Margashira Lakshmi Puja.

This Lakshmi Puja is performed on every thursday during the month of Margashira.[nov/dec]
This puja is done on all the 4/5 thursdays of the month.puja is performed by the Sumangali[savashanis]. the Puja starts from the first thursday of the month. The lady who performs the puja fasts the the full day and performs the puja in evening ang partakes food in the night.In some houses the husband also fasts.For the puja a place is selected and cleaned and a rangoli drawn and haldhi kunkuma put on it, A plank is place on this put rice , draw a eight petaled Padma on the rice. For the Kalas clean a thambya silver, pithal or copper and with lime, [chuna,or sunna] apply two line on arrount the thamya, apply haldhi kunkumaon all the four sides.Pour clean water inside the Thambya and in it put gharike grass a little, one supari and a coin, haldhi kumkum and mantra akshitha. Arround the mouth of the thambya put a bunch of five mango leaves or five vidacha paan[betal leaves.]Over this put a coconut with haldhi powder applied. Apply kumkum on the tuft of the coconut. Put the kalas on the rice.Keep a Lakshmi Picture behind the kalas. In front of the kalas keep savva ruppiaya ie One Rupee and twenty five paise. Before starting the puja, fold your hands in namaskar and pray that she fulfills all your wishes. Pray to Ganesha and start the puja, and tulasi puja.
Start the puja as usual as for Varalaksmi puja, with haladhe kumkum and geja vastra and sweet smelling flowers.On the right side of the Kalas keep the naividya friut coconut any sweet possible and dakshina.
Before the puja one has to do the achamanam ie that in a panchtra you keep water with a udharani, pour a little water in your right palm and drink it , do this three times reciting, Keshavaya swaha, Narayanaya swaha, Madhavaya swaha, Govindhaya namaha, Vishnuve namaha, Madhusudhanaya namaha, Thrivikramaya namaha, Vamanaya namaha, Sridharaya namaha, hrishikeshaya namaha, Padmanabhaya namaha, Dhamodharaya namaha,Sankarshanaya namaha, Vasudevaya namaha, Pradyumnaya namaha, Anirudhaya namaha, Purushothamaya namaha, Adhokshjaaya namaha,Narasimhaya namaha,Achuthaya namaha,Janardhanaya namaha, Upendraya namaha, Hareye namaha, Srikrishnaya namaha.
After this perform the puja as usual. Recite stotras and Mahalakshmi Ashtaka.
If one has the time kumkuma archana reciting Lakshmi Astothara can be performed Like for all other puja lamps have to lit and dhoopa deepa naividya.Do pradhikshana and namaskar.
The story in short. In dwapara yuga , in Sourashtra there lived a king named Shrava.He was well informed and had read the vedas and knew the shashtras and the puranas. He was a good king and the people of his land were happy .The Queen of the land was called Suratha Chandrika.She was a very devoted wife, and the king and queen had eight children, one daughter and seven sons. Mahalakshmi wanted to bless the land and the king and decided to go to Sourashtra. She transformed herself like a old lady and came to the palace, where a maid of the Queen met and enquired whe she was and what she wanted. when told the she wanted to see the Queen.
The old lady[godess in disguise] told the maid that the queen in her last birth was the wife of a Vaisya and was very poor. Due to poverty the couple used to fight often and times the husband would beat the wife. One day dejected the lady left the house and went to the forest where she was roaming aimlessly hungry and cold.Mahalakshmi took pity on her and the godess came as an ordinary lady and told the wife of the Margashira lakshmi puja. Once the wife started to perform the puja she was blessed with all prosperity.
The maid went and conveyed this to the Queen, who was not convinced and she did not pay any attension to the maid, this made mahalakshmi annoyed and she decided she leave the city.
The Kings daughter heard of this and she ran to the old lady and asked her that she pardan her mother, and she would perform the puja, which she did with great faith. In due time she was married to a prince and she continued to do the puja every year with devotion.
After some time the Kingdom of King Shrava became a troubled land due to lack of rain etc.The people had to go without water and food. One day the Queen told the King that he ask his son in law for help and the king went to his daughters place. the daughter and her husband welcomed him. The King stayed there for a couple of days and told his daughter that he wished to return to his land. The daughter gave him a closed vessel full of gold coins, and sent the king to his land. When the King reached his land and opened the vessel he found only the vessel full of coal. When the king saw this he was so sad, that he started to weep. The Queen was very angry that their daughter
had insulted the King and decided to to go her self to the daughter to ask for a explanation, When the Queen did reach her daughter s place the daughter was performing the Margashira Lakshmi Puja. The Queen stayed at the daughters place for all the four weeks thursday puja. The daughter wished that her mother too should join and do the puja but the Queen was not willing. On the last thursday of the month, the daughter forced the Queen to do the puja. After the puja on the last thursday of Margashira the Queen left for her land. when she reached there she found the lost glory of her land had returned all were happy as before.The Queen realised this was the mahima of Mahalakshmi. From then onwards abserved te margashira lakshmi puja evey year.
It is said that Sri Krishna had asked his aunt Kunthi to observe this puja, so her sons could win the war. Kunthi had for naividya made a sweet made with groundnuts and jaggery on the first thursday, second week she made kheer with milk and rice, third week she made apupa kheer[ now we call it appi payasa] and on the fourth week she had made fryed kadubu with the puran filling.
Pray with devotion and all your wishes will be fulfilled.

Recipes for Powders that can be stored.

Saaru or Rasam Powder.
Saaru is an essential part of a meal in most homes in the South.
Incredents;- 100 grams---- dry cillies, 75 grams---- Coriander seeds, 25 grams--- Fenugreek seeds, 25 grams---- Cumin seeds, one table spoon each of---- Pepper, chana dal and mustard, 4 Sprigs of curry leaves, A ground nut size Asophotida{hing}.
In a frying pan put a little oil and fry the coriander and the chillies till the coriander seeds start to splutter, like wise fry all the other incredents one by one. Fry the curry leaves till they are crisp. When all the incredents are cool grind to a fine powder.
This powder can be stored for more than a month.
To prepare the saaru, boil half a cup of tuvar dal in preasure cooker till well cooked. soak a lemon size tamarind and squeeze the pulp. In a suitable vessel pour in the tamarind pulp, three teaspoons saaru powder, salt, a little jaggery, and a few curry leaves and bring to boil. When the raw smell of tamarind dissappears add the boiled dhal and add enough water to suit your need of the saaru. boil for five minutes and seoson with hing and mustard seeds.
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SAMBAR/HULI
For the powder incredents:- Dry red chillies---- one cup
Dhania seeds------one cup
Methi seeds------ one table spoon
Chana dal ------- one table spoon
mustard-------- a little
Dry coconut Desicated--- one cup
Fry the chillies and dhania till the dania starts to crackle and the dania emits a good smell. fry the methi and the chana dal seperatly till golden. Fry mustard seeds till it changes colour and fry the dry coconut till it turns pink. keep the coconut aside.grind the other incredents to a fine powder add the coconut and grind again and store when cool. if the powder is to be stored long omit the coconut .
For a quick bisibele bhath powder, fry seperatly one tblsp of gusgusa[poppy seeds] and 3/4 tsp pepper3/4 cloves, two cadamoms and aone inch peice of dal chini[lavanga patta] grind these with 4/5 table spoons of sambar powder. this powder will be enough for two cups of cooked rice and 3/4 cup tur dal.
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PITLA
Chana dal ---- 1/2 cup, Udad dal a little less than Chana dal, Dhania seeds one tblsp and pepper one tblsp dry chillies 10/12 depending on how hot u want it. fry all the incredents seperatly and grind together. this powder , if used for pitla with lots of different vegetables you can add dry or fresh coconut and grind it to add the the pitla.
This powder can be used for goddu pitla, in which no tur dal is added. only tamarind and any one vegetable like Suran, arvi,raw banana.

Tulasi Vivah or Uthana Dwadasi.

This festival comes on Shukla Paksha Dwadasi, in the month of Karthik. This happens to be the last day of chatur maasa . On Uthana Dwadasi day Lord Vishnu is supposed to get up from sleep. It is said that a year in a humans life is one day to the gods. On Uthana Dwadasi day Lord Vishnu is stirring from his sleep. There are some stories connected to this too.

On this day, Saligrama puja is important and Tulasi puja.
In most houses Saligrama puja is performed and brahmin couples are given festival food and Tulasi Vivah is performed in the evening. After food, this couple are given thamboola and a minimum of blouse piece if not sari and shelya is presented along with Kheer Dhana ( along with the cup made of pithal or whatever is available)

For the evening naividya, 4/5 different kind of laddus and sweets are made, and also a flavored milk boiled well with sugar saffron and cardomom added. Koshambari is also made.

An arathi is prepared as follows. On a plain silver or pithal plate draw a rangoli design with honey using a matchstick or a new toothpick. Over this sprinkle some GUSGUSA all over and then gently tap out the extra gusgusa. You will now have a beautiful decoration on the plate.
Over this arrange 5 amlas and wicks soaked in ghee over the amlas.

In the Tulasi vrindavan a small branch of amla is kept, a few amlas have also to be in the branches.
Decorate the front of the house with mango leaves and rangoli.
Decorate the tulasi vrindavan , draw rangoli in front of the vrindavan. If there no place in the back yard for this , one may keep the pot or a small vrindvan with a tulasi plant near the god, for the puja.
Keep a small idol of Krishna in the Vrindavan, next to the plant and perform puja.
Light as many lamps as possible.
You will need to get ready the naividya, the arathi, sweet smelling flowers, a pair small garlands.

Decorate the tulasi and put a few abharana( jewels, like we would decorate a bride]. Sing songs and stotras to tulasi and krishna and lakshmi. and perform the puja. (If a purohith comes he will conduct the puja like he would a real wedding.)

