We Indians are all familiar with the dish halwa, which is usually made with different kinds of flour or vegetables and is considered to be a delicacy in the central parts of India. Two most popular halwa recipes are the suji ka halwa and the gajar ka halwa, but there are also some special recipes that are served as Prasad for various religious occasions. And one such variety is the singhare ka halwa.
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| Singhare ka Halwa |
Singhare is the Hindi name of water chestnuts and these nuts are a good source of fiber and potassium and are also rich in carbohydrates. This water chestnut flour is usually sold in the market during the Navratri and Shivratri festival.
The nutty flavor of water chestnuts gets enhanced when you fry or roast the flour with ghee. I have tried to make barfis by spreading the halwa in a greased tray and cutting them into cubes. Whatever way you eat the halwa, it is simple delicious and today in this blog, I will share with you the singhare ka halwa recipe, which is simple, flavorful and healthy for the amazing health benefits that it offers.
Singhare Ka Halwa recipe:
(a)Heat 3-4 tablespoon of ghee in a pan on medium heat and once it is hot add ½ cup of singhare ka atta and mix well.
(b)Roast the atta while continuously stirring till it turns golden brown in color and you get a nice aroma of the roasted flour. This may take around 6-7 minutes. While roasting the flour, put a cup of water to boil or heat it in a microwave.
(c)Next, add the hot water to the mixture and stir it properly to avoid any lumps. Remember to add boiling water so that there are no lumps formed while preparing the halwa.
(d)Once the water is totally absorbed, add sugar and mix well and keep stirring continuously. You will notice that as the sugar melts it will become runny and shiny.
(d)Keep cooking the singhare ka halwa till the ghee starts to leave from it.
(e)Now turn off the stove and add cardamom powder and mix well. Garnish it with sliced almonds.
(f)Your singhare ka halwa is ready to serve.
Some nutritional benefits of the recipe:
Water chestnut has many nutritional benefits. It is a good source of potassium and fiber and is very low in sodium. The dish is very high in carbohydrates and is a high energy food item ideal for toddlers and kids. It helps to increase weight in children and also to cure cold and cough.
As a child, one of my best memories that I have is of Saraswati Puja. Every year during the month of January or February, this puja was performed at our home and the whole household was transformed with various decorations and I loved to see the joyous mood in everyone.
The most remarkable and interesting thing that I still remember is the alpana that we used to make to decorate the floors, the doorsteps and the prayer altar. These beautiful floor paintings are known as alpana in West Bengal is the word is derived from the Sanskrit word Alimpan meaning colorful designs. Commonly known as Rangoli in other parts of India, these simple aplana designs form an integral part of rituals of Bengal.
Alpana designs for Saraswati Puja represents the artistic sensibility of the people of Bengal and it is usually practiced by women who create traditional designs on the floor using rice paste. It is an ancient practice that is used to decorate the floors, the wooden seats and other household items with rice paste or crushed color.
The basic forms are more or less same and depict the various moods of the season. This art was practiced in ancient times because people believed that the decorative paintings kept their homes and village safe from evil and brought prosperity in life.
The making of Alpana:
Simple alpana designs for Vasant Panchami are created by ladies at home during any celebration. The artistic medium that is used to create the patterns is rice that is non-parboiled. The rice is soaked in water to become soft and then it is ground to form a smooth paste. A cotton cloth or a cotton ball is dipped in the rice paste and held between the thumb and the index finger to create beautiful patterns that are usually spontaneous. But today, different materials like vermilion, flower petals, colored chalk, grains or sawdust are also used to create them.
Alpana painting:
Women usually clean the space where the pattern is to be created. Earlier women used to clean the ground with red soil and cow dung. Bengalis make alpana around the idol and even on the outer site of the entrance gate.
The designs have a magical power and presence and are used as welcoming signs for the guest. Simple alpana designs for Saraswati puja are made that comprise the sun, rice stem, swan, ladder, swastika together with some floral patterns to make it appear more beautiful.
Circular or square patterns are used as a holy pedestal during festivals like Vasant Panchami or Lakshmi puja. Nowadays, the influence of the Santiniketan style of art is also seen and the paintings reflect the grace and elegance of Bengali culture. The symbols used to create simple alpana designs represented the prayers that are painted from the heart.
