Samskruthi

Ratha Sapthami

2011-02-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

I falls on 7th day of Magha masam. In 2011 it falls in Feb 10th. It is celebrated as Sun God's birth day.

Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami (Sanskrit: रथसप्तमी, Telugu: రథ సప్తమి, Kannada:ರಥಸಪ್ಥಮಿ) or Magha Saptami is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Maagha. It marks the seventh day following the Sun’s northerly movement (Uttarayana) of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god’s birthday).

Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year. The festival is observed by all Hindus in their houses and in innumerable temples dedicated to Surya, across India.

Prasadam: Annam Paramannam

Lalitha Pancharatnam

2010-04-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

Right now my kids are learning Lalitha Pancharatnam. This song is composed by Adi Sankaracharya and whoever recites this every morning will have good luck.

Pratha smarami Lalitha vadanaravindam,

Bimbadaram pradhula maukthika shobhi nasam,

Aakarna deerga nayanam mani kundaladyam,

Mandasmitham mruga madojjwala phala desam. 1

Prathar Bhajami Lalitha Bhuja kalpa vallim,

Rathnanguleeya lasathanguli pallavadyam,

Manikhya hema valayangadha Shobha maanam,

Pundreshu Chapa kusumeshu sruneen dadhanam. 2

Prathar namami lalitha charanaravindam,

Bhakteshta dana niratham bhava sindhu potham,

Padmasanadhi sura nayaka poojaneeyam,

Padmangusa dwaja sudarsana lanchanadyam. 3

Pratha sthuthave parasivaam lalithaam bhvaneem,

Trayyanha vedhya vibhavam karunanan vadhyam,

Viswasya srushti vilaya sthithi hethu bhootham,

Visweswareem nigama vang mana sathi dhooram. 4

Prathar vadami lalithe thava punya nama,

Kameswarethi, kamalethi Maheswareethi,

Sri shambhaveethi jagatham janani parethi,

Vag deva thethi vachasa tripureswareethi. 5

Ya sloka panchakam idham, Lalithambikya,

Soubhagyuam, sulalitham patathi prabhathe,

Thasmai dadathi lalitha jadithi prasanna,

Vidhyaam sriyam vimala soukha manantha keerthim.

TIMMANAM ( Kobbari Payasam)

2010-04-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, you heard it!! Timmanam, a traditional dish from Konaseema region. This is a very common dish in our childhood days. We used eat it with disa too as a child. But now, it has been a long time I made this. I had a fresh coconut, so I decided to do this for today's dinner along with dosa.

Timmanam recipe

1 cup freshly grated coconut
1 cup rice soaked for an hour ( I used long grain rice)
Whole Milk 2 and half cups
Sugar 1/2 cup ( I used only 1/3)
cardamom 5, safron a few strands.

Boil the milk, in the mean time grind soaked rice and freshly grated coconut together to a fine paste. Once the bilk is boiled pour this mixture into the milk and stir. When it turns thick, add sugar and stir. Now add cardamom and saffron.

Enjoy the dish.

Unconditional Love

2010-03-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

గంగి గోవు

Can you name this flower??

2010-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

ఈ పువ్వు పేరు మీకు తెలుసా?

Benefits I noticed reciting slokas loud

2010-03-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

I know many people just say their prayers inside their hearts. I personally noticed these benefits while reciting slokad load 1. My kids gets them while I recite them. 2. I can hold breath for more time, kind of exercise to your throat. Learning and reciting improves retaining capacity. 3. More concentration 4. Peaceful after recitation. Do you see any benefits, you can share them here.

Vishnu Sahasranamam

2010-03-02T12:09:00.001-08:00

I am learning Vishnu Sahasranamam right now.

Mahalakshmi Astakam lyrics

2010-03-02T12:06:00.001-08:00

Hello

2009-12-27T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is a small effort to teach my kids aged 8 and 5 about my culture and heritage. We are basically from Andhrapradesh, precisely the Konasema region called Amalapuram. I have great memories of my childhood going to my grand parents place and cherishing all the festivals, nature.

I teach my kids slokams, one at a time.

What they are learning currently is Mahalakshmi Astakam.