Friends, I have forgotten to tell you that I will go to a holiday trip for 8 days; so, I can't avail to blog this week, Wednesday and Sunday. I promise to share with you about my trip and special moments after come back. Till then good bye! Hope your week will go very nice. Namaskar.

Tips from the kitchen of an Indian homemaker

Today’s Tips

1. If you want to keep biscuits fresh for a longer time, put a piece of blotting paper at the bottom of the container.

2. Tomatoes are Anti-Oxidant; add it in your daily diet and it will make your skin wrinkle free. Use the paste of tomato with one day old curd on your face; it will make your skin soft and glowing.

Festivals of India in the month of September

Sair Fair

The Sair Fair is celebrated at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is an extremely popular fair of the area and brings lots of liveliness and fun along with it. The Shimla Sair festival of Himachal Pradesh is celebrated with extreme enthusiasm in the month of September. Himachal Pradesh is already very famous in terms of its culture, fairs and festivals. Throughout the year there are number of fairs dedicated to different seasons that are observed in Himachal Pradesh. Sair fair is one such fair that makes Himachal proud.

Bull fight

One of the main attractions at the Sair fair is the traditional bull fight. The bull fight done here reflects too strongly on the Bull Fight in Athens. Apart from the famous bull fight, there are a number of interesting and entertaining events held during the Sair fair. Dance programs, Music performances, and many other forms of art are displayed by artists coming from far and wide to participate. A number of stalls and temporary shops are arranged for display and sale of handicrafts, pottery, utensils, garments, accessories etc.

A wrestling bout in the Sair Fair

Image curtsy:    https://www.google.co.in

Flavors of India

Hilsa with Egg Plant (Begun die Ilish macher jhol)

        Ingredients

·         Hilsa: -                                                   6 piece 

·         Egg plant(small size):-                           6 piece

·         Green chilli:-                                          8-10 pieces 

·         Turmeric Powder:-                                  1/2teaspoon

·         Mustard Oil:-                                           1Cup(150gm)

·         Salt:-                                                      to taste

Process:

 

1.       Wash the fishes and marinate with turmeric powder & Salt before cooking for at least 30mins.

2.       Full heat the oil in a pan & fry the fish for 30sec.

3.       In the same oil pour in the black cumin. When it smells, add the egg plants, turmeric powder and salt and then fry for 3-4min.

4.       When the color of egg plant should take up a bit of brownish, add 4 cup of water in it and stir well.

5.       Add fishes and green chillis.

6.       Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on low flame.

7.       Take it off the flame when the fishes are well cooked.

8.       Serve hot with Rice or Indian plain Roti or Garlic Bread.

* This preparation would taste best when have with steamed rice.

* You may use Shad fish or Sardine fish as an alternative of Hilsa.

DESTINATION INDIA

Rajasthan (PART-XII)

Bharatpur

The 'Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan', Bharatpur was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas. The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and Dholpur has played an important part in the history of Rajasthan. The place was named as Bharatpur after the name of Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman was worshipped as the family deity of the Bharatpur. The legends say the rulers Laxman's name is engraved on the state arms and the seals. Bharatpur is also known as 'LOHAGARH'. There is a forest called 'GHANA' means dense forest within a distance of about 5 Km. from District Head Quarter which remains green during the rainy season. Bharatpur Ghana's plan was prepared in 1896 by the State Engineer for driving and confining the wild cattle in the dense forest with 250 species of migratory birds during the monsoon season and 'winter' season, which is famous all over India and world for being a great sanctuary of birds.

 Places to see:

Bird Sanctuary- Keoladeo National Park

 

 

 

 