After the puja and before the various arathis , offer to the Lord and Tulsi, a sari and blouse and pair of dhotis , offer haldhi kumkum and on to plate do the vonti bharna for Tulasi, then the naividya and the arathis. Puja is to performed with haldhi kumkum etc as , we perform Lakshmi puja.

The second half of Ashwija maasa and Kartic maasa are the darkest months of the year. Before the times of kerosene lamps and electric lights, it would have been very difficult to sight a village. When lamps are lit and kept in front of the houses in the evenings and early mornings the travellers could easily sight the village.

Amlas are given importance, as the coming months are cold with fog, which will cause cold etc. Eating amlas gives a person vitamin C,(nowadays it is given in tablet form) a preventive for these winter ailments. Amlas contain lot of vitamin C and iron.

In places where a Amla tree is there people go there and worship the tree. It is said that every house must have an Amla tree, a parijatha flower tree and a tulasi plant. Some even say that a house without a tulasi plant, is equal to cemetery.

Growing a tulasi plant is not at all difficult only it needs to be watered every day.The plant has also be planted in a fairly big pot or brindhvan, so the plant will space for the roots to spread.
Any plant for that matter is like child. take care of it and it will grow well. The plant also needs to kept in sunny place. In summer when it is very hot, it can be watered twice or shifted to a shade.
Do grow a tulasi plant where ever you are.

FOR THE AMLAS IN THE ARATHI PLATE TO BALANCE THE AMLAS ,MAKE A DOUGH WITH HALDHI POWDER AND WATER, MAKE EQUAL SIZE BALLS AND PLACE THIS ON THE ARATHI PLATE, ON THIS PLACE THE AMLA AND ON THA PUT A WICK SOAKED IN OIL.

Sweets for all festivals.

Even though sweets and eats are readily available, when even a simple sweet prepared at home , comes out well and the family slurps it,women do feel very happy. Above all home made sweets are the best. Here are some recipes traditionally prepared in south indian and desastha homes.
Sweet samosa/ Karjikai/ Phala.
Maida ---- one cup [heaped], Fine Rava ---- 1/4 cup, Salt---- i pinch, Oil for frying.Ghee-- 1 tblsp
Filling:---- Fryied gram powdered coursly ----1/4 cup, Kaju [cut into small peices]---- 1/4 cup,Dry coconut --- 1/2 cup, Powdered Sugar---- one cup or as per taste. Cardamom powder 1/2 tea spoon.
Method:---- Mix Maida, rawa, salt, and the table spoon of ghee well, with enough water mix to get a soft dough. must be a little harder than chappathi dough. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour covered with a wet cloth.
After 1/2 an hour knead again to make soft and pliable dough.
Mix the filling incredents together. the copra is to be scraped and mixed. Make small balls of the dough, and roll out each into thin chappathis. Put a little of the filling mixture in the centre and fold and seal the edges. If you have a mould you can use it too.Do the same all the chappathis and keep covered with a wet cloth. When all the samoasa are ready, in a thick bottomed Kadai, pour oil and heat it. when the oil is heated lower the heat to medium and fry the smosas till golden and crisp. While frying keep splashing the hot oil on samosas, so they will fry evenly.
For the filling variation you can use khova and dry fruits. Or even coconut pooran.

COCONUT BURFI.
One coconut Scrape the white portion of the coconut and measure it. sugar is one and half times of the coconut scrapings.
In thick bottomed Kadai put in the sugar and add just enough water to melt the sugar. When the sugar melts put in the coconut scrapping and keep stiring till the mi xture thickens add a table spoon ghee and cardamom powder. When the mixture starts to leave the sides of the kadai, pour the mioxture on to a well greased tray. Cut into squares or desired shape while it still warm. If desired kaju and kishmish can be added. any colouring can also added but this should be add ed before the the burfi is still in a liquid state. After the burfi is cool it can be removed and stored in air tins. Will last for upto ten days.

MYSORE PAK.
Basen one cup, sugar ----two cups, Ghee---2 to 21/2 cups melted.
Put the sugar in thick bottomed kadai and pour enough water to cover the sugar. Boil till one thread consistancy syrup and now add the flour [basen] stirring well so no lumps are formed keep stirring when the mixture starts to thicken begin to add the ghee little by little stirring all the while when the ghee is over , keep stirring till the mixture leaves the sides and the mixture starts to froth up. At this stage pour the mixture on on to a greased tray and mark the sqares soon after or it will harden and it will difficult to cut it. If there is extra unobsorbed ghee in tray , por the ghee in another plate by tilting the tray to drain the excess ghee.

Badam or Kaju Barfi/cake.
Badam[kaju]----one cup, Milk---one cup, sugar--- two cups, Ghee----one cup.
Soak badam in hot water fer a few hours and peel the skin. Grind to a smooth paste. In a thick bottomed Kadai, put the sugar and pour the milk and when the sugar is melted add the badam paste. Keep stirring , so that the paste does not stick to the bottom. When the mixture starts to thicken add the ghee little by little and when the mixture becomes real thick and leaves the sides of the kadai pour on to a greased thali and when cool cut into squares.

Coconut Poli.
Grated fresh coconut--- Two cups jaggery---one cup, Cardamom--- 1/4 tsp. Maida/ wheat atta/ chiroti rava. [ if chiroti rava is used after mixing the dough let soak for an hour, then in the mixi run the dough fixing the powder blade for a few seconds.]a pich of salt, haldhi powder, oil, water to mix the dough.mix the dough with a pinch of salt a little harder than chappathi dough, pour oil to cover the dough, close with a lid and set aside for at least half an hour.
In a thick bottomed kadai put in he jaggery add water a little to melt the jaggery, seive to remove any sand. Put the jaggery back on the fire and add the coconut paste and keep stiring till done.to test place moist finger on the pooran if it comes clean, its done. Let it cool.Devide the pooran and the dough into equal portions.make sa cup with the dough and place the pooran in it and close. Roll this like for chappathi sprinkling rice flour into rounds. with experience one can roll it quite thin. Roast this on thava pouring a little ghee all arround it and on both sides. do he same with all the dough. Eaten with ghee and milk.
In stead of coconut chana dal can be boiled and ground to a paste mixed with jaggery and made into pooran and poli made the same way as for coconut poli
These sweets can easily be made at home.

The Month of Karthik

Lord Shri Krishna says, “Of all plants, the sacred Tulasi is most dear to Me; of all months, Kartik is most dear, of all places of pilgrimage, My beloved Dwarka is most dear, and of all days, Ekadashi is most dear.” (Padma Purana, Uttara Khand 112.3)

Kartik month is popular as Damodara month in Vaishnava calendar. It is said that in this month of Kartik Lord Krishna had His childhood pastime with Mother Yashoda and got the name Damodara. Damodara means the Lord tied with a cord (daama) around His waist (udara).


The holy month of Karthik begins from the first day after Deepavali. Tulasi Vivah is in this month and worship of the Tulsi plant throughout this month is considered very holy.

There is a custom of taking Kartik snaan for the entire month. One takes bath early in the morning before the sun rises. Doing so will accrue a lot of punya.

Throughout this month, lamps are lit outside the house at the doorsteps, windows; both early in the mornings and late evenings and night. Could be because this is known to be the darkest month astronomically.

It is believed that any service rendered to the Lord bears incalculable fruit, even if done contemptuosly or unwittingly during this month.

In this month the above pastime, Damodara Lila is recited. Devotees of Lord Krishna show lamps to the Deties of Lord Krishna bound by Mother Yasoda and recite Damodarashtaka.

Sri Damodarashtaka

1) namamishvaram sachidananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
Yashoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrishtam atyantato drutya gopya

2) rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhu shvasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham
3) itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghoisham nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyeishita-gyeishu bhaktair jitatvam
puna prematas tam shatavrtti vande

4) varam deva mokisham na mokishavadhim va
na canyam Vrine 'ham vareishad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyai

5) idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalai snigdha-raktaish ca gopya
muhush cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam lakisha-labhai

6) namo deva damodarananta viishno
prasida prabho dukha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drishti-vrishtyati-dinam batanu
grhaneisha mam agyam edhy akishi-drshya

7) kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokishe graho me 'sti damodareha
8) namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha vishvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

Deepavali.

Deepa means light and Vali means rows, so Deepavali means rows of lights. On this day people all over India be they Hindus, Sikhs or Jains, whatever creed or sect light rows and rows of lights in front of their houses, windows, doorsteps etc.

In the southern part of India, Deepavali is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdasi or the day on which Narakasura [the evil demon] was killed by Krishnas wife, Sathyabhama. At the time of his death, it is said, that Narakasura requested Sathyabhama, his death be celebrated by the people as a festival because of his realization of how cruel he had been.

Another story is that King Bali visits the earth to see his subjects during this time. Some people celebrate Balipadyami, on day after Amavasya.

Up North, Deepavali signifies the home coming of Sri Rama from his 14 years in exile, after his victory over Raavana. To welcome Sri Rama and Sita, people of Ayodhya had lit up the city with rows and rows of lamps.
In South India no one calls the festival Diwali as diwali means broke or lost everything.

For Jains, Deepavali marks the attainment of Nirvana by Saint Mahaveera, on 15 th October, 527-BC.

For Sikhs, Deepavali is significant as it marked the illumination of Amrithsar, commemorating the return of Guru Har Gobindh, the Sikh guru who was imprisoned at fort Gwalior by Emporer Jehangir.

Deepavali also marks the celebration of Mahalakshmi rising from the Ocean at the time of Samudra manthan.[churning of the ocean.]

On the 13th day of the second half of the month Ashwija is celebrated as Dhana Trayodasi, to mark the rising of Lord Dhanavantri from the Ocean during the churning of the ocean. On this day it is considered auspicious to buy gold silver and utensils.

What ever the reason, people of India celebrate Deepavali, in grand manner. Plenty of sweets, new clothes and visiting relatives and friends and gifts aplenty.

