An Expressive Face

Look at the persons face and his expression.What is going on in his mind? What do you think ? Please let me have your views. I shall reveal the real reason after hearing from you all.

Cream Stone

There is a new ice cream parlour in our town named "Cream Stone". Has a great ambiance and the decor is pleasing. All ice creams are chopped pulverized hammered banged and beaten on a frozen stone platform. Amazing range of ice creams in exotic flavors and awesome tasting. A must visit for Coimbatoreans !

Chocoholics

Nuts Overload on Butterscotch

Ministrone Soup on Saturday Night

Zuccini, cabbage & celery

We had minestrone pasta soup on Saturday night. Quite a heavy soup and one bowlful can be quite fulfilling. You can always take extra helpings if you are hungry enough.On the side you can have nicely buttered bread slices.Here are the pictures of the process which are quite self explanatory.We added generous quantities of cheese to the soup as per requirement. Salt & pepper too as needed.The soup was super delicious.

Beans Carrot & Cabbage

Tomato Puree & Pasta

Lo & Behold - Ministrone Soup

Maroon Fencing & Gate

Here are some pics of a maroon fencing around our tile roofed sit out as well as maroon colored gate. The fencing is a typical Kerala (South India) design and is termed in vernacular Malayalam language as "Charupadi". On the inside we have granite slabs for seating around 8 persons comfortably - for confabulations, conferences or coffee meets. Traditionally charupadi is constructed out of wood. But this one is from cement and given a wood like finish.

The Maroon colored Charupadi

The matching maroon gate

A `Magic Ayurvedic Potion

Dashamoola Jeerakadyarishtam is a liquid Ayurvedic medicine. It is mainly used in after-delivery care of the mother. This product contains 5 – 10 % of self generated alcohol. The alcohol, along with water acts as media for the herbal active principles.
Ingredients: It is a combination of equal parts of two medicines – Dasamoolarishtam and Jeerakarishtam.
Dashamoola – group of 10 roots, which are mainly used in inflammation (edema and pain) Jeeraka means cumin seeds, which are very useful post delivery. It improves digestion strength.

Uses: It is prescribed to the mothers, after delivery. It is also useful in rheumatoid arthritis, Sprue, diarrhoea, lack of appetitie, gastritis, diseases of stomach and intestines It improves appetite.

Dose:    15 – 20 ml, once or twice a day, before or after food, as directed by Ayurvedic doctor.

Dasamoolajeerakadyarishtam - An Ayurvedic syrup prepared by Arya Vaidyasala Coimbatore

Exhaustive list of around 65 ingredients comprising fruits,roots, herbs & other additives

 

Our daughter who lives in the US had both her deliveries in America. My wife had carried two bottles of this Arishtam for each of the deliveries. It had miraculous effect in post delivery health recovery. After the second delivery our daughter had severe gas problems which subsided completely after a few doses of this amazing syrup. A bottle of this Arishtam is always available at home primarily for treating indigestion or gas problems. We visit our doctor only if if the Ayurvedic Syrup fails to weave its magical effects. 

This syrup has a high shelf life as you can see from the label above. A bottle of syrup prepared in April 2015 has an expiry date of March 2025 !

Millet or Ragi Dosa

Health Benefits:
Some of the best health benefits of millet include its ability to protect your heart, protect yourself from diabetes, improve your digestive system, lower your risk of cancer, detoxify the body, boost respiratory health, optimize your immune system, increase your energy levels, and improve your muscle and nerve health.
 Although there are many different varieties of millet grown around the world, the most commonyl cultivated is Pennisetum glaucum, also known as pearl millet.  In terms of history, millet likely originated in Africa, but then spread through Asia and the Middle East as early as 10,000 years ago, as it seems that millet was already quite spread out by that point in ancient history. Their reliability to survive harsh conditions made them the perfect crop, and they are still preferred for that reason today.
These small grain plants are primarily produced in India, who cultivates over 8 million tons every years, followed by a number of larger African countries and China.Millet can be used as a traditional cereal, but can also be used in porridge, snacks, and other breads, as it is very high in starch, like most other grains. Millet is also a very good source of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds that can significantly boost human health in various ways.Millet is gluten-free, so Celiac sufferers can turn to millet as their source of grains, instead of wheat. In terms of basic food staples that are praised as the simplest and most valuable additions to diets around the world, millet provides the most energy, as well as the most fat and B-vitamins.

