#Leave Request for Ganesh Chaturthi

[draftmyletter]

Application for leave for ganpati festival

Application for leave for ganpati festival

How to write leave application on Ganpati Festival. Best application format for Ganesh Chaturthi. Easy way to write Ganesh Visarjan festival Leave Application. Ganpati festival Leave Application Do you need leave on Ganesh Visarjan then this application is very beneficial for you #1 Format To: yourboss@gmail.com Subject: Leave Request for Ganesh Chaturthi Dear Sir, I wish to state that Lord…

[doraehan]

his sun, moon and stars / jilix

word count - 1.2k

pairing - han jisung x lee felix ; jilix

genre - FLUFF!, friends to lovers, university au if you squint

famous last words - ok so i couldn’t wait to post this when i first write this but i forgot and am quite a few mins late BUT IN MY DEFENSE ganesh chaturthi is going on n i was busy with religious stuff n yh.....,.,,,, nevertheless i really hope you enjoy this!! this is my first ship fix therefore it’s a lil eh ,, and yeah i took Total Creative Freedom n gave jisung blue hair!!!!! ok so i’m gonna leave n let u read now,,, enjoy!! uwu

jisung’s heart is jumping in his chest. it’s mainly because of three reasons:

lee felix is holding his hand

lee felix is smiling

Lee Felix Is Holding His Hand And Smiling

for a no homo, yes bromo relationship, jisung sure fantasises about kissing a certain blonde haired boy, whose freckles look like the most beautiful constellation to ever exist, a bit too much. oh, and his eyes. his fucking eyes, brighter than any star to ever exist.

(and jisung is a fucking astronomy student, which means he’s really not fooling around when he says that the sparkle in felix’s eyes outsold the entire motherfucking milky way. honestly, every single galaxy, for that matter.)

“... sungie?”

jisung’s internal monologue is brought to a screeching halt when felix pokes his cheeks softly. he blinks rapidly, straightening (ha) his back.

“yeah?”

felix giggles, eyes curving into crescent moons, smile shining like the sun.

(stars, the moon, the sun — yes. jisung is very much trying to say that felix is his whole god damn universe.)

“i asked if you wanted to go get ice cream or just go back to the dorms,” says felix, swinging their hands back and forth as the two walk down the street.

jisung considers for a bit. on one hand, they could go back to the dorms and he could escape to his room and hide under the blankets, safe from the sun and The Sun.

(note for beginners: welcome to the roller coaster that is Jisung’s Emotions! you may be confused as to which sun is which. for your information, ‘the sun’ is, well, the sun; huge, hot ball of gas in the sky, kinda hard to miss. ‘The Sun,’ capital t and s, refers to lee felix.)

but on the other, jisung could spend much more time with felix and get some ice cream, which would be more of a win-win situation than the other option.

so jisung grabs felix’s hand and leads him down the street and into an ice cream parlour.

the small parlour smells like a mix of strawberries, chocolate and vanilla - sweet, but not too overpoweringly. the ending notes of a bts song are playing, before troye sivan’s angelic voice drifts through the shop.

the two boys settle at a table farthest from the door, and jisung wants to roll his eyes at how cliche that is, but he doesn’t. a cup of strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles on top sits before felix while jisung sighs at how great the belgian chocolate tastes in his mouth.

(there had been an ‘argument’ as to who would pay, but jisung had relented, grinning at how he still would have money to spend on getting diamonds on cooking fever like the broke bitch he is.)

felix scoops a spoon of the cold dairy into his mouth, lips wrapping around the plastic spoon in a way that makes jisung want to kiss him. the younger boy’s lips tilt up into a small smile at the taste of strawberries, sweet and cold.

jisung combs silken blue strands of hair back, exposing his forehead for maybe a second before he hears a tiny gasp from in front. felix’s eyebrows are raised.

“you look really good with your forehead showing,” he says, and jisung finds it hard to swallow his bite of ice cream with how his throat just closes up. he manages to choke out a small thanks, and then there’s silence.

the silence is not in which a crow caws, but one filled with comfort. both know that they don’t need to speak, know that the silence is welcome and blissful.

but jisung has always felt the need to fill silences, awkward or not. and so, he says -

“wanna play twenty questions?”

felix looks up in surprise, but soon breaks out in giggles upon hearing the shorter boy’s request.

“what do i even ask you? i know pretty much everything there is to know about you.”

jisung feels his heart soar, and rests his face in his hands to hide his flushing cheeks.

“well, the silence was getting too much…”

felix laughs again, leaning across the table to gaze directly into jisung’s eyes.

“ah, cutie jisungie, can’t stay quiet can you?”

he then leans even closer and boops jisung’s nose with his finger.