The evening before Deepavali is called Jalapurna Trayodashi. On this day, the vessel used for hot water for the next mornings bath is cleaned and a yellowed thread with a haldi stick is tied arround the vessel, haldhi kunkum is applied and water filled in it. Rangoli is drawn in front of the vessel and decorated with flowers. This water is used the next day early morning by the entire family for 'abhyanga snana' after an oil massage. Traditionally, besan uptan or chickpea flour and haldi and bath powder is used for a scented bath. Followed correctly, I guess, it is a great day to indulge oneself and the entire family to a oil massage followed by a hot bath with scented oils! A total detox therapy in today's terms!

Trayodashi is also supposed to be the evening when the sons in law, arrive to take part in the festival, especially on the first year of marriage. The dinner is a grand affair. After which the new clothes are kept in front of the god, till the next morning.

On the day of Naraka Chaturdashi or Deepavali in the South , there is a arathi for all the members in the family. All members of the family get an oil massage or at least a little oil is applied on each ones head and the new clothes are given along with pan and supari. All the members are to finish their oil bath before sun rise , so as to attain the punya of having had a Ganga Snan. After the bath, new clothes are worn and the blessings of all the elders sought by performing namaskara to them.
The Arathi is prepared thus.... ina plate with a broad rim pour a little water, put in some haldhi powder and lime ie sunna, this will make the water red in colour in the middle put two oil lights and on either side of the light keep two haldhi sticks. Before the Arathi, On a mat/ jhamkhana members of the family all sit except two women.Apply kumkum to all of them, give in each persons hand pan/supari, give the new clothes to which a little kumkum has allready been applied.Then apply a little oil with a flower on the middle of the head. then the arathi is performed the plate is turned in front of the members first clock wise three times then anti clock wise three times. THE HAVE TO BE LIT. then with the haldhi is taken on in each hand and just as it was done for the arathi it turned arround three times clock wise and three tines anti clock wise. Th same prosedure is done for the left out in the first round. When the arathi is being performed money is given to the Arathi performers.This ARathi shown to God first before performing the family. HOT WATER AND SEEGEKAI POWDER is to be kept for god too.
Amavash or Deepavali day in the north is Lakshmi puja in the evening. The Goddess of Wealth is worshiped.
In the North, Goddess Mahalakshmi is worshipped along with Ganesha to bring prosperity.A special sweet preperation is made. Coins and jewelry are kept alongside and all members of the family participate. For certain people it is also the new year and for some businesses, this day heralds the new year for accounts.

The next after Amavasya is celebrated as BaliPadyami. It is the first day of the month of Kartik, the darkest month of the year. this is a day of festival in honour of the king Bali Chakravarthy and is celeberated with kheer and festive food.

The following day is BHAU BHEEJ; the sisters invite the brothers to their home , perform arathi, cook food, which is the brother's favorite and gift him with clothes or some gift.

On the trithiya day it is the brother who invite the sisters to his house and give her food sweets and gift of clothes etc.

Deepavali is the day when friends, neighbors and relatives exchange the sweets and eats made in their houses, and also visit each other and wish each other.
In todays world where no one has time to meet relatives this festival is an occasion when the relation ships can be renewed. The children will also know who is who in the family. This tradition has to be kept up by the parents; if not, relatives, even the close ones, will become strangers; the chidren will grow up, into adults not knowing uncles aunts or cousins.

navarathri cont

During all the nine days food is offered to the the god after Saligrama puja. For one reason or other the Salgrama puja cannot be performed, do so at least for the last 3/4 days.Even if food cannot be offered to god, do make a Kheer for lunch. If one wishes a sweet could also be made.
  For saraswathy  special Naividya (Prasadh), in some houses Sweet Dosa is made, some make Panch Kajaya and some Rava laddu.
On any one of the 9/10 days do invite ladies and give haladhi kunku, pan supari coconut or a fruit with dakshina and flower.On other days do give, Haldhi kumkum and Vidach  pan supari to any Savashni who comes to the house.
On Maha Navami day the great saint Madhava was born, so this day is celebrated as Madhava Jayanthi by the Madhava comunity.
On the day of Dashara after puja etc all the young in the family have to seek the blessings of the elders in the family. Some visit the temple.
 Ayudha Puja ----  Puja to all the Ayudha, meaning  Arms for war etc. The Kshatriyas this is important. It is said the the Pandavas,  removed their Arms  on this day and prayed to them before the  Mahabaratha War, This tradition is continued even today with  most of us performing to all the Gatgets we own. It is important we  wipe, dust and clean the the things we want to  do Puja to. After all the Gatgets, Vehicles, grinders all, have to serve us, for  whole ear and not give any trouble.
   For bramins Sarawathy Puja is very important . Saraswathy  is the  godess for knowledge, Music etc.   apart from books, all Musical instruments are kept for Puja . Saraswathy is worshiped for three days, on Vijaya dasami day the student  visits  the guru to seek his/her blessing and also gives  a gift. This is the tradition.

Navarathri or Dhashara.

Navarathri as the name defines is a festival of nine nights and ten days. This festival is celebrated on all ten days. Some believe that Lord Rama defeated the Rakshasha king Ravana after a war , during these ten days, so celebrate it as good overcoming evil.
In Bengal and some places Godess Durga is worshiped as she is supposed to have killed the evil demon Mahishasura. On Vijaya dasami day the Pandavas , it is believed remove their weopons[Astras], hidden in the tree called BANNI. Clean it and get them ready for the war with the Kouvravas.In south India many houses ,they display dolls on three or five or seven steps. Dolls made of clay, wood depicting the Ramayana/ Srinivasa kalyana or a village are displayed.
In some houses every day saligrama puja is conducted and a oil lamp lit and made to burn 24 hours for all ten days. From moola star day another ghee lamp is lit and made to burn 24 hours till Vijaya dasami day. For lighting the lamp -- Salect aproper place , as the Lamps cannot be moved for 10 days. Place a plank --Mane/ Phat draw a rangoli a Padma and Sri on it.  The lamp must washed well, Silver or brass, Apply kumkum on it, Tie a flower arround it.-- the lamp. and place it in the proper place on the plank.On the first day of Navarathri early in the morning . check out the Rahu Kala Nad Yama Ganda,  Do Puja to the lamp and then light it.  The same method is followed for the Ghee lamp.Thse lamps SHOULD be allowed to burn 24hours a day non stop. Oil or ghee can be poured, without touching it. In the evenings one can wear clean clothes or wear a madi clothes and adjust the wick.
Srinivasa Kalyana is read ond Sundara kanda may also be read.Godess of learning Saraswathi is worshiped, by keeping books and covered with white silk, from Sapthami day.Durga is also worshiped from Durga ashtami day.On the nith day Ayudha puja is performed to the car, tv and all the gadget each family own.
Apart from the all the stories connected with this festival, this was prabably an nice way for the women to socialise and to show their hand work in arts and rangoli etc, and to meet other ladies.

PitruPaksha

Pitrupaksh comes in the second half of Bhadrapada maasa. All the fiftten days food is offered to the pitrus [ancessters] and relatives of the parents who have passed on, and relatives who have no one to offer the yearly food called the Pinda. On these fifteen days pind is offered to even the wifes relations and friends who have passed on, and have no serving sons and brothers to offer them the pind.
It is said When Karna of mahabharath passed on there was a plenty of gold and silver and no food. when Karna asked for the reason for this , he was told by the Yama dhoothas that that he had made dharma in gold and silver and had not offered food to anyone. So he requested Yama that he sent back to earth for 15 days during the pitru paksh, which Yama granted. Karna came down to earth and fed as many people as possible. And he was given a place in heaven.
Usually during the fifteen days men who have no fathers eat once a day and have pala ahara in the evening . They also dont eat onion, mooli,drumsticks and the like. Even if feeding cannot be done in any one of the fifteen days, one can feed two bramins on Mahalya Amavasya day.

Tips and Reecipes.

If cooking for a festival, do make alist of all the things and material you will need well in advance and prepare for the festival. Make a list of the menu, then a list of what you will need for the preperations . Then a list for the puja needs. If there is another puja in the near future, see what you will for this too and make one trip to the shop/market.
The geja vastra can be coloured with using raw milk to keep the colour red and the Vathis soaked in ghee well in advance. arrange the vathis in a flat bottomed bok or dabba arrange all the wathis and pour melted ghee on it till the Vathis are well soaked. this you can keep as long as you want.When you want to use just heat the dabba and the Vathis will loosen. Like, this what ever can be made ready well in advance do it.
So also cut the vegetables the previous day itself. If raw banana is cut, sprinkle a little salt so the the cut banana does not become black or discoloured.
Usually brinjal, padval, arvi, banana stem, banana flower ONION/garlick is not to be cooked for a festival meal.
Nowadays in many houses, i hear omit making Kheer saying no one eats it. On festival days kheer is a must, do make a little for shashtra at least. Make it a point that all members partake a little of the kheer.
Mothers have to train their children to eat Kheer and Pancha- amrutha on festival days.
Even if the women work, if they make up their minds and believe in family and hindu customs, they will defnetly make that little extra effort to celibrate the festivals and the children will also follow the mother in these customs. Women also, do read and ask the elders and find out about each puja, why it is celebrated and the the way it is done in the family. Each fest and puja generally have story behind it, try and learn about this, so you can tell the children.
Hindu religion is a great one, please do take the trouble to celebrate them.

Recipes for Anantha Vratha.

