JIvakusumavidu Misalu Ninage – ಜೀವಕುಸುಮವಿದು ಮೀಸಲು ನಿನಗೆ Lyrics

Contributed by Ms. Bhavana Damle. An amazing composition from Pujya Sree Swami Brahmananda Ji of Chinamaya Mission. Thanks, Bhavana for any amazing song and lyrics.

ರಚನೆ: ಪೂಜ್ಯ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾನಂದಜೀ, ಚಿನ್ಮಯ ಮಿಷನ್
ಗಾಯಕಿ : ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಶಾಂತಾ ಜಯತೀರ್ಥ

ಜೀವಕುಸುಮವಿದು ಮೀಸಲು ನಿನಗೆ
ಉದ್ಧರಿಸು ದೇವ ದೇವಾಧಿದೇವ |
ನೇಸರನ ಹೊಂಗಿರಣ ಸೋಂಕದ ಮುನ್ನ
ಸುಳಿಯುವ ತಂಗಾಳಿ ಸೋಂಕದ ಮುನ್ನ
ಉದ್ಧರಿಸು ದೇವ ದೇವಾಧಿದೇವ ||

ಪಾತಾಳದಿಂದಾಚೆ ನಿನ್ನಯ ಚರಣ
ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಂಡದಿಂದಾಚೆ ನಿನ್ನಯ ಮುಕುಟ
ಬೃಹತ್ತು ನೀನು ಅಲ್ಪತೆಯು ನಾನು
ಉದ್ಧರಿಸು ದೇವ ದೇವಾಧಿದೇವ ||

ಬೇಡನ ಕೊಂಡೊಯ್ದೆ ಕೈಲಾಸನಿಧಿಗೆ
ಕೂರಂಬು ಎಸೆದ ನರನಿಗೆ ಒಲಿದೆ
ಭಕ್ತಿಯ ಪ್ರಿಯ ನೀನು ಭಕ್ತರ ಪ್ರಿಯ ನೀನು
ಉದ್ಧರಿಸು ದೇವ ದೇವಾಧಿದೇವ ||

jIvakusumavidu mIsalu ninage
uddharisu dEva dEvAdhidEva |
nEsarana hoMgiraNa sOMkada munna
suLiyuva taMgALi sOMkada munna
uddharisu dEva dEvAdhidEva ||

pAtALadiMdAce ninnaya caraNa
brahmAMDadiMdAce ninnaya mukuTa
bRuhattu nInu alpateyu nAnu
uddharisu dEva dEvAdhidEva ||

bEDana koMDoyde kailAsanidhige
kUraMbu eseda naranige olide
Baktiya priya nInu Baktara priya nInu
uddharisu dEva dEvAdhidEva ||

Yakshagana in SBAT, Maryland – October 10th

The temple I often write about here in Maryland, USA is hosting artists from Karnataka, who are going to perform Yakshagana. If you are free and near the area, please do visit. I will try visiting as well. I have seen Yakshagana once and just love the art.

Details attached below.

24/7 Radio on Guru Raghavendra

Mr.DIWAKAR RAO N sent me an email a couple days back about the Radio. He had sent me a link of Android radio on Guru Raghavendra, which naturally didn’t work for me since I have an iPhone. Tried many options and couldn’t get it working. So, I did what best I do, googled the same and alas found the link on Facebook and a couple other places for the radio.

For those of you having an Android phones, you can download the same from the link below:

Guru Raghavendra Bhakthi Radio – Android Apps on Google Play

For those of you having a iPhone, the following search on the AppStore allows you to download the app:

Guru Raghavendra Radio

For those of you who want to listen on your laptop, below is the link:

http://www.gururaghavendraradio.org/

So, doesn’t matter what device or computer you have, you can now listen to Songs and Pravachanas at your finger tips.  I heard a few amazing songs, and still looking for the lyrics. Once found will post it here.

Once again, Thanks Mr.DIWAKAR RAO N  for sharing such a wonderful link.

The program schedule as per the website is as such:

• Guru Raghavendra Radio Schedule (24×7) every day – All times Mantralayam (india) Time:
• Tamil Songs Morning – 4:00 am – 6:30 am
• Suprabatha Seva – 6:30 am
• Devotee Time (Real Interviews with devotees on Rayarus miracles in Kannada, English, Tamil and Telugu) – 1 AM ,3 am, 9 am , 11 am, 12:30 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm,8 pm, 10 pm
• Tamil Songs Evening – 4 pm
• Kannada Dasa Vaibhava will play All other times other than the times listed above. Rare songs on Rayaru sung by great haridasas in Kannada

2015 – Ganesha Festival Pictures

It was a blessing performing the pooja of Lord Ganesha. Since it was a week day, I had taken a day off. We also had invited a few families for evening Pooja and Dinner. I read the Story and we had a wonderful time. The feeling of performing the pooja and sharing it with others brings such joy to ones state of mind.I have no words to express those in English, nor does the dictionary have any words.