(oh, his precious little fingers, thinks jisung, wanting to kiss each and every one of those soft, tiny things.)

felix, much to jisung’s relief, settles back into his seat, leaning back and scrunching his brows together in thought. jisung wishes he could photograph the moment and keep it to himself, to cherish forever.

(you may think he’s being a Dramatic Homosexual Dumbass, but in his defense, have you seen lee felix?)

“here’s your first question: what is one secret that you’ve kept from everyone?”

jisung thinks about it, but then leans forward, sheepish grin forming on his face.

“on days i can’t sleep, i spray some of the perfume my mom uses on my blankets and pillows so when i lie back down, it feels like she hugging me to sleep like she used to before i grew up.”

felix coos, smiling softly over at jisung.

“that’s really fucking endearing, sungie. ah, you’re just so cute!”

jisung nods and cracks a smile, feeling heat travelling up his neck, turning his ears the faintest shade of pink.

they’ve been asking questions back and forth for at least half an hour now when felix asks The Question:

“do you have a crush on someone?”

jisung swallows thickly, shifting slightly in his seat. he looks at felix, whose eyes are sparkling with curiosity and something else jisung cannot quite recognise. he drums his fingers on the tabletop.

jisung has no idea how what happened next, happened. maybe it was the Confident Gay in him talking, or there was something in the ice cream which made him say:

“you.”

felix is silent for a second, and jisung knows what’s coming next: a widening of eyes, a mumble of ‘i’m sorry’ and the scrape of the chair against the linoleum as felix tries to get as far away from jisung as possible.

except that doesn’t happen, and felix smiles dazzlingly before leaning over the table and meeting jisung’s thin lips with his own plump ones.

felix tastes like strawberries and spearmint toothpaste - a combination jisung didn’t think would make him feel so weak in the knees. he’s glad he’s still sitting down.

it takes jisung’s brain a bit to respond, but then his one hand is on the nape of the younger’s neck, other cradling his soft cheek. jisung leans forward and into felix’s warm touch - the orange haired boy’s hand resting on jisung’s chest as the two smile the widest they possibly can while kissing.

it feels like it’s an eternity later that the two pull away from each other, roses blooming on sun-kissed cheeks.

“you’ve still got a question left,” says felix, lips centimetres away from jisung’s. jisung is fairly impressed by felix’s ability to form actual coherent thoughts and voice them. he, on the other hand, is completely tongue-tied, brain unable to form words.

but even in his what the fuck is happening state of mind, the Confident Gay in him says:

“be the vegemite to my buttered toast?”

felix laughs, throwing his head back, small smile lines forming near his eyes when he scrunches them closed. he then pulls jisung closer, hand on the nape of his neck, fingers fiddling with blue hair as he leans in and captures jisung’s lips in his once again.

“yes, i’ll be your boyfriend.”

and jisung melts, much like the unfinished, forgotten ice creams.

[molosmojo]

Life always teaches you...

“Come home as soon as you can”…

Last week, my sister had some work in Pune and requested me to accompany her – considering it was Ganesh Chaturthi, she had a holiday and I too decided to take the day off and go to Pune for a day and get wifey and kids along too.

Wifey had initially said no for Pune because her dad wasn’t keeping too well – however, he showed some improvements that day and hence Wifey agreed to travel for a day.

My sister is a teacher and post her lectures, she met us at Sion (in Mumbai) in the evening of 30-Aug-22 and we left for Pune – it took us 5 hours to reach our Pune home.

We finished the work that we had to in the first half itself and came back home for lunch – we were done with lunch by 2:30PM or so and since I had to drive, I took the powernap to be absolutely fresh. We started with our journey to Mumbai at around 4PM.

Throughout the day, wifey kept receiving calls from her sister and brother asking her when she would come back – I asked wifey to make a video call and speak with her Dad (since he wanted to see her).

It must have been an hour into our journey and suddenly I started receiving calls from my sister-in-law (SIL) and brother-in-law (BIL)– considering I was driving, I asked wifey to call them back and check what has happened. We were at the gas station, and I heard my BIL tell her “Dad is no more”…. ☹. We just sat there for few mins trying to re-confirm if he was suggesting that my father-in-law (FIL) had actually passed away.

Wifey, who has spent all her life around her dad (because we stay in the same building as my in-laws), just couldn’t reconcile the fact that how come she wasn’t around when her dad passed away; how come his dad left without speaking with her; how come his dad left without seeing her. All through his illness, wifey was the one who would go to the docs, knew his medical history and treatment and for her to be not around; is a shock that I don’t know how long it would take for her to overcome.