Your kids are the most precious gift in your life. This morning while sipping tea, I was just wondering if I am really able to be the best mother to my kids or not. As a working mother with a job in hand, two kids to look after and all the list of household chores to do, at times it really becomes difficult to spend some quality time with them. But it is really important to give your child the attention that they deserve. Are you facing similar problems with your kids because of your hectic life schedule? If yes, then read some tips that I am going to share with you that will guide you on how to spend quality time with child.
Schedule some together time daily: Kids love to help their parents. So whether it is about arranging the dinner table or some help in making the grocery list, take their help in little household works and let them contribute to the preparation process. It might be a little messy in the beginning, but your kids will become the greatest helpers and they will remember the special time with you before dinner.
Take an evening walk: If you are unable to spend time together during the day, then plan for a pajama walk before bedtime with your children. This is a good idea to spend quality time with kids and it will give your kids mellow time to decompress and also create some special moment that might have been lost to TV.
Don’t drive always: Avoid driving with your children if the distance is short like visiting the nearby park or a friend’s house. These few minutes are actually priceless moments that you often lose in the name of convenience. So, the next time you go somewhere nearby, walk with your kids and talk about their day in school. Hold their hands and enjoy the special moment.
Play the games they love: This is another activity that can help you to spend quality time with kids. If your kids love to play badminton or table tennis, then take active part in the games. If your kids are too young, then get involved in any activity of their choice like watching their favorite movie or reading them stories. This will not only help you to spend some time together and bond, but it will also keep you fit and healthy. But don’t forget to set time limits.
This year, while preparing the students for our Republic Day school function, I came across some of the most popular Hindi poems that had motivating themes and served as a mantra to encourage the young generation. Poems hold a special place in education and it is the best means to inspire and boost the enthusiasm of our new generation. Poems help to freely express the inner thoughts in simple language that is easy to understand for school students.
With different types of poems contributed by eminent poets, it has become easy to touch emotions and push you forward. Inspirational or motivational poems are the best tools to provide a deep insight into you and help yourself through anything. These poems serve as a unique technique to help you face any challenges in life and present a point of view that seeks to change the perception of a choice. Motivational poems, when read together in the class help to shape and mold who we are and who we can become. The simple words express vivid ideas and powerful emotions in us that usually other literary forms can’t replicate.
The Veer Tum Badhe Chalo poem written by Dwarka Prasad Maheswari is a classic Hindi patriotic poem which helps to understand the meaning of your life and redefine some concepts in a completely new manner. After reading this poem, you will feel certain strong emotion that will encourage you to move forward in life in spite of the various hurdles in life. The poem reflects the power of words used by the poet to encourage the young people for their motherland and develop the feeling of patriotism in them. Parent can introduce this fascinating and encouraging Veer Tum Badhe Chalo poem to their kids and motivate them to attain their goals by facing the challenges boldly.
Motivational poems in Hindi help little kids to gain inspiration from the positive attitude reflected in the poem and this helps them to improve the quality of life in the coming future. Reading positive and encouraging poems help to understand relationship with others that greatly affect their way of thinking and develop a positive attitude towards life. Therefore, whenever there is negativity, it is best to read poems like Veer Tum Badhe Chalo that is inspiring and reflect a positive attitude. Motivating Hindi poems have the power to boost your spirit and give you the strength to fight back any challenges. Such poems are timeless pieces of literature that have a huge impact on people’s lives regardless of the generation.
Young children love to read poems because they are the best means to understand stories through simple language. Probably poems are the first stories that we usually tell young kids and help them to learn a language and increase their word stock.
Hindi poems for kids play a greater role in teaching them to learn the language and this starts with nursery rhymes that they learn by heart. Such simple poems depict a clear meaning through easy words and allow the child to understand social, emotional and different feelings and situations effortlessly.
Poems provide a pleasant and relaxed means for little students to practice language skills and at the same time develop communication skills and build a rich vocabulary.
There are many famous Hindi poets who have made great contributions and these poems are great means to encourage children and motivate them to face any challenges of life.
There are many Hindi poems that express a child’s feelings for his or her mother and one such poem is the Kadamb ka ped poem. Kadamb is a beautiful tree that blooms during the summers. The flowers are solid and round in shape and have a sweet fragrance. The tree and flowers are considered favorite among the Gods and Kadamb tree is popularly associated with Lord Krishna who usually played his flute under this tree.
Yeh Kadamb ka ped poem is a beautiful composition by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan that defines the beautiful relationship between a son and his mother. The poem describes the wish of the little child to climb a kadamb tree on the river bank of Jamuna and play a tiny wooden flute in the same manner like Lord Krishna. The little boy wants to surprise his mother and this poem with its simple language reminds us about the great pleasures that we can still derive by doing simple things in life. The strong mother son relationship is depicted with emotional closeness and the little boy expresses his love and feelings for his mother through his different activities.
