Yellu Bella for Sankranthi – Jan 15th 2011

With the new year 2011 fast approaching, the 2nd week of 2011 is the festival “Makara Sankranthi”. I will be traveling the week of Jan 9th to Jan 14th to Atlanta, GA and so am planning to prepare yellu a week before. This stays for many many days even months.

Attached below are the pictures and the steps to making Yellu Bella.

I use the following proportion to prepare the yellu:

* 1/2 cup Yellu or Sesame Seeds
* 1 cup Groundnuts or peanuts ( Fried, skin removed and cut into half)
* 1 cup Dhalia or hurigadale
* 1 cup finely chopped dry coconut
* 1 cup Jaggery, finely chopped

Usually the Sesame seeds are cleaned, washed and dried. Later, they are fried. I skip this step, and just fry the Sesame seeds for a few minutes.

Next, grate the black portion of the dry coconut. Chop them into squares as shown in the above picture. Chop the Jaggery also and make sure they are dry. My mom used to keep it in the sun for a few days.

Mix, all the ingredients together. Distrubute to your family and friends. If all the ingredients are dry, it will stay for months.

Meaning of Raghavendra

In case you are interested in knowing the meaning of the word “Raghavendra”, please visit the blog here:

• http://kalpavrikshakamadhenu.wordpress.com/

Meaning of Pujyaya Raghavendraya Shloka

The meaning of this great Shloka has been posted on the Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu blog. Have a read here:

• Miracles of Sri Raghavendra Swamy

1st Miracle by Sree Raghavendra Swamy

The first miracle Rayaru performed from the Brindavana has been posted in the new blog. Attached below is the link for the same:

• 1st Miracle by Sree Raghavendra Swamy

New Blog – Just for Miracles of Shri Raghavendra Swamy

I have been thinking from many many months about adding a new page for the miracles of Shri Raghavendra Swamy. This blog has been utilized to its fullest, and I don’t have much space left here, and also adding a new page doesn’t really work well. So, I decided to create a new blog for just this. The blog will have everything about our Beloved Gurugalu. I will keep posting about everything I did in this blog, and anything related our Gurugalu will be posted in this new blog.

To begin with, I posted the “Last Speech of Shri Raghvendra Swamy” as my first post. The background, theme everything is Rayaru.

Attached below is the link:

• http://kalpavrikshakamadhenu.wordpress.com/

Notice the name, Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu which is our beloved Rayaru’s nick name. Enjoy the blog.

Note: Please share with me all the miracles you have had by the grace of our Gurugalu. I have several and will be posting them one after another.

Vaikunta Ekadashi – December 17th 2010

Vaikunta Ekadashi falls in the month December-January. This year it falls on December 17th 2010. This is observed with all solemnity in the temples of Lord Vishnu.

Vaikunta Ekadashi is of great significance at the Tirupati Balaji Temple, and also all Balaji temples. They prepare what is called a “Swargada Bagilu” also called as ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven‘ This gate is opened on this day. This is the passage encircling the innermost sanctum of the Lord. Scores of devotees queue up to pass through the Gate of Vaikunta in the temples.

Orthodox Madhwa people in South India observe complete fasting on ordinary Ekadashi day.

For the devotees of Lord Vishnu, every Ekadashi is a very sacred day No rice should be eaten on Ekadashi days. This is very important.

Those who are unable to fast completely can take some light fruit and milk. So you may ask why we shouldn’t eat rice, so here comes the story for the same.

The sweat that fell down from the head of Brahma assumed the form of a demon and said to the Lord, “O Lord! now give me an abode to dwell.” Brahma replied, “O demon! go and dwell in the rice particles eaten by men on Ekadashi day and become worms in their stomach.” For this reason rice is prohibited on Ekadashi.

If you don’t believe in this story, just think of all the benefits you can get from fasting.

Fasting makes a man strong, both spiritually and mentally.Fasting controls passion. It checks the emotions. It controls the senses also. It is good to fast once in a while as it recuperates the body. Ekadashi observance cleans our body and the digestive organs get much needed rest.

Those people suffering from ailments and on medications should take the advice of a doctor before fasting. Never torture your body in the name of religion. There is nothing wrong in having fruits or milk. And you can bring a certain amount of flexibility in the way it is observed.