My Sister, Niece and my Husband ate on Banana leaf sitting down for lunch. I served them the food. The items I prepared were:

1. Moong Dal Kosambari
2. Channa Dal Kosambari
3. Bean Playa
4. Potato Methi Palya
5. Chatni
6. Plate Idli
7. Modaka
8. Kadabu
9. Capsicum Rice
10. Gulab Jamun
11. Rasam
12. Winter Melon Majjie Huli
13. Thove
14. Papad
15. Last but not least Yogurt

Dinner for my family and Friends in the night was on Steel plates. We had lots of good discussions in the night during the blog, the posts. Quite interesting. Humbled again by how popular this blog has become and how it has changed lives of many in our community.

I kept praying to Lord Ganesha that he overcome all the obstacles in ones life.

A few pictures for you all to enjoy until next year.

6 Million All Times Hits to Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu – Thank You

HAPPY AND JOYOUS GOWRI AND GANESHA FESTIVAL!!!

I had never imagined having so many visitors visit this blog even in my wildest dreams. I had posted about 5 Million just in late December, and within a few months to have another million is just unimaginable.

Just last month as you can see in the image, the blog had more than 200,000 visitors. It was just humbling to know that this blog has raised so much interest and enthusiasm about our food, festival and culture. Doesn’t matter where in the world you are, which remote part of the world you are, we have seen time and again that ” Where there is a WILL, there is a WAY. Where there is no WILL, there is a HILL”.

The comments I read here, and many of you have sent and have been constantly sending emails each and every time I post something which interests you, is truly the inspiration for this blog. I have met many of you personally, while in temples or any other place, when you come and ask ” Are you the same Meera of this blog”, I feel such joy which cannot be expressed in words. THANKS!

This blog has also taught me to be humble, honest, a good and compassionate person. The comments and emails which several of you share about your own experiences good and bad, happy and sad have completely changed my perspective about life.

The several comments each one of you share about you own miracles of our Beloved Rayaru have made me even more staunch devotee.

Where there is good, there is bad. Where there is sweet there is sour. Where there is Light there is also darkness. Where there is Happiness, there soon follows some sadness. Where there is birth, in the near future it is followed by death. Similarly, there are good comments and sometimes not so good. The bad and irrelevant make me sad just a tiny bit, and immediately follows a good one by the many who reply.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. Let us keep our culture alive, spread our customs and traditions in a good way and above all spread tolerance and patience.

None of this would have been possible without the blessings of Lord Almighty and our Beloved Rayaru.

THANKS AGAIN. AND HERE IS TO WISHING WE WILL REACH ANOTHER MILLION IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

Order of Food Items Served on Banana Leaf

Last week during Sree Krishnajanmasthami my daughter asked to be served food on Plantain leaf. We have 4 big pots which have the plants, and they are getting quite big now. So, we offered all the prasada to Lord Krishna in the leaf, and also used a few additional ones for us as well.

There were a few emails from my extended family who asked me to share the order of food items to be served during festivals and other occasions. The two images shown below are for two different occasions. The first one is served during festivals and the second one during Shradda and Paksha masa when you are performing the annual rituals for the departed souls. The food items prepared differ but the order remains the same.

If you click on the images displayed below, you can see the order of food items in English.

Below is the items listed to be served from left to right. Also remember the plantain leaf the narrow edge comes to the left hand side, and the broad ones towards your right hand side. For festivals, marriages and happy occasions draw rangoli in front of the leaf.

1. Start with salt at the left most corner.
2. If you are serving Chatni or pickle, it comes next. See second image.
3. All the way at the top left after salt, Channa Dal Kosambari
4. Next, Moong Dal Kosambari
5. After Kosambari, First Dry Vegetable Palya.
6. Than comes Second Dry Vegetable Palya.
7. Just below this is any sweet dish you have prepared like Laddu, Hayagreeva so on
8. Right bottom towards where you are sitting, any payasa you prepare like Shavige or Vermicilli.
9. Above that Thove. Both images have them shown.
10. All the way left bottom, Chitranna, Veg bath or lemon rice.
11. Next to the Chitranna, Papad or any fried item.
12. At the very center, White Rice.
13. Ghee on top of white rice and Payasa.
14. Once ghee is served and the priest finished giving hastodaka, start eating the food starting from Payasa.
15. Next, the Sambar or Kootu is served. Along with any fried items like papad, ambode, vada so on.
16. Once we finish eating sambar, any vegetable rice prepared such as lemon rice, Vangibath, Puliyogre is served.
17. Next, the payasa is served.
18. Following this is Rasam with Rice and ghee again
19. You ask for second servings of any vegetables and kosambari
20. The Sweet dish prepared such as Laddu, Hayagreeva, Chiroti is served.
21. Finally, Rice and yogurt.
22. Once you are done, make sure you put a few drops of water on the salt.
23. Close the leaf from top towards you so any leftover food items are covered.
24. If you serve me on a plantain leaf, my leaf will be clean. I never waste anything served. Seriously. 🙂

Enjoy a great tradition in our Hindu religion which is Eco friendly, less work since you don’t have to wash the plates and hygienic since you have no clue when and how those plates would have been cleaned.