Hindi poems for kids help them to imagine situations and sense the excitement of freedom through simple language. The poems communicate so much more than any other description could, the wonder, the joy, the fun that a small child feels while playing a flute under the tree. The simple language helps to create visual images that become vivid and live in the mind of the reader or the listener and even though the child experiences these emotions for a very short time, yet he remains engaged and is filled with excitement and awe.
Bangles have always been in fashion and gone are the days when they were worn only by married women and few matched them with their traditional attire.
Every time, I visit the market I remain amazed by the wonderful collection and the splash of colors that bangles spread all around. Since childhood, I had a soft corner for these accessories. I used to get them for every occasion, during festivals, marriage celebrations or even during my birthday celebrations. Visiting the local fairs was always very exciting to me, as I would get a chance to increase my wonderful collection of bangles.
Gold bangles are mandatory for newlywed brides in Bengal. It signifies good fortune and prosperity and is considered auspicious during any celebration. But today, things have changed a lot and jean clad girls too can wear them in style. Be it for enthralling designs, patterns and ornamental appeal or for their traditional value, gold bangles designs have survived the test of time.
Women and young girls consider this as a fashion accessory that can enhance the way they look and at the same time remain faithful to the traditional customs.
Today, gold bangles are not restricted to simple bridal designs; they are specifically designed with stones, pearls and other gems to make them appear strikingly beautiful and suitable for various occasions. Different types of gold bangle designs are found. Some of them are
Patali: A flat bangle that is broader as compared to any glass bangles.
Swarnakankan: Its breadth is similar to that of glass bangles and is also popularly known as Bilwar.
Gota: They are thick and solid gold bangles without any designs and are worn at both the ends with other bangles in between,
Toda: This is a little broader than a patali and is rounded. Special designs are usually engraved on it.
Where can you buy different gold bangles?
There are reputed retailers offering a wide range of bridal gold bangle designs or trendy gold bangles that can be worn at office parties or any other get-together. These beautiful ornaments hold a special soft spot in every woman’s heart. Whether you need to dress up for a festival, wedding or any other special occasion, there are reputed jewelry suppliers offering a large range of specially crafted and fashionable pieces.
Such stores offer contemporary delicate diamond cut gold bangle designs with Rhodium finish, intricate designs or ornaments studded with kundans. There are also reputed online jewelry stores offering beautiful gold accessories that can be easily purchased online at affordable prices.
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Choosing a beautiful and meaningful baby girl name is a great pleasure for parents and this is another most important thing that can bring you and your partner close to each other when you can learn some of his likes and dislikes.
Many times it is seen that the decision is based on emotional ties and can cause great stress for couples especially when both have different choices. While naming our baby girl, I too faced this problem as my husband and I had different choice and passion for words. Whatever is the cause of your disagreement, here in this blog, I will share some tips that can help you to handle such a situation and come out with a word that you both will love for your baby girl.
How to solve some of your disagreements-
Have a clear perspective: You and your partner’s likes and dislikes are very personal and it can be really difficult to accept the dismissal of your baby girl name that you had planned since your school days. If your partner rejects the name, it often means like a personal rejection, but keep in mind that your partner is not doing anything intentionally to upset you, but it has more to do with the attachment to their choice than the rejection.
Carefully listen to your partner: While selecting an Indian baby girl names 2016 for your bundle of joy, it is very important to listen to your partner instead of arguing with him or her and trying to convince the other person about your choice, also listen to your partner. This will help to ease the tension and compromise. Avoid jumping to conclusions even if you disagree. In case you are not interested in trendy names, let your partner know about it and the reasons behind your disapproval.
Devote some more time: In any case you are unable to choose the best Indian baby girl name from the list then stop forcing your decision on your partner. Many parents try to choose a name even before the baby is born, and your partner may not be seriously involved in it. It is better to wait for some time till the belly is bigger and shows the bump or wait till you see the baby for the first time.
Work as a team: Carefully handle the situation as team members trying to sort the problem instead of blaming each other. If you can accept this, then it would be easier for you to work together. Try to list down the names from books or from naming websites that you both love and cross the names that you hate. This may appear a long process, but it works well.
So, the final note is that if your partner disagrees with a baby girl name of your choice, then try to follow the above tips and see how it works wonders for both of you.
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