Vaikunta Ekadasi ~ Mukkoti Ekadasi

Vaikunta Ekadashi is one of the most important Ekadasis. Ekadashi is an auspicious day dedicated to Bhagvan Srihari Vishnu and falls on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight in traditional Hindu calendar. In 2014, the date of Vaikunta Ekadasi is January 11.

 Swarga Vasal or or Paramapada opening is at 4:30 AM on January 11, 2014. Vaikuntha Ekadasi is observed in the Margali Month (Margazhi Masam) as per Tamil Calendar and in Pushya month as per Telugu Calendar. 

Vaikuntha Ekadashi is also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi and in Kerala it is known as Swargavathil Ekadasi.

Vaikunta Ekadasi festival is more elaborately celebrated by Vaishnavites. It is more prominent for Tamil and Telugu speaking people. Fasting, keep vigil at night and passing through the Vaikunta Dwaram are the important auspicious activities on the day.

Vaikunta Ekadasi is celebrated with great importance in Tirupati Balaji Temple, Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Sri PadmanabhaSwamyTemple-Thiruavanthapuram and Bhadrachalam Sita Ramachandraswamy temple. Apart from these temples, all the temples dedicated to Bhagvan Vishnu and his incarnations in South India celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi.

The most important ritual on the day in temples is the opening of the Vaikunta Dwaram or Paramapada Vasal door in Vishnu Temples. This door is only opened on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day and devotees are allowed to pass through it. Symbolically the door leads to the Vaikunta - abode of Vishnu.

This festival is celebrated in all Vaishnava Temples across the Globe with great devotion especially in South India. A special entrance gate known as Vaikunata Dwara is opened in all Lord Vishnu Temples and it is believed that one who have the darshan of the lord through this gate(Dwara) on this day removes all sins in the life.

According to our Indian puranas/epics, it is said that on this auspicious day, 

1)The churning of Ocean Milk(KsheeraSagara Madhanam) took place,

2)Lord Shiva consumed Nanju(Poison that was emanated from the churning of the milk ocean). Hence Shaivaites celebrated this day as Nanjunda Ekadasi.

3)Nectar of Immortality(Amrutam) was obtained.

4)Lord Krishna delivered Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battle of Kurukshetra.

Divya's Cooking Journey Wishes You all a Very Happy Vaikunta Darshan and Blessings from the Lord.

Happy New Year 2014.

Wishing You all of you my dear Family members,Friends and every one a Very Happy New year 2014!!

Thank You!!

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing You all a Very Happy &  Merry Christmas!!

Biyyam Pindi Carrot Roti ~ Rice Flour Carrot Roti

Ingredients:

• Rice flour- 2 cups
• Onion- 1 small chopped
• Grated Carrots-4 no
• Green chilies-3no
• Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
• Curryleaves-few
• Salt to taste
• Cooking Oil

Preparation:

• Take a blender/Jar ,add green chillies,salt,curry leaves,Cumin seeds and grind it to a paste.
• Take a bowl,add the rice flour,onion,grated carrot,grounded paste and make a smooth ,fine dough.
• Add water if needed.
• Finally add a drop of cooking oil and move the dough so that the oil is applied to the dough with out sticking to the container.
• Cover it with a lid and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Now make a small balls from the dough and make a circle shaped with the fingers and applying little oil.
• Heat a pan and cook it well on both sides by turning the Pancake.
• Serve it hot with Spicy powder or Chutney!!

Poli Swargam - The last day of Karthikamasam

The last day of the Karthika Masam is  known as "Poli -Swargam". Devotees celebrate this day by lighting  cotton wicks  (Deeparadhana votthulu) count of 33 which represent the whole month and the remaining two are for that day lighting lamps. 

One more ritual is followed by the women , is that  lighting 33 lamps  placing wicks  on top of the Gooseberry (Usiri) ,placing them Usiri Deepalu  on the betel leaves in front of the God.

On this particular day women of all ages including young girls who are not  married wake up early in the morning ,take spiritual head bath, perform pooja and then head to koneru or a small pond near by temple to leave the lights lit on plantain stems .These diyas are generally made of rice flour  .It is believed that the so called Poli goes to heaven if we leave those lights in a pond and perform all the rituals .This is mostly seen near the Durga Ghat near Vijayawada .People even perform prayers during dusk and leave those diyas .If they cannot reach the pond/koneru they leave them in a large vessel or bucket filled with  water. 

Rice Flour lamps

Lemon Diya With Cotton Wicks:

Arati Doppalo Deepalu:

All the devotees go for a fast and break the fast at dusk after leaving the diyas. They read the story of Poli during the pooja

The story of Poli:

Once upon a time near a village in Krishna District there lived a Washer man, whose wife  Maali is very  cruel  at her behavior.They had four sons,all of them married, but to her luck the first  three of her daughter-in-laws are cruel and the last one is Poli who is said to be the most innocent and kind hearted.

Poli was harassed by her sisters and her mother-in-law.Her husband never said a word against them as he  is the youngest of all and he respected them all. 

As time passed   by she earned a lot patience and kind heart from their behavior . Then one day Karthika masam started ,so ,people started worshiping Lord Shiva & Vishnu after performing holy rituals.

Maali who is a cruel person  wanted to use this opportunity against Poli , by not allowing  her to perform any of the rituals in this month.Hence she used to perform all the rituals with her three daughter-in -laws locking down Poli at her house and avoiding her from performing any ritual.

Even though they locked Poli in their house they never concentrated on the rituals , their inner soul always used to think about Poli and what  is she doing.

Mean while Poli prayed Lord Vishnu explaining her pitiful and pathetic condition and why could not she perform all the rituals.She prayed him with all her soul and purity without performing any rituals .Lord Vishnu is so pleased by her prayers & sent one of his Gate Keeper to bring Her to Vykuntam alive in a Golden plane on the last day of Karthika masam.

When Poli along with the Gate Keeper started to ascent into the sky her mother- in -law along with her other daugther-in-laws reached home and wished that they should also go along with Poli. So, they caught Poli's feet and flew along with her.

When the Gate Keeper  saw them he cut the hands of Maali , yelling at them that they deserve Hell rather than Heaven for their ill behavior and Jealously towards Poli.

Moral of the Story:

• Always pray with whole heart .
• Drive away the jealous about other people.Incorporate inner peace and patience.
• Help  and serve others with kindness. As God lives in Humans , serving other people is serving  the Almighty. 
• Attain sanctity only with true concentration in prayers this involves only purity not eternal decorations.

This Video is the story of  Poli Swargam in Telugu

Grated Raw Mango Dal ~ Pacchi MaamidiKaya Turumu Pappu

Hi friends,Today I tried Mango Dal with Grated Raw Mango.It came well and posting the recipe for you all.

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango- 1 cup grated
• Cooked Dal- 1 cup
• Green chilies- 3 no slits
• Turmeric- a pinch
• Hing / Asafoetida- a pinch
• Oil- 1tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Red Chillies-2no
• Cumin seeds-1/4tsp
• Mustard Seeds-1/4tsp
• Curry leaves -Few
• Coriander- to garnish.

Cooking Process:

• Take a pressure cooker,add the boiled dal in to it.
• Add the grated Mango,Turmeric,Salt,Red chilli powder,Green Chillies.
• Add some water and mix well.
• Allow to cook it for 2 whistles.
• Meanwhile prepare seasoning by adding oil in to a pan.
• Add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,Hing,Curry leaves,red chillies.
• Let it fry and keep it aside.
• Now remove the lid and of the pressure cooker and serve it in to a bowl,add the seasoning.
• Garnish with Coriander and Serve it with Rice or Rotis!!