A paradise for the avian world, and the pilgrimage for the bird lovers, it was known as the best duck shooting resort in the British empire. But was declared a reserve for birds in 1956 and later upgraded to National Park. UNESCO has listed it as a world heritage site.
The geographical location is ideal as it is on the main North - South avian route of India. Although small in size, 29 sq. km. only, it boasts to house more than 375 species of beautiful birds, and more than 132 of them breed inside the Keoladeo Ghana National Park and nearly every year new ones are added to the list. The sanctuary not only attracts birds from India but also from places like Europe, Siberia, China and Tibet.
Before mansoon hundreds of these exotic birds roost and nest building activities start on the babool and kadam trees of the park. Water coming through the Ajan Bandh starts filling the various ponds and lakes of the Park. When assured of enough food, hundreds of large, medium and little cormorant, darter, purple and Grey heron, various species of egret, painted, open-billed, white necked and black necked stork, white ibis, spoonbill, night heron and other birds get busy in courting and mating. The trees are over flowed with nests, one can observe a tree housing nests upto fifties and sixties in number belonging to different species of birds looking after their loving young ones. The nests on the trees look like pearl necklaces.
About 11 sq. km. area of the park is covered with water the remaining portion is rich with Kingfisher, Red Vented and white cheeked Bulbuls, Babblers, Quails, Partridges, Sunbirds, Sparrows and Parakeets which live in bushes and burrows. The year round activity of the winged beauties has made the park a pilgrimage for bird lovers and an omithologists delight.

The animal populace also show their presence although they are thoroughly dominated by feathers, wings and beaks. The animals include the Black Buck, Sambhar - the largest Indian Antelope, Spotted deer, and Nigais. Pythons can also be observed at some places lazing in the sun.

Iron Fort

 

 

 

The Iron Fort, also called as The Lohagarh Fort, true to its name stood solidly in front of many British attacks, and frustrated them to ends. It faced the British onslaught four times and after a long siege they had to withdraw, but Lord Lake, however was successful in capturing it in 1805. It is very different from the other forts in state, there is no flamboyance associated to fort but it generates an aura of strength and magnificence. The fort is surrounded with moat which was previously filled with water to ward off the enemy attacks. The sandy ramparts were strengthened by sandy battlements, thus the enemy guns proved of no avail. Some interesting monuments in the fort are Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. Moti Mahal and towers like Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj were erected to commemorate the victory over the Mughals and the British army. The Gateway has paintings of huge elephants.

Museum

 

 

The Government Museum, Bharatpur is located inside the historic Lohagarh Fort. The Kachahri Kalan and Kamara Khas buildings built during the reign of Maharaja Balwant Singh in first half of 19^th century A.D. In 1939, sculptures and other objects were collected from various places of the region and initially displayed in Public Library under the patronage of H.H Maharaja Sawai Brijendra Singh. These were shifted to the present building of Kachahri Kalan in 1944 A.D. and it was formally opened to public on 11^th Nov, 1944. Later on the Kamara Khas building was added to it. It has rare and distinguished collection of sculptures, inscriptions, coins, arms and weapons and decorative art objects. The museum has in its possession above 4000 antiquities. The buildings which house the museum in itself are marvellous examples of artistic beauty.

The Palace

 

 

It is a fine blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture, built in various phases by different Maharajas. The magnificent apartments are richly decorated with patterned floor tiles with exquisite intricate designs. The museum occupies the main central wing depicting collections dating back to 2nd century, which reflect the art and skill of the region.

Excursion:

Deeg

Deeg, situated 30kms. north of Bharatpur, is a beautiful garden town, the gardens have been laid with great care and precision, the sparkling fountains and meticulous palaces add to the beauty of this idyllic retreat of the princes of Bharatpur. The tourists enjoy the charming settings of this agricultural town, along with the well preserved palace pavilions and gardens.
Some very interesting buildings can be observed here:

Gopal Bhavan

 

 

Completed in 1760, an imaginatively designed building complex with beautifully laid gardens at its entrance and the rear overlooks the Gopal Sagar which is flanked with smaller pavilions Sawan and Bhadon. The formal gardens face a raised terrace with an arch of lustrous marble installed on a pedestal in the form of swing. This exquisite swing is a war trophy brought in by the famous Jat king Raja Suraj Mal from the Mughal court in Delhi. The spacious and well proportioned Banquet Hall has a double row of graceful pillars. The rear of the chamber is further divided by a charming sunken pool with fountains. The Banquet hall houses a rich collection of curios, souvenirs and Victorian furniture. Staircases wind upstairs to the upper floors. One room contains a solid black marble bed from Delhi.

Deeg Fort

 

The fort stands majestically over a slightly elevated point, built by Raga Suraj Mal. The fort is surrounded by impressive moats, armpits and gateways, the interiors are mostly in ruins now, but the watch tower still stands in the ruins keeping an eye over the City and Palace; over it is placed a gun captured from Agra fort.