SOFT DOSA.
Raw rice ----4cups, Udad dal ----1 cup,Grey pumpkin pulp---- 1cup,[or beaten rice 1 cup]Salt to taste. WAsh and soak rice and dal for 4/5 hours. Grind to a very fine paste remove from grinder and pour it in a big vessel[ the dough will rise as it forments], and keep aside over night or at 6/8 hours. Make dosa a little thick. cook on both sides till done.
HYAGRIVA MANDI
Chana Dal----Two cups, Jaggery----two cups, ghee 1/2 cup, Gus gussa---1tblsp, Dry coconut----1/4 cup, raisins and kaju as per taste. Dry coconut to be cut into small bits.
Preasure cook the dal till done4/4 whistles, remove and drain water. [Keep the water]. In a thick bottomed kadai put in the jaggery and enough water for the jaggery to melt. When the jaggery melts and is one thread syrup add the dal and cook till the mixture thickens. remove from fire. In another small kadai heat the ghee fry the raisins and kaju, remove add the coconut, when the coconut changes colour slightly add the gus gussa and fry till the gusgussa turns a little golden add this to cooked dal and jaggery mixture.Mix well and Serve.
KHEER
Wheat atta 1/4 cup, coconut milk----2/3 cups, kaju and drakshe,sugar or jaggery 3/4 cups or as desired. cardomom powder 1/2 tsp, ghee---1/4 cup.Milk Two cups.
In a kadai puta tbblsp ghee and fry the atta till golden and a pleasant smell emits, add the milk and boil till the mixture thickens add the sugara and boil for some more time add the coconut milk . remove from immiadiatly after the mixture starts to boill fry the kaju and drakshe with rest of the ghee and add to the kheer.
Sajappa
Incredents: coconut scrapings[scraped fine] of one coconut, Equal amount of jaggery,[ in the ratio one is to one] , cardamom powder, maida ---- one cup, fine rava[chiroti rava], 2 table spoon ghee to mix the dough, a pinch of salt and oil to fry.
In thick bottomed Kadai put in the jaggery with 1/2 cup water. let ie boil for a few mins add the coconut scapings and keep stiring till the Pooran is done ie it wil stat to leave the sides. another test is if you touch the pooran with a moist finger it should come clean. Mix the maida and rava , ghee and a pinch of salt and with water mix it into a stiff dough and keep aside half an hour or more. Make equal size balls of the dough. Apply a little oil to the hands and shape the dough into a cup, put a little pooran in side and close. On a placstic papper or banana leaf pat into a flat shape [like a puri]. Make a number of these. Heat oil in a kadai to medium heat and fry the Stuffed puris one by one , when it it fryed golden remove from oil and drain on a collander till a little cool then tranfer to serving dish. this can also be shallow fried, though the fried ones are tastier and last a few days more than the shallow fried ones.

Anantha Chaturdasi or Anantha Vratha.

This festival comes on Bhadrapada maasa shukla paksha chaturthi.

Materials and Puja Articles needed:-A thambya[Thumbige] made of silver or copper or pithal.Bunch of mango leaves, Ananthan Dora{this is made of red silk threads with 14 knots available in puja shops] This is bought in pairs. one pair for each couple.and one pair for the bramin couple invited for food. A coconut to be placed on the thambya for kalas. Select size suitable for the thambya used. [ too big a one may topple the thambya. the coconut must be of the size so that that 1/4 of the bottom half of the coconut fits into the thambya. In some house holds in the Kalas Five dry friuts are put namely badam, kaju, drakshe., dates and kal sakkare/ kade sakar. Some put water a little of both haladhi and kumkum and mantra akshitha.[ find out out from your elders the family custom. A snake made out of dharba grass if this is available. Flowers and Friuts and coconut. Raw milk a little and pancha amrutha.

This puja is performed by dhampathis ie husband and wife.

Select a proper place, clean and wipe the place. Place a plank, on this spread a cup of rice. On the thambya apply Lime [sunna/ chunam] fully or two lines around the thambya one line below the rim and the other about one or two inces above the bottom of the thambya. and in the centre Draw a eight pettaled padma with a mixture of lime and haldhi which will give a red colour. Inside the thambya put [dry friuts or water as per the family custom]. Over this keep the mango leaves[ make the leaves are wiped clean with a wet cloth]the the coconut with haldhi powder applied on it. [ wet the coconut a little and apply the haldhi powder]. The dharbha Snake if available is placed on top of the coconut. After puja this dharbha snake is to bo be kept in your safe or cash box.

Apply kumkum. This is kalas. Place this on the rice spread on the plank.and perform puja with haldhi kumkum gandha, geja vastra. There is a puja book available as also cds. If one has not got this, do archana reciting the Vishnu Ashtotara followed by lakshmi ashtotara either with flowers or kumkum to lakshmi. Perform the puja also reciting the Vishunu sahaara nama vali, if you have no book.
Perform puja to the dora too, after the puja is over, the dora is given to bramhana and savashni, if they have been invited, if not , the head of the family and his spouse and then the others,the dora is given by the person who performed the puja.The men wear it arround their neck [like a chain] the women are to tie arround their right hand. This dora can be removed after some time . KEEP THE DORA IN A SAFE PLACE. DONT DISREGARD IT AND KEEP IT IN BATHROOMS AND PLACES WHERE IT IS LIKELY TO STAMPED UPON OR THROWN AWAY CARELESSLY.
Narayana in this Vratha called Anatha is supposed to be a old man, so only soft foods are made.Dosa, spinach bhaji, Hayagriva mandi and Kheer made with rosted wheat flour and cocanut milk is made.
Story on Anantha Padma nabha.
There once a bramin . He had a daughter and after the passing away of his, he remarried and the step mother was troubling the daughter to a great extent.The bramin got his daughter married.On the way to her husbands house she saw some people performing the Anantha Padmanabha puja. While she watched the puja ssome one gave her the Dora and told her to wear it arround her arm and proceeded her husbands house.When the husband saw her wearing the Dora he grabbed it and threw it into the fire, but the wife retrieved it and put out the fire and soaked the Dora in milk asking forgiveness .
After some time for one reason or other the prosperity of the family srated to decline and she was sure it was because her husband had thrown the Dora into the fire. When the time for puja aproached she convinced her husband and performed the Puja, after which their prosoerity recovered. The husband was repentent to his action. From then on they performed the Anantha Padmanabha Puja regularly.
IT is a custom to invite a couple for food [bramana and savashini]. This is not always possible with more and more women working. Do the puja and pay for hastoka in any matha for two.As for Onti and Vaagina dhana , Do the Onti to the godess and keep it by and also the Vaagina dhana, This can be given when some couple visit you.

Recipes

Desastha type Pitla
Incredents: To serve 6 people: Chana dal---11/2 tblsps, Udad dal--- 2 spoons, Dry cillies 4/5,
Pepper---one tsp. DRy coconut 1/2 cup, Dhania seeds ---one tsp. fry all these incredents with a little oil till agood arome emits, when cool grind to a fine powder or grind fine like chutney.
Vegetables beans, grey pumpkin, raw banana,Padval, potato,suran[yam], ground nuts .
Tamarind a small lemon size soaked .TUR DAL one cup. boil the dal, boil the vegetables with a little salt and haldhi powder.boil Till all the vegs are boiled add the boiled dal and the tamarind paste , boil till the raw smell of the tamarind dissappears, add the gound powder/ paste .Add water to bring it to required consistancy. Boil for a one or two minutes stirring all the time. Seoson with a little oil heated add hing and mustard and curry leaves.

Ambode
Incredents Tur dal one cup, Chana dal---1/2 cup, red cillies a few, green chillies a few, one tsp dhania seeds hing a little, ginger a small peice. coconut scappings 1/2 cup,oil for frying.
Soak both the dals for an hour or little more with the red chillies. Grind coursly along with the other incredents and salt to a course paste without adding too much water. It should be thick enough to shape into vadas.heat oil when the oil is hot reduce the heat to medium and fry the ambodes till golden and crisp. This is basic recipe you may add pudina leaves too if you like or even cabbage. Dont grind the dals too soft, if it is soft the ambodes will not be crisp.When grinding dont run the mixie for long periods, this will make the paste too soft. run the mixi shortly for a few seconds 5/ 6 times to make a course paste.

Short Slokas for every Day

Ramayana.
Poorva Rama thapo vanaadhi-gamanam, Hathvaa mragam kaanchanam,
Vaidehi haranam , Jataayu maranam , Sugriva-sambaasham,Vaali nigra hanam, Samudra
Tharanam, Lankaa puri dhahanam,Pascha Raavana Kumbakarna mathanam,Yethadvi
Ramayanam.

Sundaraa Kaandam
Anjaana-nandanam Veeram, Jaanaki Shoka Naasanam,
Kapeesha Makshahanthaaram Vandey Lankaa Bayankaram,
Sundrey Sundere maa, Sundare Sundari Seethaa,
Sunderey Sundari-Katha Sunderey kim na Sunderam.

Bhagavathaa.
AAdhou Devaki Devi Garba Jananam Gopi grehey Vardhanam,
Maaya Puthani Jeevithaapa Haranam Goverdhano dhaaranam,
Kamsa Chedhana Koura vaadhi Haranam Kunthi Suthaa Paalanam,
Yethad Bhagavatha Puraana Kathitham Sri Krishna Leelamrutham.

Maha bharatha.
Aadhou Pandava Dhritharaashtra Jananam Laksha grahe Dhaahanam,
Dhyuthe Sri Haranam Vane Viharanam Mathsaa laya Vardhanam,
Leelaa gho grahanam Raney Vitharanam Sandhi kriyaa Jram-bhanam,
Bhishma Drona Suyo dha naadhi mathanam Yethad mahabharaham.

Ganapathi Stothra
 Kadu Karuni-ninendu-aridhu herodale namisuve nina-adige,Bembidadhe paalisu karuna sindhendhu.
 Nadi naduve baruva vignava thadedhu bhagavanama, Nudise-inindha prathidhivasadhali  marayadhale.