It was still 2 hours and 30 minutes for us to reach home – torrential rains on the Expressway – wifey crying/sobbing in the front row – the pressure to reach home as fast as we could; phew…life is tough! Thankfully, due to Ganesh Chaturthi, the traffic was clear that day and we were home by 7ish itself. Wifey, finally saw her dad who for some reason had his eyes open and they were closed by wifey – perhaps, Dad’s wish to see her favourite child, one last time!

Life always teaches you…

Teaches you to be patient…

Teaches you to accept the reality…

Teaches you that things are not always in your control…

Teaches you that nothing is permanent – we are all here to leave one day….

I had mentioned in my last post too that “life is short, have no regrets”…

[kalsarppuja]

Why is Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi is more popular in Hindu Religion?

Sri Satyanarayan Vrat Katha means Sri Satyanarayan Katha and worship is done believing that truth is the form of God. A special pooja is ritually performed before starting the Katha of God, there is a scriptural rule to conduct Katha on Purnima, Amavasya, Sunday, Thursday, Sankranti and other festivals. Know the Vedic worship method to be performed before Shri Satyanarayan Ji Kathe.

Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi

Ruler Vishnu is revered with every one of the sixteen customs alongside reciting of Puranik Mantras during Satyanarayan Puja and different events connected with Lord Vishnu. Venerating Gods and Goddesses with each of the 16 ceremonies is known as Shodashopachara Puja. 

Collect the worship materials in advance.

Incense, camphor, saffron, sandalwood, yajnopavit, rice, rice, turmeric, kalav, cotton, betel nut, 5 pieces of betel nut, open flowers 500 grams, flower garland, kusha and durva, panchmewa, gangajal, honey. Sugar, pure ghee, curd, milk, seasonal fruits, sweets, chowki, mudra, banana leaves, panchamrit, tulsi dal, kalash (copper or earthen), white cloth (half meter), red or yellow cloth (half meter) ), Diva 3 nos 1 big + 2 small), tambul (betel leaves), coconut, durwa etc. Material.

Now for worship, install the photo or idol of Lord Satyanarayan on a large post or pata by spreading yellow or red cloth. Install a lamp on the right side of the seat and a big lump on the left side of the ghee. Establish Navagrahas in the middle of the posture. Now sit on the seat of Kusha in front of the seat of the Lord yourself and do the worship according to the law given below.

Satyanarayan Puja:Kath and Procedure

Ruler Satyanarayan is one of Lord Vishnu's most broadly enhanced structures, generally adored wherever by the Hindu religion. More than large number of enthusiasts see this exceptional Vrat consistently and furthermore take part in the renowned Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi and customs.

This is one type of Lord Vishnu loved as the exemplification of confidence and reality, normal among all adherents and enthusiasts of Vishnu. It has a few advantages that have in numerous ways impacted admirers ' lives. People with major areas of strength for an in Lord Satyanarayan likewise direct this ritual all the time.

The puja begins with a request to Lord Ganesh, the evacuation of all obstructions and difficulties that come our direction through life at the appointed time. This is finished by reciting Lord Ganesh's names and offering specific ceremonies like modak with Prasad (accepted to be the number one of Lord Ganesh), and giving the icon bloom petals. This puja is regularly performed by people and not by ministers.

History of Satyanarayan Puja

The Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi, or as it is generally known Satyanarayan Vrata, is a propitious strict recognition of Hinduism. A custom performed by individuals on a few significant events like housewarming, marriage, and so on, and this puja can be performed at home quickly, not an obvious explanation. It is the first custom referenced in quite a while Skanda Purana. The Satyanarayan Puja is normally finished on Purnima's day, or Full Moon, which is accepted to be genuinely fortunate.

Sri Satyanarayan Puja is known as a typical practice in different pieces of India including Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. This custom is seen by Maharashtrians at Chaturthi or Ekadashi. The puja has specific importance for the Chitpavan people group at Maharashtra.

In West Bengal, the puja is performed prior to housewarming or going into another house.

Residents in Andhra Pradesh have profound confidence and faith in Srimannarayan, presumably a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. In Annavaram, East Godavari region in Andhra Pradesh, there is a popular and old sanctuary, committed to Sri Satyanarayan and seeing a great many fans coming to the sanctuary to give their requests. In Annavaram this vrata was performed consistently. Lovers as well as their families visit this sanctuary and participate in the vrata, which is accepted to be the most sacrosanct type of supplication contributions.

More about information for Satyanarayan Puja Vidhi then Visit our site -

https://www.kalsarppuja.co.in/satyanarayan-puja.php 

[drsohinisastri]

What Astrologers Say About the Ganesh Chaturthi?

Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God of wealth, sciences, knowledge, wisdom, and prosperity. Hindu devotees worship him and seek his blessings before the commencement of any new work. Ganesh Chaturthi is an auspicious festival among the Hindu community which is celebrated widely for 10 days each year.

