s and had lunch, you sure would have eaten ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಕಡಲೇಬೇಳೆ  ಪಾಯಸ  Akki-Kadalebele Payasa. This is one of the most common dishes made in many Madhwa houses for any festival. It tastes so good. Everyone in my family just loves this payasa. It is also quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups Rice
2. 1 and 1/2 Cups Channadal
3. 3 Cups Jaggery or Brown Sugar
4. 1/4 Cup Raisins +  Cashews
5. 6 Cardamom finely crushed
6. 5 tsp Dry Coconut
7. 6-7 Strands Saffron
8. 4 Tsp Ghee
9. Milk 1/4 Cup (optional)

Method:

1. Add 2 tsp Ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Fry the Rice and Channa dal. The rice and channadal changes color, that’s when you know it is done.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and fry the cashews, raisins and coconut. Keep aside.
3. Transfer the fried rice and channadal into a vessel, add 4 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
4. Once the pressure subsides, transfer the cooked rice and channadal into a pan.
5. Add the Jaggery. Let it boil for quite sometime.
6. Next, add the fried raisins, cashews and coconut.
7. Put the Saffron strands in 3 tsp milk and keep it for a few minutes.
8. Add this also to the Payasa.
9. If you want to make it a little bit thin, add the rest of the milk. Also add crushed cardamom.
10. Serve either cold or pipping hot.

Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ

Our Guru Sree Madhvacharya has explained in his Tantrasara that “ಪೂಜ್ಯಶ್ಚ್ಹ ಭಾಗವನ್ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜಾ ಮಂಡಲೇ”. In English “Poojyascha Bhagavan
nityam chakraabjamandale”.  Worshiping the Almighty Lord with  Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ as a pedestal or peetha is very rewarding.

So, what is the meaning of Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ?

• Chakra means wheel
• Abja means Lotus in Sanskrit and
• Mandala is the frame work

I had learnt to draw this when I came to the US several years back from my Brother-in-law Balaji’s ( my sister Suma’s husband) grandmother who was here in the US.

However, due to several reasons this rangoli had completely skipped my mind and I forgot drawing this. During the Shravana Masa, my Little Niece Shwetha, you all know her right? The one who drew our beloved Raghavendra Swamigalu had drawn this for Sree Anantha Padmanabha Vrata. My Sister showed it to me when I visited her house for the festival.

You can see the picture Shwetha has drawn in the picture below, I have a red/yellow arrow pointing to the same. There are two, one exactly below the table, and the other can’t be seen since the God is on top of the rangoli.

I came back home and started searching the drawing online, to find none. Accidentally I opened the “ಸಾಧನ ದೀಪಿಕಾ  or Sadhana Deepika” book I had, and there it was the Rangoli. It is customary to draw this while performing pooje, and than place the Lord or any God you are performing pooje on top of this rangoli.

I will post a step by step instruction on how to draw this Chakrabja Mandala – ಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜ ಮಂಡಲ soon. For the time being attached below are images of the same.

1. This image is from my “ಸಾಧನ ದೀಪಿಕಾ  or Sadhana Deepika” book.

2. This image is from SBAT temple. Details of the temple can be found here. Scroll down in the page, and you will see several images. 
http://sbat.org/Poojas_Homas.html.

Yeddu Baruthare Noode Lyrics

Shri Raghavendra Swamy Picture at my house.

There is no dearth for lyrics on Shri Raghavedra Swamy. It would take me almost years to post all the songs I have on Rayaru. So, here comes one which when you hear being sung by Sri Vidyabhushana feel like Rayaru is actually walking out of the brindavana and coming near you.

Yeddu baruthare Node, tha
eddu baruthare Node ||pa||

Muddu Brindavanada Madyadolaginda
Thiddi hachida nama Mudregaloputhive

Galadolu Shri Tulasi Nalinakshi Malegalu
Cheluva Mukhadolu Poleva Danthagalinda ||1||

Hridaya Sadanadalli Padubhanamana Bhajisi
Mudamanadinda Nitya SadaMalaRoopa Thali ||2||

Data Guru Jaganatha Vittalana
Prithiya Padisutha Doothara Poreyutha ||3||

You can listen to this song from the album Sri Raghavendra Dayanidhe sung by Sri Vidyabhushana

• Sri Raghavendra Dayanidhe

Major Blog Changes Coming….

With almost 600 posts, several hundred lyrics on various Gods and Goddesses, several food posts, rangoli posts, it has become a nightmare for me to even manage this blog. So, today I decided to organize the pages and posts. So, in the next few weeks you might see several changes in the blog.

The first change I did today was to create two new sub pages for Lyrics. One is called “Goddess Lakshmi” and the other “Sree Raghavendra Swamy”. These two pages and several others which will be added will contain details about the same. For examples, the page “Goddess Lakshmi” has links for all the lyrics and other details on Lakshmi Devi. You can see these pages on the top right hand side of the site.

A sample picture is shown below.

When you click on “Goddess Lakshmi” link, it will open up another page which has links for all lyrics for Goddess Lakshmi. A sample screen shot is shown below:

I am going to organize all the content so it is more easily searchable and manageable even to me.

Hope this will help all the visitors as well, and the many many contributors to know what lyrics and other content is posted and needs to be posted.

Try the links on the new pages and let me know what you think. All your suggestions and comments are really appreciated.