 Before starting to cook.
 Surya narayana  sarathi-agali, Attidha adige  Akshaya-vagali, Lakshni narayanara Naividya-vagali, Lakshminarayanaru Thriptha-ragali, Lakshmi narayanara Laksha virali

 Jaya Jayathu Sri Harige Jaya Jayathu Naraharige, Jaya Jayathu Sri hari Uradhali Nelaseshwarige, Chathur-mukha Bramhanige Thath Sraswathi-Bharathige,
 Bakthi-indha Garuda, Shesha, Rudrarrige eruguve naanu. Thara thamyadha davalavanu heli-kelidhavarige  Ananthaasana koduva Namma Hayavadhana.

Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganesha or Vinayaka is worshipped all over India. He is known to remove obstacles, bestow knowledge, and grant us our wishes. This festival for Ganesha comes in the month of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha Chaturthi. Generally an Idol of Ganesha is bought, or made of clay or in recent times made ganesha idols made of plaster of paris is also available. It is best to make your own Ganesha or buy the clay ones, as they are environment friendly. On the day Ganesha is brought home, an arathi is performed before entering the front door to the the Ganesha and then placed in a clean place on a plank, till the mantap is got ready.

For the puja materials wanted will be:- Flowers, Haldhi, KumKum, sandal paste[gandha], red sandal pase if available, akshitha, Geja vastra, coconuts, banana, other fruits, corn, sugar cane, jaggery, Patri{leaves] of gauva, mango and whatever is possible. Most important is grass called Arugam Pillu in tamil, Durva grass in Kannada. Pancha amrutha or madhuparka[a mixture of curds honey and ghee]. For Ganesha red colour is a favarite so try and get red flowers roses for example.
Perform Ganesha Puja with devotion. After setting up the Ganesha in a proper place, start the puja as I have described in the previous pujas.
It is said one should not see the moon on this day. If one does see it there is a superstition that the person will be accused of something the person has not done. Anyway seeing the moon is unavoidable. So after the morning prayers recite this prayer.

SIMHA PRASENA-MAVADHEETH SIMHO JAAMBA VATHH HATHAHA
SUKUMAARAKA MAA RODHISTHA HYASHA SYAMANTHAKAHA .

most people keep the Ganesha for three days. some five days and so on.
For all the days you keep ganesha in the house, do panchupachara puja and neividhya everyday.

Swarna Gowri Vratha

This Festival comes usually a day before Ganesh Chaturthi. This is widly celebrated in karnataka. For this festival the daughters of the house are invited along with their spouses and gifts are given.
For the festival an idol of Gowri is bought along with the idol of Ganesha.
Materials needed for this are:-

• haldhi kumkum,
• flowers,
• Pathri,
• geja vastra,
• gandha
• friuts etc for naividya.
• Keep a thread yellowed with turmeric and with nine knots also ready. One for all the savashnis called Dhora
  

A mantap is readied and decorated.
Clean the place where Gowri is to be kept; [select a proper place as the Gowri my have to be kept for a couple of days].
Draw a rangoli and place a plank or a mantap and put a handfull rice, on it. Over this keep the Gowri.
To the right of the Gowri keep pan /spari and a friut.
To the left or front keep kadole, karimani toe rings haldhi kumkum, kajal and a small comb.
Do all this on the morning of the puja after a oil bath and when there is no rahu kala or yamaganda. When you start the puja, keep ready all the items mentioned , plus water, panchamrutha or raw milk, or Madhuparka ie a mix of honey curds and ghee. A little of this will do.
Start the puja first with a flower sprinkle a little water then milk and water again. This symbalises of giving bath. Sprinkle haldhi powder or apply to the two sides of gowri face near the ear. geja vastra.[Symbalises clothing the Gowri] now again sprinle haldhi powder then gandha and kum kum to be applied
to the the forehead, next come the flowers. Put a garland and put the flowers reciting the Ashtothara stothra. Next will be doopa, deepa and naividya. Perform puja to the Dhora(thread) coloured yellow with nine Knots as many as the number of women and children in the house. Keep this in front of gowri and do pua to this too. After this perform arathi.
Next give haladhi kumkum and flowers and thambula with dhakshina and a coconut or friut to all the Sumangalis and also tie the dora, while tieing dora on the right hand give a friut to keep in the hand while tieing the dora. Give a maradha bhagana with a choli or saree /blouse.In the evenig too a few sumangalis may be invited and pan supari, with a coconut can be given. In evening light lamps and perform arathi.
Swarna gowri is kept along with Ganesha for 3,5,7 9 and 11 days as per the convenience of the family. Some people to send them away on the same day.
It is said Gowri is on a visit to her parents house and Ganesha comes to take her back home. therefore the custom of inviting the daughters of the family to paticipate in the puja.
For lunch along with the festival food of 2 kosambris 2 bhajis and kadi/pitla POLI and kheer is made. A banana leaf is spread and all items served and offerd to Gowri and on the same leaf the Savshni is asked to partake her food.

Recipes for Janma Ashtami

Fresh Cocnut Burfi: Coconut one to be grated finely.measure the coconut scapings. Sugar must be equal to the coconut scrapingsor a 1/4 cup more. 3/4tsp ---cadamom powder. 2/3 teaspoons ghee.

In thick bottomed vessel, preferably a kadai put the sugar and pour water just to cover the sugar. Boil the mixture till the sugar is two thread syrup, add the coconut scrapings , keep boiling and stiring all the while till the mixture changes colour[to whitish] and leaves the sides of the kadai add the cardamom and ghee, mix well and pour on to a greased plate. Mark into squares while still warm.

Varieties: kaju can be ground to powder and added along with the coconut.Any colour can be added too. USE ONLY FOOD COLOURS OF REPUTED BRAND.

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Doodh Peda. Boil one litre milk in thick bottomed vesselstiring now and then to prevent the milk sticking to the bottom of the vessel. Keep boiling till the milk thickens to a thick batter like consistancy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and boil again till thick and the thickened milk leaves the sides of the vessel. When cool it will become like a dough and can be shped into pedas.If necessary Safron can be added.

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Ground Nuts Laddu.: 250 grams ---- ground nuts, jaggry--- 200 grams, 1/2 cup water.

Roast the ground nuts and rmove husk by rubbing it together on a plate. crush the jaggery add water and make 2 1/2 thread syrup, add the ground nuts and remove from fire and pour ona greased plate and cut into squares or as soon as the mixture is from hire apply a little rice flour to the hands and shape into desired size balls. Fryed gram can also be used instead of ground nuts.
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Mysore Pak: Bengal Gram Flour----one cup, Sugar ----two cups, Ghee ----- two to two and a half cup.

Method : In thick bottom vessel, a aluminium kadai is the best, put the sugar and add enough water to cover the sugar, keep stirring till the suger melt, then bring to boil, add a little milk and remove anu scum that floats. when the sugar comes to one thread syrup add the flour stiring all the while so no lumps are formed. After the mixture thickens a little start adding the ghee little by little . Keep stiring. Keep a greasd plate ready. When the all the ghee is over and the mixture startas to leave the sides and becomes frothy, pour it in the greased tray. Cut into Sqares or diamonds when it is still hot. If it becomed too cool it cant be cut.

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Badam/ kaju Barfi:- Incredents ---Badam/Kaju ----one cup, Sugar ---- two cups ,Milk --- one cup and Ghee ----one cup. Soak the Badam in hot water for an hour or two. Remove the outer brown covering and grind to a fine paste.{if using kaju fry it for few mins and let it cool, then grind to a powder.}Add the Badam paste to the milk, pour it into a thick bottomed kadai .Keeping the flame in sim stir the Badam milk mix till the raw smell of the badam dissappears, now add the sugar and keep stiring , when the mixture starts to thicken ad the ghee little by little till the ghee is over keep stiring till the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai and becomes a mass, at this stage pour it on to greased tray and level it. Cut into desired shape when cool.

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WHEN MAKING SWEETS ACCURATE MEASUREING OF INCREDENTS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

MAKING SWEETS AT HOME IS MUCH CHEAPER AND THE INCREDENTS USED WILL BE PURE.WHEN PREPARED WELL THE FAMILY ENJOY IT IT MAKES THE WOMEN VERY HAPPY AND SENSE OF ACHEIVEMENT>

