ss_blog_claim=387a9e35f45673c0fb3a9e9f936f46a9 The Destiny is here: November 2007

Friday, November 23, 2007

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DEEPAM!!!


BUT DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE DEEPAM???


Hmmm well the answer for some of you might be yes and for some it might be a no….well we live in a country rich with culture and heritage and as a matter of fact we have a lot of festivals that we celebrate…some festivals are celebrated country wide while a few native to some states…but whatever be the nativity of the festival it is important people know why a festival is celebrated and what is its background…after all without reviving the pristine picture of the past it is not possible for us to weave a glorious future! And so here you go…a deep insight to our very own deepam festival!!!!


v Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.


v Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Diwali and Navarathri.


v The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on the nine days. In the early hours of the tenth day Bharani Deepam in five agantams will be lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. In the evening, the Pancha Murthis will be brought to the Katchi Mandapam. At dusk (Pradosham) the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day, the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams, which are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff. At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourses of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voices raise a cry simultaneously "Annamalaiyarukku Arohara”.


v The Agananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient times.


v It is also considered as the extension of the Diwali festival. In some houses, they double the number of lamps every day from the day of Diwali and this way, they end up with a number of lamps on the day of Karthigai Deepam.

HISTORY WEAVES BACK TO SAY WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAM
There is a reason why every festival is celebrated there is a reason for the deepam festival too…
Lord Shiva asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Since Lord Shiva took a gigantic form, they were not able to find out anywhere. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a jyothi on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam.

Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi (his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.


PROCEDURAL RITUALS ON THIS DAY


Sasthram (age old specification for ritual procedures) say that on this auspicious day all the lamps are first to be lit in the pooja and after the deepa aarti the lamps be moved to different places in the house.


A STORY



There is an interesting story explaining the link between Karthigai and lamps. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarrelling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names Thiruvannamalai and Arunachala translate as `holy fire hill.' The Sivalingam in the temple here is the agnilingam. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the Agni lingam.


SPECIAL RECIPES ON KARTHIGAI DEEPAM


Pori urundai, Appam and vadai are the special menu on this day. I provide here with the recipe for Pori urundai. But trust me it was got from trustable sources or probably all your mothers might already have an idea about these…So go ahead try out the recipe and relish Pori urundai on this auspicious day…


Pori Urundai (Puffed Rice Balls)


Puffed Rice - 3 cupsPowered Jaggery - 1 cup
Heat up 1/4 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel and dissolve the jaggery in it completely. As it starts to thicken, remove from the heat fire and add the puffed rice. Mix uniformly and while still warm, form firm lemon sized balls. If the mixture becomes cool and you are unable to form balls out of it, heat it up for a couple of minutes over a low flame and stir to mix well. Then try forming the balls.


So why waiting it’s a really simple item…go ahead try making it this deepam and surprising everyone at home and celebrate happily…
Hope the information provided was of use to all of you and all those who know more about the festival do post in your information too… after all Information is wealth.



WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS KARTHIGAI DEEPAM!!!

WISH YOU A HAPPY DEEPAM FESTIVAL!!!!!

BUT DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE DEEPAM???
Hmmm well the answer for some of you might be yes and for some it might be a no….well we live in a country rich with culture and heritage and as a matter of fact we have a lot of festivals that we celebrate…some festivals are celebrated country wide while a few native to some states…but whatever be the nativity of the festival it is important people know why a festival is celebrated and what is its background…after all without reviving the pristine picture of the past it is not possible for us to weave a glorious future! And so here you go…a deep insight to our very own deepam festival!!!!
v Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.
v Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Diwali and Navarathri.
v The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on the nine days. In the early hours of the tenth day Bharani Deepam in five agantams will be lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. In the evening, the Pancha Murthis will be brought to the Katchi Mandapam. At dusk (Pradosham) the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day, the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams, which are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff. At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourses of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voices raise a cry simultaneously "Annamalaiyarukku Arohara”.
v The Agananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient times.
v It is also considered as the extension of the Diwali festival. In some houses, they double the number of lamps every day from the day of Diwali and this way, they end up with a number of lamps on the day of Karthigai Deepam.

HISTORY WEAVES BACK TO SAY WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAM
There is a reason why every festival is celebrated there is a reason for the deepam festival too…
Lord Shiva asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Since Lord Shiva took a gigantic form, they were not able to find out anywhere. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a jyothi on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam.

Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi (his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.
PROCEDURAL RITUALS ON THIS DAY
Sasthram (age old specification for ritual procedures) say that on this auspicious day all the lamps are first to be lit in the pooja and after the deepa aarti the lamps be moved to different places in the house.
A STORY
There is an interesting story explaining the link between Karthigai and lamps. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarrelling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names Thiruvannamalai and Arunachala translate as `holy fire hill.' The Sivalingam in the temple here is the agnilingam. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the Agni lingam.
SPECIAL RECIPES ON KARTHIGAI DEEPAM
Pori urundai, Appam and vadai are the special menu on this day. I provide here with the recipe for Pori urundai. But trust me it was got from trustable sources or probably all your mothers might already have an idea about these…So go ahead try out the recipe and relish Pori urundai on this auspicious day…
Pori Urundai (Puffed Rice Balls)
Puffed Rice - 3 cupsPowered Jaggery - 1 cup
Heat up 1/4 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel and dissolve the jaggery in it completely. As it starts to thicken, remove from the heat fire and add the puffed rice. Mix uniformly and while still warm, form firm lemon sized balls. If the mixture becomes cool and you are unable to form balls out of it, heat it up for a couple of minutes over a low flame and stir to mix well. Then try forming the balls.
So why waiting it’s a really simple item…go ahead try making it this deepam and surprising everyone at home and celebrate happily…
Hope the information provided was of use to all of you and all those who know more about the festival do post in your information too… after all Information is wealth.

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS KARTHIGAI DEEPAM!!!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Finally here I come with a post!

A big hi to all ma blogger friends…its really long I have written a post in ma blog…the reason for this delay is not any interesting story , it was because I had to upgrade my system which often Mahesh referred to as VACCUM TUBES….hurrah but now I have a got a brand new system which is no longer synonymous with any vaccum tubes but a system on par the days trend…thanks to ma brother who was here not only for his holiday but to help me discard the old system and get a new one…Well in this very long gap I had taken from writing posts, there have a been a lot of ma sweet buddies who constantly kept insisting on me writing a post….they started off with notifying me about writing the next post..Then as days passed by they did all the following

· Asking

· Insisting

· waiting

· Reminding

· Demanding

Hmmm L but nothing worked until now…But here I am finally with a post and this post is dedicated whole heartedly to Mahesh , vijay Krishna, sid and of course samba who constantly kept reminding me that I am a blogger which means I have to keep posting…but things have come around and here I am all set penning this post…So many sweet things happened in this gap I took…we celebrated samba, ragav, vijay, sid &bhabi b’days which was all whole a lot of fun…in between I even heard one very interesting story from sid which I would like to write now..

Sid’s PANI PURI profess and its aftermath ;)

Apart from being passionate about gaming, having interest for gardening and aquariums, of course being a computer freak not even minding to sit hours winnowing his processor for it to work …he has one more very big passion in his life EATING PANI PURI’s… sources say he has spent most of his evenings at the pani puri shop having a good nice chat with the pani puri wala and of course relishing his khatta meeta pani puris….Looks like sid sometimes relishes the pani puri so much that his bill finally shoots up in the air but sid still feels he had not tasted much pani puris….So days….months and years passed by and sid still continues to relish pani puri in the same shop…how ever behind this years long sid’s love story for his pani puri there is a small tragedy underlying ;)…The pani puri wala is the person who gives a twist for the screen play….the pani puri wala who started off with his career with a small pani puri shop in the early days is now a proud owner of a big house very nearby to sid’ s home in the very famous west mambalam area ….in fact sid was even invited for the house warming ceremony because the pani puri wala owes very big gratitude to sid for having contributed the most in his customers to help him build a house …one fine day our sid found a bright light glowing upon his head and he realized that the success of his pani puri wala was half credited to him…that’s when sid felt baffled as to how this was possible and calculated roughly as to how much he would have spent on pani puri’s…Shocking they touched many thousands and beyond….when sid was totally speechless I went to his house incidentally to give a book…that’s when he shared all this story with me…sid’s temperament that day made me think that sid would not turn up to that pani puri shop anymore….but what a twist our dear buddy sid still continues to visit the same shop..and this time has not stopped with it but has also started recommending his friends to also relish pani puri’s at the same shop!!! Sources say that this new MORE PLANNED AND WELL ORGANIZED effort for the same issue is to help the pani puri wala become a millionaire shortly….apart from sid’s ambition to become successful in life and to constantly keep him updated with the latest x-box versions am sure sid is doing this pani puri service with a “welfare of the pani puri wala” attitude…kudos sid ;)…hope you soon contribute as much as possible to your pani puri wala to make him realize his dreams….;-)

With best wishes from all ya buddies..

Now as good guys what all of ya do is give good moral to the story above….t might help the pani puri wala or sid himself …

Moral??

And will keep posting from now on—sure thing!! :)