Also known as the Vinayaka Chaturthi, it is a very colourful and exciting celebration to commemorate the birthday of Lord Ganesha. This 10-day long festival celebrates the homecoming of Lord Ganesha in the month of Bhadra. Lord Ganesha is also called Gajanana, Ganesh, Gajadant, which are among his 108 names.

 According to the best astrologer in India, this festival falls in the month of Bhadra, which is in the month of August – September as per the Gregorian calendar. In 2021, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 10.

 Auspicious time for Pooja:

The date of Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon period (Shukla Chaturthi) in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada. This is August or September each year. The festival is celebrated for 10 or 11 days according to the Hindu lunar calendar, with the biggest spectacle taking place on the last day called Anant Chaturdashi.

 History:

Lord Ganesha is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. There are various stories behind his birth but two of them are the most common ones.

According to the best astrologers in India, Lord Ganesha was created from the dirt of the body of Goddess Parvati. It is believed that one day, in the absence of Lord Shiva, when Goddess Parvati had gone to take bath, she created Ganesh to protect and provide security and privacy by guarding the bathroom door. When Lord Shiva returned and demanded to see Goddess Parvati, Ganesha stopped him. Angered, Lord Shiva got into a riff with him and severed his head from the body of Ganesha. When Parvati came to know about this, she was enraged and made Lord Shiva promise to get the child’s head back. Unable to find it, Lord Shiva then replaced the head of Ganesha with the head of an elephant. And that is how Lord Ganesha is said to have been born. This is also why he was named Gajanan.

Another legend is such that the Devas requested Shiva and Parvati to create Ganesha so that he can be a Vighnakarta (creator of obstacles) for Rakshasas (demons), thus being a Vighnaharta (averter of obstacles) and helping the Devas.

 Importance of Ganesh Chaturthi:

It is believed that all those who pray dedicatedly to Lord Ganesha are able to fulfill all their wishes and dreams. They are set free of sins and it leads them on the path of knowledge and wisdom. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with pomp and show and on a grand scale, where people from all castes of the society can come together, pray, and be united. At home, Ganesh idols are installed and decorated with flowers and leaves. Offerings are made and poojas are organized.

 Then, after a period of 10 days, the idols of Lord Ganesh are immersed in a water body in an attempt to bid farewell to his mortal journey. This is called the Visarjan. The visarjan is followed by loud chanting of "Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudcha Varshi Lokar Ya", which means 'Lord Ganesha, come back soon next year.'

 Sweets and savories like modak, jaggery, and coconut are offered to Lord Ganesha. It is believed that Lord Ganesh loves modak, a sweet dumpling made from rice flour mixed with coconut and jaggery. This offering is made to the idol as Bhog.

 Talking about food and Prashad, you might be interested to find out which food items or cuisines suit you the best.

 Celebrations and Rituals:

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi begins with Pranapratishhtha, where the mantras are chanted by a priest. Offerings that are loved by Lord Ganesha are placed in front of his idol. These include modak, shrikhand, payasam, coconut rice, motichoor laddoo, and other sweets. Devotees visit temples and special pandals set up for Ganesh Chaturthi to pay their respects to Lord Ganesha.

 People also sometimes choose to bring Ganapati idols home ahead of the festival and host them for the 10-day festivities. On the Visarjan day, devotees pay respect to him as he is seen off, taking all our worries away and leaving blessings behind.

Traditions:

How to worship Lord Ganesha during this festival:

First, it is important to cleanse your body by taking a bath in the name of God, which is said to wash away the sins and miseries of life. It perpetuates happiness, health and wealth, and brings you children and salvation according to the best astrologer in Kolkata.

The second practice is to offer white flowers to the gods in order to bring success and fame.

The third ritual would be to offer grass as it is said to bring good luck, prosperity, and children.

Fourth, offer vermilion or Sindoor to the Gods so as to bring good fortune.

Fifth, households must light incense sticks as it brings fame. Sixth, devotees should offer sweets and laddoos to Lord Ganesh as it will help you fulfill your desires.

Lastly, Mantra Pushpanjali or offering of flowers is made to Lord Ganesha to ask for forgiveness for the mistakes one has made.

[viralhai]

Railways to run 162 special trains for Konkan region of Maharashtra to handle Ganesh Chaturthi crowd [ad_1]

At the request of the Maharashtra government, Indian Railways has approved a total of 162 special trains for the Konkan region of Maharashtra to handle congestion for Ganesh Chaturthi. The state government had asked the railways to run special trains to make people's journey easier for the festival.

However, the government has ordered that passengers taking these trains have to go from home to quarantine for three days. In a press release, the Railways stated that passengers would also have to follow all other COVID-19 guidelines.