Janma Ashtami

Janma Ashtami or Gokula ashtami, this day Sri Krishna took birth on earth to rid the earth the of ADHARMA. This festival is celebrated all over India, each state has its own unique way of celebrating the feastival. What i am i writing pertains to the Madhva/ Desastha comunities.
This festival comes in month of sravan in the second half, [krishna paksha]. Lord Krishna is worshiped late in the evening, having fasted the whole day.
Models of Krishna and Balarama are made in clay, small babys in twin cradles is made along with models of a Panchngi bramin, a lady selling jamoons[ of which Krishna is said to be fond of]
a cow with calf and a donkey[dont know why].If one cannot make it clay, A sdilver or Pancha loha crawling Krishna can be worshiped in cradle made of silver/white metal/pithal or wood can be decorated and used.
For prasad, as Krishna is a child, lots of savouries and sweets, laddus, doodh peda, butter, milk and curds,Pohe (is also a must) are offered , in addition to friuts of all kinds . as far as possible jamoons are offered.
As the day is spent fasting except for a liquids like milk or butter milk, Saligrama puja is performed in the evening. If this not possible, the Krishna idol will suffice. For some reoson or other the saligrama puja is done in morning, keep the milk used for abhisheka. Get ready the usual puja items haldhi, kumkum, gandha, geja vastra, janivara, flowers, pathri, pan supari, and dakshina. For argya cup supari, coins and the jambhu friut.
Perform the puja the usual way,if the man of the house is doing puja after fasting he can do abhisheka to krishna, if not sprinkle water over the idol, reciting a krishna stothra then raw fresh milk then water again[ same prosegure for abhisheka too].Next adore the idol with the janivara [three threads as for a bramhachari] the any jewel. do puja with haldhi kumkum gandha flowers and pathri. If one has the time do Krishna astothara offering flowers and pathri one by one , oneflower/pathri/mantra akshitha for each name.or at least reciting the keshava nama.
Then mangala arathi tree wicks, naividya, dhoopa arathi, maha mangala arathi with five wicks soaked in ghee.BEFORE THE ASHTOTHARA LIGHT LAMPS.
After the puja Argya is offered to Krishna and the moon.the following mantra said for the puja Yagnaaya Yagnapathaye, Yagneshwaraaya Yagnasambavaaya, Sri Govidhaaya Namaha.
Krishna Argya Mantra.
Jaathaha Kamsa Vadharthaaya, Bhoo-Baaro tha Rathaayacha
Kauravaanaam Vinaashaaya, Dhaithyanaam nidhaanaaya chaI
Pandavaa naam Hitharthaaya Dharma Samsthaapanaya cha
Graharnaaya argyam Devakya Sahitha HareII
Devaki Sahithaaya Sri KrishnaNamaha: Idham argyam Idham Argyam IdhamArgyam Samarpayaami.
CHANDRA ARGYA MANTRA>
Kshiro dharnava Sambootham Athri netra Samudhabna
Grahana Argyam Maaya dhaatham RohiniyaamSahthaaha ShashinI
Rohini Sahithaaya Chandramaase Idham Argyam, Idham Argyam Samarpaayami
These are two Argya Mantraas. All members of the family have to offer argya. Keep a supari, jamboo fruit and coin in the right hand over a Pyala or fairly big bowl .Keep the three things in ur hand till the first argya mantra , first water, milk from the abhisheka and water again, then drop all three coin friutr and supari in the pyala. pick it up again for the Chanra manthra , after the Chandra Mantra the Argya is over, all members to follow the same prosidure onle take a new coin.
Om Sri Vasudevaya Namaha can be repeated 108 times during the day. ONLY MEN SAY OM> Women say Sri Vasudevaaya Namaha.
  Phe is offered, as Sri Krishna;s boyhood friend Sudhama had   taken a little Pohe, when he visited Sri Krishna.
 The Story of   Krishna and Sudhama. When both were in the Guru kula. they go out to gather fire- wood for their Guru , but sudden rain makes them both take shelter atop a tree In the rain Krishna hears Sudhama  eating crunchy Pohe, and asks Sudhama , what is it that he is eating , Sudhama does not disclose what he ate.
  After studies are over all the boys part ways and go back home, so also Krishna and Sudhama. Years pass by , both get married, Krishna  is  King in Dwaraka, but Sudhama , a priest  has a few children and is poor, finding it hard to  feed his wife and children.
  One day Sudhama's wife , pleads with her husband to visit Sri Krishna,  who she feels will redeem them from their poverty, but Sudhama is reluctant. After repeated pleading , Sudhama agrees and asks his wife what will you give to take for my friend? She  gives him a little pohe, with which, Sudhama starts his journey to Dwaraka. He reaches there, and guards want to know who is , when he tell them he is Krishna's friend they laugh and mock him , you  poor man in tatters, our King's friend ?  After a lot of resistance they go tell their king Krishna, A person named  Sudhama, says he is your Friend want to meet you. Sri Krishna, at once runs down to meet Sudhama , brings him in  makes him sit beside him,  sees to it he given food etc, they talk of old times and time is spent, but Sudhama  is not sure how to ask Sri Krihna for favors. After a few days he takes  leave to go back. Krishna does not offer and Sudhama does not want to ask.
  On the way he keeps wondering what to tell his wife, who was so hopeful of getting some relief from poverty. When he does reach his home, every thing is changed he has a  new house and his family  are well dressed wearing jewels etc looking very prosperous, he thinks he had made a mistake and come  to some one else s house. When his wife greets him, he realizes, Sri Krishna, the all knowing had understood his want and given him everything.
  Sri Krishna is known as KARUNAKARA.
   Another name of Sudhama is Kuchela.

Gokulashtami

This festival comes in Shravana Krishna paksha . Lord Krishna was born to rid the world of the asuras who had become powerful and were troubling the sages and the devout.

On this day Lord Krishna is worshiped in the late evening. Fasting is observed for the full day. Some people make clay models of the Lord and Balarama lying in cradles .Many others keep a crawling idol of the Lord in a cradle. The cradle maybe of any metal. Silver, brass, any.

As Lord Krishna is worshiped as a child, a lot of savouries and sweets are offered as neividya. Fruits, milk, butter with a piece of sugar on it and poha, along with sweets and savouries is offered.The jamoon or jambul fruit should be a special addition on this day.

The puja is done as usual with haldi, kumkum,, gandha, flowers and tulasi. Those who hav a saligrama can do a full saligrama puja . After the puja is done argya is offered to Lord Krishna by all members of the family After Lord Krishna is worshiped, Balarama is to be worshiped. .The following mantra is said for the puja

Yagnaaya Yagnapathaye

Yagneshwaraaya Yagnasambavaaya

Sri Govindaaya Namonamaha

Krishnasthami day is spent in fasting. Some take palahara after the puja. The very devout eat only on the day after the puja.

In most houses a number of sweet and savoury items like chakli, thengul, seedai, barfi etc. are prepared and eaten by everyone especially children.
Gokulashtami is a festival when little children in the house are dressed as Lord Krishna.
Tiny little feet of a toddler Krishna are drawn from the entrance of the house leading to the puja room.
The front of the house is decorated with rangoli and mango leaves thoran.
Bhajans and songs of Krishna are sung while awaiting the puja hour, which is by far late at night.
Besides fruits, a dish made of poha, kheer, butter and some snacks are a must for neividya. Even if not possible to make snacks, poha, butter and kheer is made. Some neividya items made this day are besan laadu, rava laadu, coconut burfi, and doodh peda or sweet khoa is definitely made. Thengul, chakli, sakkarpara , sweet and khara seedai are also prepared.
Recipes for some of these preperations follows.

Janma ashtami recipes.

Janma astami is celebrated on birth of Sri krishna. AS children like fried items, on krishna ashtami , varieties of fried eats are made.
Thengul: Rice flour----2 cups, fried udad flour---1/2 cup.Jeera---1/2 tsp, hing 1/2 tsp or less,salt to taste, butter----50/75 grams. Oil for frying.
To make the udad powder. fry 1/2 cup udid dal till it turns golden cool and grind to a powder and seive it in a fine sieve.
Method: in a big enough bowl mix the rice flour and the udad flour and the other incredents except butter. Melt this butter till just melted. Add this to the flour and mix well.with water mix it into a soft dough.heat the oil and in a chakli mould put the dough little at a time andpress it on to the hat oil in round shapes, fry till crisp. remove on to a plate with a slotted laddle. fry all the thengul, store after it is cool.

Seedai
For seedai processed rice flour is used. Wash rice and soak in enough water for half an hour. Drain through in collander and spread the rice on a thick cloth under in shade to dry.When water has all drained and there no moisture,run the rice in mixi till the rice is powdered. seive in flour seive, run the left over rice again to make powder and seive again. and keep aside. If this rice powder is well dried it can be stored in air tight tin for a longer time.
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To make seedai: Incredents:
Processed rice flour[fresh]--- 2 cups
Roasted gram flour ----------1/2 cup
chutney dal]
White til[sesame seeds.]----1tbl sp.
Sour curds----------------1/4 cup
Ghee/ butter-------------2 tbl sps
Hot oil for dough--------2 /3 tbl sps
Grind together 5/6 gr. chillies, salt and asafoetida.
Method:
Dry roast the processed rice flour, till becomes warm. Sieve and mix the dal powder. Add ghee and blend with the flour, mix the the ground paste hot oil and mix well. add the curds[beaten] , little by little to make thick dough. Make small balls and put them on a towel, for few mins and deep fry in oil till golden and crisp. Remove from oil , cool and store.
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Sweet seedai.
Plain Rice flour----21/2 cups, Roasted Udad flour----1/2 cup, Cardamom powder----1/2 tsp,
Fresh white butter---2/3 tsps,Grated jaggery----11/2 cup,Thick Coconut Extract[milk]to mix the dough. oil and ghee mix to fry.
Method. Mix rice four udad flour cadamom and butter togetherMix jaggery with coconut milk till jaggery disolves. Pour this little by little to the flour and knead to a thick dough. Prepare small balls, [a little bigger than a cherry] put on a cloth for 1/2 an hour. Deep fry on med flame, a hand full at a time till crisp and golden. As jaggery has been added this sweet seedai will become crisp only on cooling, so dont keep frying till it is crisp it will become hard] remove from fire when golden. if soft after they can be refried.
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Mullu murukku.
Rice flour ---3cups, Bengal gram flour---1 cup, Butter ----3 tblsps, Asophotida powder----to taste, salt to taste, red chilli powder---- 2 tspsor as required, oil to deep fry.
Mix both the flours together with salt, asophotida, chilli powder in a bowl. Heat butter till it melts, add to the flour and mix well.Divide into 4 portions. [If every thing is mixed together as the dough soaks the colour of the murukkus will become dark]sprinkle water on one part mix inti a stiff dough and fry using the murukku press and the star disc. fry till golden and crisp, remove slotted laddle on to a tray. after it cools store.
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Vara Mahalakshmi Vrata

Vara Mahalakshmi Vrata

Vara Mahalakshmi Vratha occurs in the month of Shravan on the Friday before Purnima. Have all the following ready a day before or the day of the puja...

• One tambya for kalash
• One Lakshmi face suitable or tambya.
  
• One small crawling Krishna idol,
• One each of gold, silver and money coin,
• A pearl and a coral,ring or whatever
  
• Rice or wheat are to be put in the kalash.
• Five dry fruits, badam, dry grapes, dry dates and palm sugar are also to be put in the kalash.
  
• One coconut that fits on to the tambya.
  
• Five mango leaves to hold the coconut.
  
• For navidhya, flowers, fruits, raw milk, curds, powder jaggery or sugar, honey, ghee, food cooked in madi.
  