 * Rajasthan is almost complete. There are many more places to visit in Rajasthan. I just wanted to hilight the best ones.

* Our next destination :-  Odisa.

Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening my friends, wherever you are! This is 06:30 pm., 23^rd September, Sunday here in India. Hope you all are very well and enjoying the weekend with your family and friends. Today I’m quite busy; because tomorrow (September 24) will be a special day for Bengali. It is Tal Navami. Let me introduce the festival to you who don’t know about it.

Tal Navami is an auspicious day observed in the Bhadra month (August – September) especially in Bengal and Orissa. It is observed on the ninth day during the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of moon in Bhadra month. The day is highly auspicious to Goddess Durga.

Tal Navami marks the day for starting the preparation for the upcoming Durga Ashtami or Dassera festival. Tal Navami is a festival of Goddess Durga. Devotees of Durga observe a fast on Tal Navami and break the fast only in the night. Devotees visit the temples of Goddess Durga on Tal Navami.
A special dish is made on the day called Tal’er Bara. Small balls made from the pulp of ripe palm fruit combined with grated coconut, sugar, flour and then deep fried in oil. That is what we Bengali’s call ‘Tal-er Bara’. This is prepared on Janmastami also.
Well, that’s all for today. Share your opinion about my blog and if you want to know something about India more, please write to me. I will try my level best to help you. Namaskar.

Tal-er Bara

Tips from the kitchen of an Indian homemaker

Today’s Tips

1. Any country, any state, any city, and any house – wherever we are facing troubles from cockroach always. Put some boric powder in kitchen, in corners and other places. Cockroaches will leave your house.

2. Sometimes, it becomes a big problem to chop dry fruits. I tell you an easy way; place them in fridge for  half an hour before cutting. Taking the fruits out and cut them with a hot knife (dip it in hot water before cutting). It will be much easy.

Festivals of India in the month of September 

Vishwakarma Puja

 

 

Vishwakarma is known as the divine Engineer since the Puranic age. As a mark of reverence he is not only worshiped by the engineering community but also by all other professionals. This festival is celebrated in the month of September. On this day all the workers in the workshops and offices worship their tools and instruments in front of Lord Vishwakarma, which are generally used in their profession. This is the puja of Lord Vishwakarma, the main architect of the universe who had fabricated the universe as per the direction of Brahma, the lord of creation.
Vishwakarma Puja is celebrated by all industrial houses, artists, craftsman and weavers. The festival is observed on the Kanya Sankranti Day (September) which follows the Ganesh Puja. This festival is celebrated with full enthusiasm. It is observed mostly in workshops, offices and factories in the industrial areas. Shop floors in various factories wear a festive look on this occasion. The images and idols of Lord Vishwakarma and his faithful elephant are inaugurated and worshipped in beautifully decorated pandals. The industrial towns in urban area come alive with decorative pandals and loudspeakers. Most factories around the area declare the annual bonus on this day. The puja pandals are usually made within the factory premises. On this day family members of the employees come together to create a bright moment in an otherwise dull and mundane workshop.

This year 2012, Vishwakarma Puja was celebrated on 17^th September, Monday in India.

Flavors of India

Chicken Curry with potato in Indian Style

        Ingredients

·         Chicken: -                                                               500gm.

·         Potato(medium size):-                                            2 piece 

·         Onion (slice in four pieces):-                                  2 piece 

·         Ginger paste: -                                                  1tablespoon

·         Garlic paste :-                                                   2tablespoon

·         Tomato(slice in four pieces):-                                 1 piece

·         Fresh Coriander :-                                                 1/3 cup

·         Curd:-                                                                    1/2 cup

·         Red Chili Powder (if you want):-                         1/2 teaspoon

·         Kashmiri red Chili Powder:-                                   1 teaspoon

·         Cumin Powder:-                                                 1/2teaspoon

·         Coriander Powder:-                                               1teaspoon

·         Turmeric Powder:-                                             1/2teaspoon

·         Mustard / Refined Oil:-                                     1Cup(150gm)

·         Sugar:-                                                             1/5teaspoon

·         Salt:-                                                                      to taste

Process:

1.      Wash the chicken and marinate with curd, all powders, ginger, garlic & Salt before cooking for at least 30mins. 

2.       Full heat the oil in a pan & fry the potato till brownish and set aside.

3.       In the same oil pour in the onion and fry for 3-4min.

4.       When the color of onion should take up a bit of brownish, add marinated chicken in it and cook for 5mins.

5.       Add ¼ cup water, potato, tomato and sugar in it & cook for 2-3 min.

6.       When it becomes dry add about 150ml of water and stir well.

7.      Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on low flame.

