Look What I made!

It is Rakhi today and  this time I wanted to make Rakhis from my brothers but couldn't. So I made the next best thing. I learnt to make awesome Rasgullas from Ki here.
But since my brother is very fond of Rasmalai, I boiled these in milk! :P Now I don't know if I did it right, But they turned out really well Thank you Kiii!!!!!:*:*
See for yourself-

 SEE? I know Ki is super proud of me. Except for the part where I burnt the almonds:P

 Mum made gulab jamum just incase. :P But we have loads of cousins here! HK & ZK are the only boys in this generation in our khandan! There was only one girl in the previous one!:P

Hope you all have a very happy fun filled day!

Rakhi

I almost retired to bed watching Tangled only to remember that I wanted to do a post on Rakhi (Rakshabandhan).
This is one of my  most favourite festivals ever!!! Umm.. most festivals that involve me getting presents are my favourite like Rakhi, Diwali, Christmas,.. my birthday?! :)
Usually I get presents ON Rakhi. Just this time I got one in advance. You all know what I got for Rakhi this time. My brothers have been very generous! :D

Rakhi is a festival celebrated by brothers and sisters.. Where the sister prays for her brother's success, prosperity and longevity while tying a sacred thread (Rakhi) on her brothers wrist and the brothers in-turn make a promise to protect their sisters for life. Oh and they give her some presents too!:P

This was our first Rakhi. He was 7 months old and I was 5 years old. I tied him a Rakhi and was very happy. I had a sibling FINALLY! He tore it and put it in my hair. Then wanted it. (and That red thing ISN'T the Rakhi :P It was a bow I loved back then, but the Rakhi is somewhere there!:P)

These are the Rakhis I bought my brothers and my dad this time. (I know its not a dad thing but we were always away from our relatives and my aunt couldn't ever tie my dad a Rakhi(after he joined the army) so I did every year. Now even though my aunt and us live in the same city, I continue to tie him a Rakhi. :)

So excited to do this in the morning!

Since I have a lot of foreign readers I wanted to add the whole story of Rakhi. Its one of the most beautiful tales ever!

[Straight from Wikipedia]-
Rakshabandhan is a festival primarily observed in India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. The festival is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.


Legend-

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

A popular narrative that is centered around Rakhi is that of Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which dates to 1535 CE. When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor.^[18] Humayun arrived too late, and Bahadur Shah managed to sack the Rani's fortress. Karnavati, along with a reported 13,000 other women in the fortress, carried out Jauhar on March 8, 1535, killing themselves to avoid dishonor while the men threw the gates open and rode out on a suicidal charge against Bahadur Shah's troops.^[19][20] When he reached Chittor, Humayun evicted Bahadur Shah from fort and restored the kingdom to Karnavati's son, Vikramjit Singh.^[19] Although contemporary commentators and memoirs do not mention the Rakhi episode and some historians have expressed skepticism about it, it is mentioned in one mid-seventeenth century Rajasthani account.

There are more. But I knew of this mainly.. :)

VaraLakshmi Vratam

You know what I love about my country the most? (I get super patriotic in August :P) I love how there is history and there are tales and legends born here. But most of all, I love the celebration my country believes in.


Its a long weekend for most of us especially in the South and that starts on Friday (just about now). Then it is Rakhi or Rakshabandhan which deserves a post of its own and then on Monday it is something all Indians are proud of. Our Independence day! Yay!


Anyway, For now-
It is the Varalakshmi Puja today or the Varalakshmi Vratam as we call it in Andhra Pradesh. It is a puja (prayer) performed by married women on the first Friday of this month (Shravan). This is what I know and the rest, Wikipedia shall tell you!


Varalaksmi Vratha (Varalakshmi Vratam) is a sacred day in Hinduism. The ceremony is performed by married Hindu ladies on the Friday before the full moon in the month of Sravana in the Hindu calendar (corresponding to July/August in the western calendar). Those who cannot perform it on that day, can do it on any other Friday in that month. This is an important Vratha, meaning a vowed religious observance in Sanskrit. Varamahalakshmi Vratha is performed more commonly in the southern Indian States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and also in parts ofMaharashtra and Orissa.

As the legend goes, this is a pooja that was pronounced by no other than Lord Parameswara (Lord Shiva) to be performed by his consort Parvathi to seek prosperity and happiness for the family. Thus it came to be emulated by married women who sought boons (varam) for the health, wealth and knowledge for the entire family. In some cases, women prayed for being blessed with children. The prescribed day for the pooja is the Friday of the month of Sravan in the fortnight known as Sukla paksha, preceding the full moon day.


Here is wishing each one of you a lifetime of prosperity, enlightened intellect and happiness!

Happy Holi

Good morning everybodyyyy!!!!


It is Holi todayyyy!!!!

Source- 

http://holifestivaltrip.blogspot.com/

Holi, or Holli (Hindi: होली), is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka,^[1] and countries with large Indic diaspora populations, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United Kingdom, United States, Mauritius, and Fiji. In West Bengal and Orissa of India it is known as Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav ("spring festival"). The most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. These places have become tourist destinations during the festive season of Holi, which lasts here to up to sixteen days.^[2]

The main day, Holi, also known as Dhuli Vandana in Sanskrit, also Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister ofHiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in South India.

Shamelessly copied from Wikipedia :D