Every year, lakhs of devotees from Mumbai and other cities visit their native places in Konkan for the festival.

As people faced severe difficulties during the COVID-19 lockdown, both the Railways and the Government of Maharashtra collaborated to run special trains that wanted to travel to their original places for the festival. People have expressed excitement and happiness over the decision.

Meanwhile, the Railways will also run additional Ganpati Special trains between Ahmedabad / Vadodara and Ratnagiri / Kudal / Sawantwadi Road stations in coordination with Western Railway and Central Railway to overcome the extra rush of passengers.

Number of showers 09416 Ahmedabad Junction - Kudal Weekly Special Special fare will leave Ahmedabad Junction on August 18 and August 25 at 09:30 hours. This train will reach Kundal at 04:30 am the next day of Indian Railways. A release said.

Special fare on train number 09415 Kudal - Ahmedabad Junction Weekly Special will depart from Kudal at 05:30 pm on August 19 and August 26. The train will reach Ahmedabad Junction at 00:15 am the next day (2 trips).

The train will stop at Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, Vasai Road, Panvel, Roha, Mangaon, Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Savarda, Aravalli Road, Sangameshwar Road, Ratnagiri, Rajapur Road, Vaibhavwadi Road, Kankavali and Sindhudurg Station.

Trains will run as a weekly special between Ahmedabad and Sawantwadi Road, Vadodara to Ratnagiri.

This year Ganesh Chaturthi festival will be celebrated on 22 August across the country.

. [ad_2] https://viralhai.news/railways-to-run-162-special-trains-for-konkan-region-of-maharashtra-to-handle-ganesh-chaturthi-crowd/?feed_id=1162&_unique_id=5f38c3d36cba1 #chaturthi #crowd #ganesh #ganeshchaturthi #handle #indianrail #konkan #maharashtra #railways #region #run #special #specialtrain #trains

[akshada11chavan]

A mother’s mythological nightmare

Telling stories is a sweet way to wind down before bedtime and can be a sanity-saving diversion if the granny takes over offering you ‘Me time’.

I have been reading to my daughter but gradually started narrating my own stories with morals and values.We too were raised like this. Every time a festival comes her grandmother takes the charge to narrate the story behind it. Though I felt probably she might not retain everything but whatever she does will be good.

Ganesh Chaturthi was around the corner so my five years old asked me to narrate Lord Ganesha’s story...Not well versed with mythology, but decided to take the plunge. We entered the room and I comforted her in the quilt and it began like this...

“Mamma Ganesha’s story today.” as she pleasingly held my hand.

“Yeah ...I will”

“Yayyy..tell me first, why does Lord Ganesha look like an elephant. Is he a God to animals.”

“No baby.. You are too young to understand but I shall try!”

“You always say so... too young to understand.”

“Oh! You are my big girl. I will (not knowing I was digging my own grave). So here it goes. One day Goddess Parvati decided to take bath and she asked Ganesha to guard the house.”

“Why house? Bathroom right??”

“No baby she was taking bath in a kund... kind of a pool.”

“Wow ma, they had a personal pool.. !!When are we having one?”

“Hai... pool in the flat? You have one in the society.. right?”

“But my personal pool.”

“Ask your father... how do I know? and be quiet and listen. Ganesha was an obedient son. So, while he guarded he saw his father, Lord Shiva return.

“But ma, granny told me the other day that his name is Shanker..is it his nickname? Or have you forgotten??”

“Hmm..he has many names.”

“Ah..like daddy..granny calls him Beta, you call him honey I call him dadda..his friends call him ...!!”

“Will you be quiet or should I leave??”I grumbled.

“Sorry .. so, what happened?”

“When Ganesha saw him he said Sir, you cannot go inside.. my mother has asked me not to let anyone in. Shiva said this is my house and I have the right to come inside. Many Shiva-devotees, sages, and Gods requested Ganesha to let Shiva in; but Ganesha did not budge from His stand. Moreover, He challenged them to wage a war with Him. In fact, Ganesha forced the others to fight with Him; He tied up Deities, harassed sages and seers; and didn’t listen to anyone. Deity Shiva, therefore, came again and tried to reason with Ganesha; but Ganesha misbehaved. Ganesha was adamant and Shiva lost his temper. He slapped Ganesha so hard that his head fell off ...from his body!”

“What a horrible father he is !!”Anger was fuming from her eyes. “He should learn from daddy he doesn’t even shout!”

“But darling he didn’t know that Ganesha was his son. Also, he misbehaved, fought was extremely adamant. You should always be polite and respectful to your elders”.

“What kind of God he is.. doesn’t even know his son. Aren’t, Gods suppose to know everything? After all, he was following his mother’s instructions.”

“Well, he was born when he was away!”