Dosa made from Millet is not only healthy but very tasty too:

Method: Mix finely powdered millet and rice in equal ratio.Add finely chopped onions & green chilies and nicely minced coriander leaves & curry leaves and make the batter. Salt to requirement. The dosa to be made in a non stick pan. Eat with a variety of chutneys. Awesome !

Millet Atta - readily vailable in supermarket

The Millet Dosa Batter

Dosa frying on the pan

Ready to eat dosa

A BRAIN TEASER

If you can answer this simple maths puzzle you can consider yourself a maths wizard:
Bill takes the underground train to work and uses an escalator at the railway station. If Bill runs up 6 steps of the escalator, then it takes him 82.5 seconds to reach the top of the escalator. If he runs up 14 steps of the escalator, then it takes him only 62.5 seconds to reach the top.

How many seconds would it take Bill to reach the top if he did not run up any steps of the escalator at all?

The Amazing Powers of Mango Ginger

Raw Mango Ginger

Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) is a unique spice having morphological resemblance with ginger but imparts a raw mango flavour. The main use of mango ginger rhizome is in the manufacture of pickles and culinary preparations.In Ayurveda, Mango-ginger is used in treatment of skin itching, wounds, cough, respiratory illness, hiccups, fever, inflammations, ear pain and in vitiation of all tri-dosha. It has also many therapeutic properties and is especially useful in digestive complaints. Its use gives relief in abdominal gas. It promotes appetite and improves digestive strength.
Similar to ginger it is expectorant and gives relief in cold and cough. Its use is also recommended in liver inflammation, joint pain, rheumatism and inflammation due to injuries. The rhizomes are made into paste and applied on sprains, bruise, and skin diseases.
 In arthritis, Mango-ginger is used along with Moringa (Moringa oleifera). For this purpose, 200g bark of Moringa is ground and boiled with water. Due to evaporation of water a paste is prepared which is collected and mixed with 100g Mango-ginger and 100g Maricha powder/ black pepper powder. This paste is applied on the joints.
Today we had mango ginger pickles for lunch and dinner: Preparation: Sliced mango ginger mixed with salt lime & cut green chilli.This makes a simple but awesomely tasty pickle, You can eat with curd rice or with uppuma or even eat raw. Deelliicciioouuss !

The Power of Turmeric

THE POWER OF TURMERIC: A few days ago I woke up to find a marble size absces on my right lower chin. My initial reaction was to go see a doctor.He would have probably prescribed an antibiotic for three days along with anti inflammatory & antacid tablets. That would have made the absces disappear but also considerably disturbed my digestive system.
Instead I decided to turn to an age old Hindu practice of applying turmeric.Turmeric is said to possess anti septic anti inflammatory as well as curative properties. Applied turmeric paste for two nights consecutively and the abscess has considerably reduced in size.Probably should disappear completely by tomorrow.
Turmeric has been used successfully by Hindu practitioners ever since the Vedic period and now being rediscovered all over again by western scientists. They have been even trying to patent this. Anyway I saved around Rs.500/- by not going to a doctor ! Did I do the right thing ?

Sky and River Watch

On 27th August 2015 we travelled by road from Trichy to Coimbatore. The roads were excellent but mostly single lane except for short stretches of three lane highway.heavy truck traffic impeded our progress. We travelled parallel to the river Cauvery for a considerable distance. There is a point in the river where it is the widest. This point is called the Akhanda Cauvery. Since there has been good rainfall in Karnataka and surplus water has been let out into Tamilnadu Metttur Dam has good storage and hence we could see fair amount of water in the river.

The sky shot was taken nearer to Coimbatore.There was generally bright sunshine and since we were traveling west wards the suns rays were falling directly on my eyes making driving difficult even with the sun visors lowered. We had some relief when the sun briefly went behind some clouds and that's when I clicked the sky.

