Petals!

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v...

In India, food is a love language. Haven't we Indians mastered the art of making guests overeat whenever we invite them for lunch or dinner? Do you enjoy travelling to cities where there is an amazing spread of food that spans different regions? [ Read about my Bombay trip here] On a recent trip to Bombay, my friend recommended that we check out this restaurant that is known for its delicious Mangalorean cuisine. Both of us enjoy southern coast flavours and it seemed like a good choice to start with. [READ: Significance of Food in Hinduism] The menu had lots of delicious options for vegetarians and non-vegeterians. We started with a pineapple drumstick rasam. The flavours were too watery and mixed up. We didn't particularly enjoy it. Perhaps the watery tamarind notes went over the top, diluting the sweetness of pineapples in the rasam. The showstopper was undoubtedly Ghee Roast (veg), which my friend strongly recommended. It was so delicious and melt-in-your-mouth with fluffy ...