“So what ma..how long was he away?? You say God is always watching us and he didn’t see his own son! Now don’t ever say anything to me if I don’t obey you!"

“Wait! This is all getting foozled...leave it, honey.. I will continue tomorrow.”I wanted to leave before becoming Shiva myself!!

“No ma finish it.”

I thought it’s better not dwell into further details. “Keep it minimalist” my wisdom warned me!

“There was a loud thud! Parvati ma came running and began to weep and told Shiva that Ganesha was following her instructions. Shiva was shocked and decided to save him. He ran to the forest and saw an elephant( I didn’t want to tell her that he killed it...no controversy!) There was an elephant which itself obliged Shiva by offering his head. So lord Shiva came back performed the surgery, therefore, giving Ganesha head of an elephant. Also, Shiva apologized... and adorned him with the title God of wisdom !” At one stretch I finished.. phew!! Thinking I had won!!..

But wait...,

“Ma, how did he know the elephant was a male?”

“Ah..hai...!!”I nearly fainted.

“Was he a doctor that he performed surgery?”

“He is a God .. he knew it!”

“He didn’t know his son and for his own good he bribed him with the title!”

“See, he loved his son.. his love was true.. it was just circumstances that all this happened. Even God’s life is not perfect.”

“So, why do we worship them? Tell me...you kill your kid and fit an elephant head and you say the love is true.. would you love me if I do the same with you?”

“Spare me Raavi and sleep!” I left the room.

But heard her murmur “she says to use your brain when I do she snaps..and these Gods... God only knows them.”

I banged the door followed by the hysterical laughter of her granny and daddy who were witnessing the theatrics from behind the door.

“She’s Just like you..inquisitive! You were just five and while watching Krishna, called the voice ‘stupid’ who did celestial announcement( aakashwani) informing Kansa about the future.” said granny!

My husband was rolling “like mother... like daughter”!

But the moral is...

Keep it minimalist and make umpteen modifications before narrating any mythological stories you aren’t fully aware of. Be well-read otherwise it can invite trouble.

Always try and answer their inquisitiveness because a mind that thinks will develop logic and reasoning.

Never leave them unattended! I too after ten minutes went back and cuddled and pacified her. I told her that all of her questions will be answered in the morning. Knowing, probably inviting more trouble but as I always say ‘There is no such thing as perfect parenting. All that I try is to give my best!’

[foodtrails25-blog]

Coconut Paan Ladoos.. Coconut Ladoos with the flavorful paan or betel leaves for festivals and special occasions

Last year around this same time I has posted the recipe for Instant Coconut ladoos with just two ingredients. This year on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chathurthi, I bring you the same paan ladoos but with the flavour of paan or betel leaves.

Festivals all around the world are celebrated with lots of food and especially desserts!! Any happy occasion or good news or gathering, Kuch Meetha Ho jaye or Muhh tho Meetha karao( both meaning let’s celebrate with sweets)  is the favourite saying in Indian gatherings.

Ingredients for Coconut Paan Ladoos

These Paan Ladoos are not only delicious but also easy to make. All you need is condensed milk, unsweetened coconut flakes and paan/betel leaves.

What is Paan/Beetal Leaves

Paan or betel leaves are the leaves of a vine with same name.It is commonly available in India and have wide usage there. Also popular in some South Eastern countries.

These are believed to used in India since ancient times in traditional rituals on  auspicious occasions,in food preparation to flavour desserts.

The famous Paan from North India in which betel leaves are stuffed with different spices like fennel seeds, cardamom and other ingredients and eaten after dinner. Though Paan is known to be addictive,once in a while it can be used in small quantities to flavour food. Meetha Paan is very famous in India and even the kids are sometimes allowed to eat it (small) size with fennel seeds and gulkand. As a kid I loved Meetha pan, and still like to have it sometimes if I get it.

I love the refreshing taste in coconut ladoos that come with paan leaves. I have also made White Chocolate Paan Truffles during my baking venture days, when some client requested those for Diwali gift pack and those were loved by many clients there.

Paan adds a unique refreshing flavour to these ladoos or to the desserts. I add some fennel seeds, cardamom powder and gulkand in the center and enjoy the Meetha Paan flavour exactly like you get at the Paanwala shops in India.

If you have those colored candied fennel seeds(Meethe Saunf)that as kids we loved to eat, you can also stuff those in center with gulkand.

Ingredients to make Paan Coconut Ladoos

To make Paan Coconut Ladoos we need Paan Leaves. In India these are easily available, but in USA or other countries you can get these at Indian Grocery stores. Use fresh green leaves.

Desiccated Coconut,  Condensed milk, Fennel seeds(in grocery aisles or Indian Grocery stores), cardamom powder. 

