Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Barley Salad/Healthy Weight Loss Barley Salad/Summer Special Barley Salad

Barley Salad made with fresh vegetables is refreshing, light and filling salad that keeps us going throughout the day. If we have weight loss in our wish list, then including Barley in our diet is a vital step. Barley is available as either whole or pearled. Whole barley retains all the nutrients and fiber; pearled barley is more readily available in most supermarkets. Pearled barley has the bran layer removed, is steamed and polished, so they cook faster.

 Barley can be consumed in different ways like barley soup, barley porridge, barley water or it can be used in place of white rice as well. To be honest, barley has not been my first choice to make salad or replace it with rice, but once I tried barley salad, I just got hooked to it. Do try this Barley Salad and post your comments here. Meanwhile also try out other interesting Salad varieties here.

Here’s how to make Barley Salad with step by step photos…


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Monday, 8 January 2024

Priya's Virundhu: Pongal Recipes /All about Pongal/Pongal Menu/Sanka...

Priya's Virundhu: Pongal Recipes /All about Pongal/Pongal Menu/Sanka...: Wishing you all a Very Happy Pongal/Thai Pongal... Iniya Uzhavar Thirunaal Vaazhthukkal Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu ce...

Friday, 24 November 2023

Botttle Gourd Halwa/Surrakkai Halwa/Lauki Ka Halwa – Bottle Gourd Halwa without Khoya/How to make Bottle Gourd Halwa with step by step photos

 Bottle Gourd Halwa/Lauki Ka Halwa is a simple, rich and delectable Indian Sweet dish. It is made by grating bottle gourd, and cooking it with very minimal ingredients like ghee, milk and sugar. This bottle gourd halwa is the perfect dessert after a wonderful meal. We make different types of halwa in India, which is more or less like a pudding. It can be made with semolina/suji, or carrots or beetroots or grains or legumes etc with added sugar and loaded with ghee and finally garnished with cardamom/elachi, nuts and raisins. I have already posted different types of Halwa Varieties, please click on the link to check out the traditional Halwa Recipes here.  Bottle gourd Halwa can be made during festivals and special occasions. Do try out this healthy and delicious Bottle Gourd Halwa and post your comments here.

Here's how to make Bottle Gourd Halwa with step-by-step photos…

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

How to Perform Kanda Sashti Pooja at home? Kanda Sashti Poojai seivadhu eppadi/Simple method to do Sashti Pooja at home Along with all Neivedhyams.

 Today I am going to share with you all of how to perform pooja for Lord Murugan during the Kanda Sashti Viratham. You can do this Pooja on all the six days of the Skanda Sashti or only on Soorasamharam day also. This year Kanda Sashti starts on 13 th November 2023 and ends on 18 th November 2023 followed by Lord Murugan Thirukalyanam on 19th November 2023. 

Please check out

Skanda SashtiViratham 2023 dates here,

Origin of Skanda Sashti Festival here,

How to observe Skanda Sashti Viratham/Fasting here.

    2022 Skanda Sashti Pooja at my home

Before starting the pooja, create a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Clean the pooja room and keep all the pooja items ready.

Friday, 10 November 2023

How to Observe Skanda Sashti Viratham/Fasting or Sashti Viratham ?

Skanda Sashti Viratham/Vrath is a six day fast observed once a year in dedication to Lord Murugan during the Tamil month of Aippasi [Oct -Nov]. Sashti Viratham is also observed every month during the Sashti Thithi for one day starting early in the morning and ending the next day morning.  

The fasting of Skanda Sashti begins on the first day of the new moon which usually falls on the day after Deepavali and observed for six days from Prathamai Thithi to Sashti Thithi.  Viratham/Vrath in Sanskrit means ‘Vow’ which is not merely fasting. The actual meaning of Viratham/promise which the devotee observes is to purify his/her mind through meditation, worship Lord Murugan with great devotion, sticking to clean habits, not telling lies, not getting anger etc. Devotees make it a point to visit Murugan Temples during these 6 days, chant kanda sashti kavasam, do special prayers, offer food for the poor and please Lord Murugan and get his blessings.

Other articles that might of your interest…

SkandaSashti Viratham 2023 dates

Origin of Skandha Sashti Festival/Sashti Viratham

How to do the Sashti Pooja at home

image source: Google images

Wednesday, 8 November 2023

Origin of Skandha Sashti Festival/Sashti Virtham – Vrath Katha/Story

 Skandha Sashti Festival is a special festival dedicated to Lord Murugan who is otherwise called with different names like Karthikeyan, Kandhan, Kumaran, Subramaniyan, BalaMurugan etc. Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and was born out of sparks that came out of Lord Shiva’s third eye. Kanda Sashti is celebrated with great devotion to worship Lord Skanda during the Tamil month of Aippasi. Skanda Sashti celebrates the victory of Lord Skanda over the evil demons.

Sashti falls on the sixth day of the bright half of the lunar month in the Hindu calendar, which is observed in the Tamil month of Aippasi [October -November]. Although Sashti falls every month, but the skanda sashti festival celebrated during the month of Aipaasi is special and six days of fasting is observed, and the sixth day is when Lord Murugan killed Surapadman [Soorasamharam].

Please click on the link for Skanda Sashti 2023 dates

Originof Skandha Sashti Festival/Sashti Viratham

How to Observe SkandaSashti Vratham/fasting?

How to do the Sashti Pooja at home

                                    image source: Google images

Monday, 6 November 2023

Skandha Sashti Viradham 2023/Sashti Viratham 2023/Maha Skandha Sashti Festival – Kandha Sashti Festival 2023 Dates and Time

Skanda Sashti Festival is dedicated to Hindu God Murugan [Kandhan, Karthikeyan, Kadamban, Subramaniyan, Kumaran, Guhan etc]. This Skandha Sashti festival is celebrated during the tamil month of Aippasi which usually falls in the month of October/November. Devotees observe Fasting/Vratham during the six days of Sashti, sing skanda sashti kavacham, and perform special poojas for Lord Murugan. It is one of the major Southern festivals that glorifies Lord Murugan.

                                              Image Source : Google images