OUR LITTLE PUMPKIN PATCH

I am posting some pictures of our little pumpkin patch. We sowed some seeds around 3 months back and now the plants have grown prodigiously. We see beautiful yellow flowers every morning. But alas we are yet to see any pumpkins. I understand that there are male and female flowers and only when cross pollination takes place pumpkins will appear. We are anxiously awaiting appearance of little pumpkins :)

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Mushrooms

Doesn't this nice and fluffy mushroom look delicious and edible - like an Uthappam or Appam ? Most mushrooms are edible but some are poisonous and must be avoided. How do you then decide whether the mushroom you are looking at is edible or not ?

Nagapushpam or Pennatulacea

Some call it a Nagapushpam because it looks like a hooded snake. Actually this is a marine species called sea pens or Pennatulecea. Sea pens are all colonial, marine species. They have earned the name because many species, but certainly not all, look like an antique quill pen. There are multiple polyps on each colony, and each polyp has eight arms, as one should expect from a member of the subclass Octocorallia. In contrast to other octocorals, the polyps of sea pens specialize to perform specific tasks, like feeding or reproduction. All colonies have a central stem.

Independence Day through Whatsapp

This year Independence Day pictures were prodigiously shared on whatsapp by a large cross section of people in India and abroad. I am sharing some of the several pictures I received.The current generation takes plenty of pride in knowing more about India's Independence struggle and sharing the joy of freedom accomplished through through decades of struggle.Mera Bharath Mahan - Sare Jahan Se Accha !

Happy Streets Coimbatore

Today is Happy Streets in Coimbatore. First city in Tamilnadu to launch this. Venue: DB Road and TVSwamy Road. Will be on for 52 weeks every Sunday between 7.00 AM - 10.00 AM. Main activities will be Cycling,Yoga Dancing & a variety of Sports including football cricket badminton. Inaugurated by Coimbatore Commissioner, Corporation Commissioner & Police Commissioner. DJ in attendance.
Huge attendance today.Actor Arya made a brief appearance. So much enthusiasm energy and exuberance exhibited by Coimbatoreans. Attended by young and old alike. Looks like this is going to be a grand succes.

Tirumala Tourist Spots: Akash Ganga

Origin of Akasha Ganga: A great Vaishnava Saint Peria Tirumalai Nambi (973 AD) was performing services to Lord Venkateswara by bringing water from Papavinasam Falls for the daily morning puja of the Lord. Even during his advanced age the Saint was performing this service.The Lord took mercy on him and appeared in the form of a fowler and stood before him begging him for water to quench his thirst.The Saint refused to give him the water as the water was required to be offered to the Lords feet during puja.The fowler shot an arrow at the pot making a hole and drank the water.Tirumalai Nambi felt sad at this act of the fowler and started going back to Papavinasanam for bringing water.The fowler told him not to worry and immediately shot an arrow at a spot in the Anjanadri hills and sacred water gushed out.The fowler then appeared to the Saint as Lord Venkateswara and told him to draw water hereafter from this new water fall which is much nearer to the temple and named it Akasha Ganga.

The gushing waters of Akashganga are cool and refreshing. A wash and bath in this water has therapeutic effects.We drank copious quantity of this water and felt a new energy coursing through our veins.

Tirumala Tourist Spots - Sri Vari Padam and Chakra Teertham

Other places of tourist interest in Tirumala are:

Srivari Padam:Just about 5 kms from the main temple of Lord Venkateshwara/Balaji in Tirumala is Srivari Paadam. .Presently there are no bus services to the places and can be accessed with the help of private vehicles or jeeps for hire. It is believed that the Lord descended on the earth at this place and decided on the place where the temple is presently situated. The Lord's feet are worshiped at this point on the hill.

 Chakra Theertham is also a famous pond in Tirumala, which is located next to Silathoranam.This place houses a Swayambu Lingam. It is believed that when Lord Brahma observed grief at this site, Lord Vishnu plunged his Sudarshana Chakra for cleansing it.The Sudarshana Chakra then fell into a place, which later came to be known as Chakra Theertham. This pond is known for cleanse bathers of sins and lead them to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. 

View of Tirumala hills from Sri Vari Padam @ 5 Kms from Main Temple

Sri Vari Padam-The Lords feet are worshiped here

Sri Chakra Teertham located near Silathoranam - You have to walk through a steep gradient and descend to a depth of around 150-200 ft to be able to see this Teertham

Landscape near Chakra Teertham