I have made some ladoos with Gulkand centers and some with candid fennel seeds. Both are available at Indian grocery  stores.

Gulkand is a sweet preserve of rose petals made with sugar and used in many Indian desserts. It is a very good antacid also. Having a tsp of gulkand relives the burn from acidity. That’s why many people eat paan with gulkand and fennel seeds as it aids digestion.

How to make Coconut Paan Ladoos

First of all clean and pat dry paan leaves with a paper napkin.

Grind paan leaves either with evaporated milk to fine paste. If you don’t have evaporated milk, use regular milk(around 1/4 cup).

Add one tsp of ghee in a non stick pan and roast desiccated coconut, till light brown and it gives a nutty aroma.

Add and paan paste and condensed milk and cardamom powder, mix and cook till the mixture starts coming together and thick.

Transfer the mixture in another plate to cool.

Shape into ladoos when it is still warm.

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If you are adding Gulkand and fennel seeds , take 2 tbsp of gulkand , mix about 1-2 tsp of fennel seeds( add as per your preference), divide the mixture in 12 small balls(refer pic below). We get around 12 medium sized ladoos with the amount of ingredient used.

Take a small portion of it, flattened it in you palm, add gulkand and fennel mix, and give it ladoo shape sealing the edges and smoothing it with palms.

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Roll in Coconut flakes and serve or store in air-tight container. Stays good for 2-3 days.

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Pls Note.. Many people add a drop or two of green color to it, I skipped that. Add color if you want.

Coconut Paan Ladoo

Traditional Coconut Ladoos with refreshing Paan taste. Make for festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali or Holi.. Recipe for Paan Coconut Ladoo.

1 Cup Desiccated Coconut

1/2 Cup Condensed Milk

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

1-2 tsp Fennel seeds (optional)

2 tbsp Gulkand (optional)

1-2 tsp Candied Fennel Seeds (optional)

First of all clean and pat dry paan leaves with a paper napkin.

Grind paan leaves either with evaporated milk to fine paste. If you don't have evaporated milk, use regular milk(around 1/4 cup).

Add one tsp of ghee in anon stick pan and roast desiccated coconut, till light brown and it gives a nutty aroma.

Add and paan paste and condensed milk and cardamom powder, mix and cook till the mixture starts coming together and thick.

Transfer the mixture in another plate to cool. Shape into ladoos when it is still warm.

If you are adding Gulkand and fennel seeds , take 2 tbsp of gulkand , mix about 1-2 tsp of fennel seeds( add as per your preference), divide the mixture in 12 small balls(refer pic below).

Take a small portion of it, flattened it in you palm, add gulkand and fennel mix, and give it ladoo shape sealing the edges and smoothing it with palms.

Roll in Coconut flakes and serve or store in air-tight container. Stays good for 2-3 days.

Many people add a drop or two of green color to it, I skipped that. Add color if you like a little bright green color.

If you are planning to make these Coconut Paan Ladoos for Ganesh Chathurthi, you can shape these into modaks. I do not have a modak mold, so shaped these with hands. I know these don’t look like perfect modaks but I am sure Ganeshji  (Lord Ganesha) will be happy with this treat!!

Make these Ladoos on any festive occasions like Diwali, Holi. It is an ideal to gift to your loved ones. Pack these along with other sweet treats like Besan Ke Ladoo, Mathura ke Pede, Malai Laados, Chocolate Thandai Mawa Muffins, Nan Khatai, and Chocolate truffles in attractive gift boxes, any day better than the store-bought mithai or costly gifts. For me homemade gifts are the best for gifting, keeping the in mind the preferences of to whom you are gifting .

Make this and do give me your feedback.

Do visit my social media accounts.. FB, Pinterest and Instagram. Whenever you make this,do post on my FB page or tag me on Instagram.  Pin the recipes for later use.

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Thanks for stopping by!!

        Coconut Paan Ladoos Coconut Paan Ladoos.. Coconut Ladoos with the flavorful paan or betel leaves for festivals and special occasions…

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Atheists Walk Into Ganesh Visarjan Festivities

At this Pune celebration, devotion is completely optional.

For most of our childhood, we avoided the heart of Pune where a majority of pandals conduct the Ganesh Visarjan procession. The unruly crowds and noise acted as strong deterrents to leaving the comfort of home, nor did we want to get stuck in traffic. Besides we weren’t religious. A deity’s comings and goings didn’t move us enough to hit the streets. We did attend and enjoy the Ganesh Visarjan festivities organised in our neighbourhood, but that was almost like a family affair.

When we finally made our way to Laxmi Road and the adjoining lanes some years ago, we thought we'd reached a party! It seemed like all Puneris, young and old, had congregated there on Ganesh Visarjan day.