8.      Take it off the flame when the potato well cooked.

9.      Garnish with fresh coriander.

10.  Serve hot with Rice or Indian plain Roti or Garlic Bread.

* You may avoid cumin, coriander or Kashmiri red chilli powder. In that situation, add 1 cup paste of fresh coriander and green chilli.

* For Details about Ingredients, check your nearest Indian Store

DESTINATION INDIA

Rajasthan (PART-XI)

Alwar

Alluring Alwar, set in the lap of Aravalli’s, presents a perfect postcard setting and seems to be carved out of jagged, craggy rocky outcrops. Alwar, among the Rajput principalities was the closest to imperial Delhi. People of this region were daring adventurers. They did not submit to alien rule; they rebelled. In 1771 A.D. , Pratap Singh , a Kachhawaha Rajput belonging to the same clan as the one which ruled Jaipur won Alwar from Mughals and founded a principality of his own. A historic and eminent fort guards its highest hill and is reminiscent of a regal way of life.
Apart from its long history, the city has a rich natural heritage with some beautiful lakes and picturesque valley thickly wooded in parts. Some of the finest variety of birds and animals are spotted here. Alwar has one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan - Sariska, which is an excellent tiger country.

For historians and Heritage lovers Alwar is an ideal place where you can take a leisurely walk through the many forts and tombs that tells of a bygone era.

Places to see:

Bala Quila

 

Towering on a hill dominating the town, Bala Quila (young fort) has a magnetic beauty that bound the people. This imposing fort, with its 5km ramparts, stands 300m above the city, its fortifications hugging the steep incline. Predating the time of Pratap Singh, it's one of the few forts in Rajasthan built before the rise of the Mughals, who used it as a base for attacking Ranthambhore.
Now in ruins, unfortunately, the fort houses a radio transmitter station and can only be visited with permission from the superintendent of police.

City Palace

City Palace or Vinay Vilas Mahal, Alwar, was set up by Raja Bakhtayar Singh in 1793 A.D. It is a perfect blend of Indo Islamic architecture. This imposing structure has a central courtyard has a lotus flower base constructed in marble.City Palace represents a concoction of Rajput and Mughal styles. Perched atop the hill is an ancient and derelict fort that is taken to be the landmark of the city. 

The Museum

Government Museum housed in City Palace, Alwar was established in 1940 by the then ruler.The palace Museum has a wonderful collection of exhibits of the personal wealth of the Maharajas of Alwar and some rare manuscripts including an illustrated Mahabharata on a 200 -foot-long scroll, others prize pieces here after illustrated manuscripts of GULISTAN, SHAH NAMA, and on EMPEROR Babur's life.

Tomb of Fateh Jung

is a spectacular five storied tomb with massive dome. The dome reflects a fine blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The tomb is located amid lush green landscapes and the greenery adds on to the beauty of this medieval building.
Fateh Jung was a minister of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and related to the Khanzada rulers of Alwar. 

Purjan Vihar (Company Garden)

A picturesque garden laid out during the reign of Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh in 1868 A,D. The garden has an enchanting setting called Shimla which was built by Maharaja Mangal Singh and the cool shades make it the idyllic visiting spot during summers.

Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening my friends, wherever you are! This is 11:30 pm, 19^th September , Wednesday here in India. Hope you all are very well with your family and friends.

Friends, about one month to go to Durga Utsab(festival). We, Bengalis and a big part of India are celebrating this festival with new cloths and decorating our houses with new curtains etc. So, here all markets and shops are always crowded nowadays; but peoples are very happy to do it. My shopping is almost complete and waiting for the day.

Well, today I am so late; please excuse me for that. Have a good day. Namaskar.

Crowd at B.C. Road, Burdwan, West Bengal