• Festival food with sweet and kheer should be cooked.
  
• Other Items required: Tulasi plant in a vrindavan or pot.
• One small cup filled with rice and a piece of jaggery on it.
  
• Haldi, kumkum, gandha, manthrakshata, agarbathi.
  
• The flowers required are jasmine, rose, shamanthi, sampige, kevra, dhavana and moragu. Some flowers should be in the form of garlands and some should be free (udhari) for puja.
  
• Several pieces of seven or eight inch thread with nine knots on each.

Clean the place where the kalash is to be kept. Draw the aishwarya rangoli. On a plank place the mandasana, decorate with mango toran and small plantain tree on either side.

Draw a padma, a swastika and Shree on the tambya using a mixture of haldi and lime.

Draw the bhagya rangoli on the plank on which the mandasana is to be placed. In the tambya put all the items mentioned above for the kalasha.

On the morning of the puja after the front yard has been cleaned and the rangoli drawn, place the tulsi plant on a plank in front of the main door. On the threshold put a small silver cup with rice and a piece of jaggery on it.

Place the decorated kalash in front of the tulasi vrindavana. Perform tulsi puja as usual and also to the kalash. Perform mangalarthi.

The lady who is to perform the puja is to take the kalash in her hands with the kalash facing towards the house. She should then tumble the cup of rice placed on the threshold with her right foot, go inside and then place the kalash in the mandasana. Sing Bhagyadha Lakshmi baramma while taking the kalash inside. Next the Kalashpan/supari and a friut is kept on the right, as also a set of haldhi/ kumkum kadole/karumani and bangles is also kept.

Another small kalash is also to be prepared with water, haldi, kumkum, akshata inside with a small fruit (mosambi, pomagranate) kept between two betel leaves. This is known as Yamuna kalash.

Pray to Lord Ganesha, offer a fruit or jaggery as navidhya. Worship Yamuna kalash (small) with haldi, kumkum flowers and gejavastra . Offer tambula and fruit as navidhya. Perform arthi and dhoop arthi.

Now perform the Varalakshmi puja. Put a few flowers and mantrakshata near the kalash while reciting the following.

Padmasane Padmakare Sarvalokaika pujithe

Narayayana priye devi suprita varadha bhave

With a flower sprinkle a little scented water (gandha water) on the kalash. Dip a flower in panchamrita (prepared while performing saligram puja) and sprinkle on the kalash.

Mix curds, a little ghee and honey and make madhuparaka if panchamrita is not made.

Again sprinkle water on the kalasha with the flower. Worship with haldi powder and gejavastra. Again with haldi, gandha, kumkum and sindoor. This means that you have given a bath, clothed and applied mangaladhrivyas.

Offer flowers, garlands and perform Lakshmi ashtothara puja. Along with this also worship the threads with nine knots. Put one flower for every name in the ashtothara. After reciting a few more Lakshmi stotras, perform eka arthi (three vatis soaked in ghee).

This is followed by naividhya ,Fruits,milk boiled with dry fruits kesar and cardamom coconut tambula and cooked food is offered.

Then dhooparathi ,mangala arathi and deepa arathi is done.

All the members of the family do puja by offering flowers akshitha and do pradakshina namaskar. Then the ladies of the house and savashni tie the thread around their wrists. The savashni is given all the mangaladrivayas and Udithumbothu –Ontibharna is done.

In the evening lamps are lit, deepa and dhoopa arathis done. Laxmis songs& slokas are recited.Sumangalis are invited and given thambula with fruit and dakshina.

On the next day punar puja is performed as the previous day.After mangala arathi, move the kalash a little.Later keep it in a place where money and jewels of the family are kept.

There are some must do’s before the puja .Saligram puja with panchamrutha is a must.[this can be used for yamuna and laxmi kalash puja later].If due some reason saligram is not available perform puja to Krishna.

All naividhya is offered to the Lord first. It is believed that Devi does accept the naividhya offered only to her.

As varmalaxmi puja always is on a Friday make sure to start puja before rahukala or it should be started only after rahukala.

For udithombodu or ontibharna Rice 2 cups,atleast 200gms,2 haldi sticks, 2 cup supari, and coconut. The savashni should accept in her saree pallu. The lady of the house should put rice coconut and supari five times and the savashni will put a little rice back three times.

Some times Varama lakshmi puja will be on ekadasi day. On such accasions, only puja is performed, both Saligrama and Lakshmi puja, the next one has to offer Naividya, bramana/ savashni upachar ie giving of thambula, blouse/saree, food etc. On laksmi Puja day naividya to ONLY saligrama or Krishna is sugar or kade sakar. This is kept by and offered to lakshmi the next day.

Mangala Gowri Vratha.

Mangala Gowri vratha is observed for five years of marriage on all Tuesdays in the month of sravan, praying for the long life of the husband. At the time of marriage the grooms mother presents the bride with the silver Mangala Gowri image.
Articles needed for the puja are silver Mangala Gowri, haldhi, kumkum, gejavastra flowers, three blouse peices, Two are to be folded into triangles.[ fold the the blouse peice length wise to make a long strip, now fold one end like a tiangle and keep on folding it thus till you come to the end and tuck in the last bit into the fold. Fold the another on like wise.]A plank, Full chana soaked overnight [250grams will do] one copra[dry coconut]cut into two, haldi powder, maida or wheat flour, a knife for kajal.
For naividys 18 fried PHALA. For this make pooran as for poli, make the covering with maida dough rolled into small puris, put alittle puran fold seal and deep fry. USE only new oil to fry.
with same maida dough make 5 nos small cups and fry for the arathi.
The girl who is to perform the puja should take a oil bath. Clean the place where the mangala Gowri is to kept , Keep the plank, draw rangoli and spread one blouse peice on it.
To a teaspoon of haldhi add 3/4 teaspoon of maida , make stiff dough and make two cups , for lamps. In two table spoons of haldhi powder add a tespoon of maida and make a stiff dough and make five gopurams in a group [this is Gowri which has to be kept for all the five weeks]Drain the water from the soaked chana.
PLacement on the plank. Top two ends keep the two triangles, below it keep the halfed copra with a little chana. Middle keep the silver mangala gowri, below it keep the haldhi gowri.Bottom two sides keep the lamps made of dough with wick and oil.
To start the puja worship tulasi. Light the lamps made of dough. Worship the water kept for puja { with a prayer }Take a udharni of water with a flower sprikle water over both the Gowris.THEn alitlle milk with a flower, and water again in the same way. worship with haldhi powder then geja vastra, again haldhi powder gandha , kum kum flowers. [ use only good sweet smelling flowers]. light all the lamps and offer the naividya along with coconut , banana, soaked chana pan supari.
Lasly light the lamps in fried cups , offer the arathi to gowri then hold the knife over it till it forms black soot on it, this is the kajal.take this with a flower and apply to the Gowri.then the girl who has performed the pujas applys for herself. Give thambula to savashnis with pan supari chane banana or coconut, and offer the kajal.Lastly seek their blessings by doing namaskaro each savashni after giving the thambula. The naividya of 18 phalas are to eaten by the husband and wife only.Dakshina has also be given with the thambula.
The story of Mangala Gowri is to be read in the morning or evening.
 There is also a custom  that the Husbands mother gives  VAAN to the girls  on any one  Manala Gowri puja in the five Years. The Vaan is in a Thambya -- (pithal Thambya)  wheat is put along with a   metal snake --ie that Silver  or Pancha loha  is put into it and tied with a choli. The girls mother is invited, festival food served and this Vaan is presented to her  along with Haldhi kumkum and flowers etc.

Shravan Shanivaar

This puja has to be done on all Saturdays in the month of Shravan.

• Perform puja to the picture of Lakshmi Narasimha deveru in much the same way as Shravan Shukravaar. Puran arathi has to be done. Onti need not be done. Ambali/ambat kane/huli nuchu and nuchu payasa and palak bhaji are the special neividya on this day. Festive lunch has to be made.

• All the decorations on this phata(picture) including the vastras are left as it is at the end of Shravan maasa and are removed only on the ashtami following Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhadrapada month. When these decorations, the flowers, the vastras, a wool string and a silk string and a new dhaara are strung together and worn by all in the family after the Elleashtami or Jyeshashtami puja

• Those who have the custom have to send their boys for bhiksha to at least 2 houses, where the boys wearing madi and carrying a bhiksha patra, have to ask "Venkatramana Govinda Govinda" and rice is given for bhiksha. In some houses, the father asks of the daughter and the daughter gives bhiksha to the father.

• In some houses, the picture of Lord Venkatramana and Padmavathi are worshipped and puran arthi and thambittu arathi are performed.

Both Shravan Shanivaar and Shravan Shukravaar pujas are done in many different ways in each family. This is what is done in ours. Readers, do let me know how it is done in yours if it is different from this one.

Shravan Shukravaar

This festival is celebrated on every Friday in the month of Shravan. On the first Friday, decorate the picture of Lakshmi Narayana or Jivti .(You can keep this beside the picture of Lakshmi Narasimha, who is worshipped the next day on Shravan Shanivaara.) Keep the Lakshmi Narayana or Jivti picture to the right of Lakshmi Narayana picture.) Decorate the wall around the picture.
In front of the pictures, on each side keep two dry coconut halves(copra) each filled with 5 badam, 5 khajur, 5 turmeric sticks(halkund) and 5 suparis. Decorate the pictures with a haara made of betel leaves and one of flowers.
Have ready, haldi, kumkum, flowers, akshata, five strings of vastras woven together and colored with kum kum, gandha, for the puja.
For the arathi, puran arathi is important. Those who are working and are hard pressed for time can make puran by mixing fresh or frozen grated coconut with grated jaggery, a little milk and ghee. Shape these into cups to hold the ghee dipped vaathi. Have 5 strings dipped in ghee for deep arathi ready, dhoop for dhoop arathi and camphor for karpoor arathi and finally mangal arathi .
Also have ready a blouse piece, Onti samaan, haldi kumkum packets, shringar samaan.
Neividya can be anything, kosumbari, thambittu, payasa, anything
Please note, for the onti have ready rice, two dry copras, 5 haldi, 5 khajur, 5 badam and 5 supari.
Cook a festive meal.
Start the puja by lighting the lamps, and perform puja to the God pictures.
Onti has to be done now for Gowri Lakshmi. In a plate, place the blouse piece, on it haldi kumkum, shingaar samaan. Now do onti onto the blouse piece.
Do all the arathis, dhoop, deep, and when doing puran arathi, keep two turmeric rhizome (halkund) on either sides. and do the arathi, after which do dhrishti with the turmeric. Next do the karpoor arathi, neividya and finally magal arathi. At least on one Friday, if not every friday, call a savashni for haldi kumkum.