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The Big Boss

For the uninitiated, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are a 10-day long birthday party we throw for our beloved elephant-headed deity. Visarjan is the day he leaves (via a water body of our choice), there’s a huge farewell party on Laxmi Road in Pune that lasts 24-28 hours. Each Ganesh idol is followed by a dhol-taasha pathak (a band of percussion instruments) that travels with the idol and performs at several locations along the way.

We went back for some more of the heady music and dance this year. And we are hooked, for more than one reason.

Observation # 1: The dhol-taasha players are like rockstars and the crowd is like a mosh pit. The players have security; volunteers clear the path for them. I’m not exaggerating. I think the first dhol-pathak got more attention from the crowd than the first Ganapati. They were so excited that they all charged ahead almost causing a stampede. One of the later pathaks had a volunteer pass a Red Bull to the dhol players. As I enviously watched him drink, I decided that they deserve the special treatment. Carrying that dhol (approximate weight l10 kilos) in the hot sun and walking the entire stretch of Laxmi Road is no mean feat. I was happy to be part of the moshpit and to enjoy the performances.

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The mosh pit

Observation # 2: It’s an open-air party where you can just be. You don’t have to know how to dance, you don’t have to dress in uncomfortable clothes, you don’t have to wear heels or makeup. Just walk in, find a 2 x 2 feet space, and go crazy. Throw your hands in the air, shake your body, drink if you like, no judgement. The rhythm of the dhol-taasha is so powerful and the music on the speakers so loud, that it’s enough to give you a natural high.

Observation # 3: If you watch the pathaks long enough, you’ll want to become one of them. Every time the crowd heard faint strains of an approaching pathak, they braced themselves. The anticipation grew as they got closer and closer, and erupted in screams, whistles, jumping bodies and arms waving in the air. For the brief time that the pathak played, the crowd stopped complaining about the heat and claustrophobia and let the music take over. I danced, whistled and cheered lustily… and imagined that one day, I would be the one making the music.

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Ultimate rockers

Observation # 4: Crowds test character. If crowds make you frustrated and angry, yell and scream, test your patience, then a visarjan is for you. Not only will you realise the limits of your restraint, you will come out of it better and bigger – the best version of yourself.

Observation # 5: The phrase of the day was “maage sarka” (move behind)! I heard everyone say it in increasing volumes. The police said it in threatening tones. The people around me pleaded. Everyone had one request to the people around them: maage sarkaa! But the people in front refused to leave their locationally advantageous position and the people behind tried their best to push their way ahead. We witnessed some Olympic -level dhakka-mukki. Even after I went home in the afternoon to nap (as all true Puneris do), I could hear ‘maage sarkaaa’ in my dreams.

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A female dhol player smiles for us

Observation # 6: Camaraderie is easy. All you need to do is smile and dance. Be careful who you dance with though - boys can be frisky, but I found most who just wanted to enjoy their groove. Dancing with girls was a piece of cake. Exchange moves and follow each other for an impromptu synchronised dance sequence.

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Giddy up

Observation # 7: Camera = Access. While most people stand behind a tightly drawn rope barricade, men with DSLRs happily saunter along in the space meant for the pathak. A few are press photographers, but most are there to experiment with their camera. These camera toting specimens can stand a foot away from the players and not be squished without space to move and sometimes breathe. It’s a photographers delight - there’s movement, there are traditional costumes, percussion instruments, and exuberance, passion and focus on everyone’s face.

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Everyone’s a photographer

Observation # 8: At night the streets turn into a discotheque. It’s a matter of perspective: when you’re at home trying to work and someone is playing loud music for Ganesh Chaturthi, we curse and complain. But when you’re out on the streets dancing like a hooligan, you cease to care about life, the universe, God, and potential deafness. Laxmi Road, Pune hosts the most happening Ganesh Visarjan evening parties. Trucks carrying portable disco equipment (lights, speakers, and DJs) cater to the crowd’s need to let their hair down and dance like there’s no tomorrow.

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Street disco

Observation # 9: You don’t have to be religious to enjoy this event. Devotion is optional. Though community Ganapati celebrations started as a religious event in 1893, you don’t necessarily have to be religious to enjoy the party anymore. The most fun parts of the event are the non-religious ones, though Ganapati Bappa is the big boss in whose name you can get the crowd to do anything. “Move out of the way for Bappa!” and the crowd will really move. “Dance for Bappa!” And everyone gets into the groove. But no one insists that you pray or partake in any of the religious rituals. Devotion is completely optional.

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Atheists bid farewell

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are independent views solely of the author(s) expressed in their private capacity and do not in any way represent or reflect the views of 101India.com By Vinaya Kurtkoti / Shatakshi Gawade Photographs by: Vinaya Kurtkoti and Shatakshi Gawade