SRI RAMA NAVAMI

Its Sri Rama Navami today and I thought of sharing the recipes of the prasadams that I made. Sri Rama Navami is a festival celebrating the birth of the Lord Sri Ram, He was born on the ninth-day (Navami) of the month Chaitra. In most of the places it is celebrated for 9 days with navami being the last day of the utsav. On the day of Navami, Sita Kalyana Mahotsava is done in the south of India and the new born Ram Lala is put into the cradle in the north.

During my days at Mettur, I and my sister used to wait for this festival to come, as Panagam and Neer Mor were served to all the devotees who carried the Rama's Idol and also to the ones who accompany them. What could be more refreshing than Panagam and Neer Mor to ward off the summer heat in India!!

The whole week used to be packed with events in the Bhajana Madam, with Ramayan discourses in the evening and Seetha kalyanam & the colony Oorvalam on navami. I still cherish those sweet memories of eagerness to catch the front row seats, our giggles over old people dozing in between and not to mention the taste of the prasadams!

The Prasadams: Panagam, Neer Mor and Vada Paruppu

The good calorie from jaggery, calcium in the buttermilk and protein in the vada paruppu makes this combination not only tasty but, one of the most nutritious prasadams I guess. And above all its a childsplay, literally even a kid can make it. So this is how I made them.

Panagam: 

Ingredients:

Jaggery – ½ cup

Water- 2 Cups

Lime- half

Sukku (Soont) or Dry ginger powder- A pinch

Cardamom powder- A pinch

Method:

Soak the half cup of jaggery in two cups of water for around half an hour and filter it to remove any dirt. Add the ginger powder, cardamom and squeeze the lime to it. Give it a good stir and serve it chill.

Neer Mor :

Ingredients:

Yogurt – ¾ cup

Green Chilli – 1 if small or ½ if big

Cilantro – 2 small sprigs

Asafoetida- A pinch

Water- 2 cups

Salt to taste.

Method:

Beat the yogurt well and add 2 cups of water to it. Add asafoetida, salt and chilli- cilantro paste to it.

Give it a good stir before serving.

Vada Paruppu:

Ingredients:

Moong Dal- ¼ cup

Mustard seeds- For seasoning

Urad dal- For seasoning

Asafoetida- For seasoning

Green chillies-1, finely chopped or slit

Lime- half

Shredded Coconut – 1 Tbsp

Corriander

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the dal in water for half and hour and strain the water. Add salt, lime, chilli, coconut and cilantro to it. Season the mixture with mustards, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. And thats vada paruppu!

After some food for the body, heres something for the soul too,

The significance of Ramayana ; I heard it in one of the live discourses of Sri Tejomayanand ji (The present head of Chinmaya Mission) during my under graduation days at college.

He told “ Sita is peace of mind and when Ravana (Bad qualities) abducts Sita, Lord Ram (the good qualities ) fights to get Sita (Peace) back”. It does make perfect sense , isn’t ?

And heres a small sloka on Ramayanam,

Eka Shlokam Ramayanam

Poorvam Rama-tapo-vanaadi-gamanam Hatva Mrugam Kaanchanam
Vaidehee-haranam Jatayu-maranam Sugreeva-sambhashanam
Balee-nigrahanam Samudra-taranam Lankapuri-daahanam
Paschaat Raavana-kumbhakarna-hananam Etatdhi Ramayanam




Lord Rama went to the forest in order to fulfill the promise his father had given to one of his wives (Kaikeyi).  In the forest, Seeta was attracted by the golden deer and Rama went after it.  At that time, the wicked Ravana kidnapped Seeta.  Jatayu tried to defend Seeta and save her, but was killed by Ravana.  Lord Rama then befriended Sugriva and killed Vali, the unrighteous.  He crossed the ocean and entered the city of Lanka.  He then destroyed the city of Lanka, killed the wicked demons Ravana and Kumbhakarna and set Seeta free.  This is the story contained in the Ramayana.

How simple !!

 A happy Ram Navami to all of you !

Jai Shri Ram!!