Maradha Bhagana (Soop vaan) and Udi thumbodu (Onti Bharna)

MARADHA BHAGANA ..Things needed for this are two moras. To decorate these take some haldhi powder mixed in water to make a paste. Then decorate the top of the moras right accross the like a cross on both the moras and apply kumkum on the four corners and the centre.let it dry.
When this is given to a Savashni it should contain all the provisions enough for two people to cook and eat for one day.

• Rice about 1/2 a kg ,
• tur dal 200 /250 grams,
• chana dal, mung dal , urad dal each about50/200 grms.
• Dry chilly 50 grms ,
• dhania 100 grms,
• a table spoon each of jeera, pepper, methi, and mustared
• rava/maida each a cup,
• tamarind a big lemon size,
• jaggery 250 grms,
• oil and ghee small packets of each
• milk and dahi
• any two vegetables
• Haldhi kumkum,
• kadole karimani
• coconut
• blouse or a saree
• blouse peice.

If living abroad and cannot get the moras do buy a big plastic box with lid and use it for the purpose. Even a basket can be used.
Wile giving the Bhagina the giver says MUTHAIDHI MUTHAIDHI MARSDHA BHAGNA THOGO
The person recieving must say SAVITRI SAVTHRI MARADHA BHAGANA KODU. This is to be repeated three times. Before this , the lady should be given haldhi kumkum, flowers., pan supari with a coconut and dhakshina with a blouse or saree blouse. Then the maradha bhagna. After this do namaskara and seek the muthaidhis blessing.

For udithombodu or ontibharna ...Rice 2 cups or 200gms at least, 2 haldi sticks, 2 cup or full supari, and coconut. The savashni should accept this in her saree pallu. The lady of the house should put rice coconut and supari five times and the savashni will put a little rice back three times.

Nag Panchami or Garuda Panchami

This festival is observed on shravana shukla panchami.

Once a sister asked her brother to fetch kevra flower on a panchami day. When the boy went to the garden to pick the flower, he was bitten by a snake and he died. Nagaraja the snake, however, appeared before the sister in answer to her prayers and brings the boy back to life.

The festival is observed to remember this event.

People worship nagaraja and pray for the well being of their brothers and sisters. Sisters go to the snake pit for worship and bring mud from the pit to rub on the back of their brothers and pray for their happiness.

The prasad is the same as the previous day naga charurthi. Whereas for naga chaturthi only the women of the house worship the naaga, for this all members of the family worship the snake god.

Naga Chaturthi

Naga chaturthi comes on the fourth day of the month of Shravan. This festival is generally observed by women , praying for the well being and long life of their children.The women have a oil bath. and the entrance to the house cleaned and decorated with rangoli . On two sides of the entrance draw a picture depicting a snake with a baby snake beside it. For the worship, a silver or pithal or panchaloha snake is kept in a plate. Also have ready geja vastra coloured only with haldhi, Akshata yellowed with haldi only, raw soaked chana, rice powder, salt, pepper , thambit and chiguli, raw milk with a drop of ghee added.

Thambit is made by soaking rice for an hour or so. Draining all the water and powdering this. After the rice is powdered, add jaggery and blend together or grate the jaggery and mix this well with the rice flour. [if the rice flour is wet or hot, adding jaggery will make it watery, so better grate it and mix].
Chiguli is til seeda fried till it puffs up a little and when cool grind it with jaggery.
Keep three geja vastras one for the snake and two for the snake pictures on two sides of the front door.
Wear a clean saree, if possible a new one to perform the puja.
Begin by first performing the puja to the silver/brass or alloy snake (naag) as usual with haldi kumkum and geja vasthra, and akshtha and flowers .
Then pour a spoon of water, the milk ghee mix and water again and all the other ingredients that you have ready. A little of each.
Now take all the puja things and move to the front of the house. First do puja to the thresh hold Then draw on both sides of the door say at a middle point one big snake and small one. [mother and child.]to these also do puja .
The women dont partake Rice etc on this day but take pala ahara. Uppit, sojji, pohe, friuts and milk or butter milk. One cannot eat chappathis as this does not come under the pala ahara.

Thanvi Amavasyaor Bhimana amavasya

This festival falls on ASHADA AMAVASYA. This festival is also known as Pathi Sanjivani vratha or JothiBhimeshwara Vratha.

The story behind this festival is as follows. A very poor brahmin with many children gave his daughter in marriage to a very sick prince who was about to die. He then abandoned her to her fate at the banks of a river and left. the young girl alone and afraid of the dark, made a Shiva Linga out of the sand available and performed puja with great faith. Lord Shiva and Parvathi were very pleased with the girl and appeared before her and restored her husband to life.

There fore on this day, women make two rectangular peices in clay, and decorate it with lime and red color. After the clay pieces are a little dry, tie them together with a piece of turmeric around them.

This symbolises Lord Shiva and Parvathi. These are placed on a plank with a little rice arround it

On the day of the puja the ladies and girls in the house have to take oil bath .Perform the puja as usual with haldi kumkum , geja vastra gandha and flowers. For naividya soaked chana is offered. Near the idol threads , coloured yellow with haldhi and nine knots is kept and this also is worshipped. The threads placed in front of god should be for one for each lady and girls in the house. After the puja is over, all the women should wear tie thread on their right hand. This gowri is worshiped by women for the longevity of the husband and unmarried girls for a good husband.If clay is not available, the mangala gowri given at the time of marriage can be worshiped or a pair of silver or pithal lamps kept over a little rice with ghee for wicks can be worshiped.

Ashada Ekadasi

Ashada Ekadasi is observed by many even if they dont observe Ekadasi through out the year. Fasting on this day, {fasting means eating fruits/ milk/ butter milk}will get one the PUNYA of observing Ekadasi through out the year. It is said god goes to sleep from this day for four months. Starting from this day various pujas and dhanas are given away for the four months called Chaturmaas.

The least one can do during this time is to give away to a brahmin dhana on the eight DWADASIS that will occur in the four months. One can give...

1. Haldhi and kumkum in two halved dry coconuts (COPRA) to sumangalis, on all eight dwadasis.
2. Fill 2 small katoris ,with honey and ghee and give this away as dhana(daan)
   
3. Give a pair of deepas or lamps.
   
4. Give away tulasi plants in small pots and on the last dwadasi a vrindavan in terracota ot pithal can be given. (vrindavan is a container in which tulsi is planted and worshipped)
   

On Ekadasi day, two geja vastras are offered ie one to god and one to Tulasi. The next day the one on the tulasi is removed and the one on the god is put on tulasi and a new one for god, this has to done every day till Uthana dwadasi.
These are the minimum we can do. There is more of which i will write in a few days.

RAM NAVAMI

RAMA NAVAMI

Ram Navami comes a week after Ugadhi on Chaitra Shuddha Navami. Lord Rama is worshipped on this day. Saligrama Puja too is to be done. From Ugadhi to Ram Navami is called Navaratri by some. In some households Sundara Kandha is read starting from Ugadhi till Ramanavami and a Brahmin couple are fed everyday. For the puja a Rama Pattabhisheka photo will do ; however, if you do have Ram Parivar vigrahas in your house, do keep these for the puja. And those who have a saligrama at home, do saligrama puja. Naividya : Since this festival is at start of summer cooling food is offered.
Spiced Buttermilk, Lime juice and Kosambari are special. Of course, kheer has to be made.
Uttering of RAMA NAMA is a must.
On this day saligrama puja and festival food is prepared.
  Naividya.
  Wheat Laddu. Take equal quantity os Wheat flour, Jaggert, and Ghee. Add ghee only half first then add ghee as is wanted. Fry the the Wheat flour with a few Kajus,till a good.aroma emits add the grated jaggery and a little Cardomom Powder and make Laddus while the mixture is still  warm. Even though it is said equal amounts of all three ingredients are  to be used, ghee becomes too much and it becomes difficult to  make laddus. May be weight wise it may come out well.

SPICED BUTTERMILK
Blend some water with dahi/yoghurt to make buttermilk.
Add some pinched curry leaves, chopped coriander, finely chopped green chillies, grated ginger, salt and a pinch of sugar to this.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, 1 red chilli and hing to it.
when mustard seeds stop spluttering, take off fire and pour over the buttermilk.

PANAKA OR LIME JUICE

Heat some water till hot. Add to it a few saffron grains, pounded cardamom and sugar. Take off fire, add cold water and squeeze required amount of lime juice to it. Heating water is optional, Saffron soaked for a few minutes will enough.

KOSAMBARI OR KOSHIMBIR

Soak mung dal for an hour . Drain and take off all water and place in a bowl. To this add finely chopped green chillies, coriander, fresh grated coconut,salt and finely chopped cucumber or grated carrots or grated beetroot (your choice, of course also depends on conformity to madi rules if followed). Tkae a teaspoon of ghee in a karahi, add mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilli. Season the koshimbir with it. Finally squeeze lime juice.
   The above Naividya, is the minimum, The regular festival food has to be prepared and Bramhana and Savshni given food and Thambula.