 

Steamed Modaka – ಮೋದಕ Recipe

So many of you had asked for the recipe for Modaka – ಮೋದಕ prepared during Ganesha Festival. I had not prepared this one in a long long time. Last year I tried the same and it came out just delicious. We ate it with a dollop of Ghee. Yes, you heard it right, Ghee for a change.

So, here is what you require for preparing this.

Ingredients for the Coconut Filling:

• 2 and 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
• 2 and 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, or Powdered Jaggery
• 5 Cardamom
• 2 tsp Poppy Seeds, Gasgase fried in Ghee (optional)

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan , mix both the Coconut and Jaggery as shown below.

• Keep stirring the mixture and make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn.
• After, 10-15 minutes, the mixture will change its color to dark brown
• If it is too think, just add 2-3 drops of water.
• Once it becomes thick, add the ground Cardamom, and Poppy seeds.

Ingredients for the Dough:

* 1 cup rice flour
* 3/4 cup water – be judicious here
* pinch of salt
* 2 tsp oil

Method:

• Boil water in a pan. When it is boiling add salt, oil.
• Slowly mix the rice flour and keep stirring.Turn off the stove.
• When it is easy to handle and still hot, keep kneading the dough.
• When the dough is well kneaded, take a small ball in your palm, flatten the edges, keep the filling and close it.
• When you have completed all of them, place in a pan and steam it in a cooker.I used the Idli stand, steamed 4 at a time.
• Place it in a plantain leaf and offer to Lord Ganesha.

Sree Krishna Janmasthami Pictures – 2015

Hope you all had a wonderful Sree Krishna Janmasthami and celebrated the birth of our Almight Lord Krishna. We were planning to have this festival quite simple, and when our Daughter called and told us she would be joining us for the Festival, things changes completely. It was quite hectic, but at the end of the pooje so satisfying.  After the pooje when you sit back and look at the festivities, all your strain and pain just vanishes.

The Mango leaves and the plantain leaves were from our Garden!

The menu items I prepared were:

• Moong Dal Kosambari
• Chana Dal Kosambari
• Upma
• Kesari Bath
• Sweet Avalakki
• Khara Avalakki
• Majjige Avalakki
• Thengolu
• Ompudi
• Shankar Poli
• Kodubale

So, here are some pictures from my home.

Sree Krishna Janmasthami Recipes

Links for all Sree Krishna Janmasthami Recipes. These food items will have no onion and garlic. And these items and recipes can be prepared and offered to the Lord Krishna. No rice items.

The shopping items to be purchased are listed in this link:

• Shopping Items

Kosambari ಕೋಸಂಬರಿ

1. Cucumber Kosambari

2. ಕಡಲೆ ಬೇಳೆ ಕೊಸಂಬರಿ – Channa Dal Kosambari

ಚಟ್ನಿ Chutney

1. Channa Dal or Kadale Bele Chutney

2. Coconut Chutney

3. Pudina or Mint Chutney

4. Mint Mango Chutney – ಫುದಿನಾ ಮಾವಿನಕಾಯಿ ಚಟ್ನಿ

Bonda – ಬೋಂಡ ಭಜ್ಜಿ Bhajji

1. Heerekayi Bonda

2. Red and Green Capsicum Bonda or Fritters

3. Aloo Methi Pakoda

4. Ambode

5. Bombai (Aloo) Bonda

6. Sabhudani Vada – Gluten Free

ಸಿಹಿ ತಿಂಡಿಗಳು- Sweet Dishses

1. Badam Poori

2. Kayi Kadabu

3. Dry Coconut kadabu

4. Coconut Burfi

5. Thambittu or ತಂಬಿಟ್ಟು

6. Mango Rasayana or seekarane

7. Pineapple Kesaribath

8. Besan Unde or Laddoo

9. Rave Unde or Laddoo

ಪಾಯಸ – Payasa – Kheer

1. Broken Wheat Payasa

2. ಶಾವಿಗೆ ಪಾಯಸ – Vermicelli Kheer

3. Evaporated MilkyWay ಶಾವಿಗೆ ಪಾಯಸ – Vermicelli Kheer

4. ಹೆಸರು ಬೇಳೆ ಪಾಯಸ – Moong Dal Payasa

5. Gasgase or Poppy seeds Payasa

6. ಸೀಮೆಅಕ್ಕಿ ಪಾಯಸ – Sabhudana Kheer

7. ಹೆಸರು ಬೇಳೆ ಪಾಯಸ – Moong Dal Payasa – Variation 2

ತಿಂಡಿಗಳು – Breakfast

1. Mixed Vegetables Upma or Uppittu

2. Gojju Avalakki

3. Avalakki / Poha Bisibele Bath

4. Red Capsicum Upma – ಕೆಂಪು ದೊಣ್ಣೆ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ ಉಪಿಟ್ಟು

5. ಅಕ್ಕಿತರಿ ಉಪ್ಪಿಟ್ಟು – RiceRava Upma

Fired Items

1. Thengolu

2. Chakalli

3. Ompudi

4. Shankarpoli

5. Kobbari Mittai

6. Rave Unde or Laddoo

7. Besan Unde or Laddoo

8. Kodubale

9. Poori