Dramatic Dance Kadhakali

Kadhakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama is followed in the state of kerala. Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala, South India, which dates from the 17th century and is rooted in Hindu mythology. Kathakali has a unique combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance.

Preparation of Rawa Dosai

Ingredients:

2 cups semolina (sooji, rava)
1/2 cup rice (chawal) flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp asafoetida
salt (namak) to taste
1 inch ginger (adrak)
4 green chillies
10-12 curry leaves (kari patta)
1/4 cup coconut (narial) (scraped)
12 cashewnuts
2 tblsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tblsp vegetable fat (ghee)
refined oil (tel) to fry

How to make rava dosai:

• Blend rava, rice flour and buttermilk to make a thin batter, add asafoetida and required salt. Stand the batter for at least 6 hours.
• Wash and finely chop the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Chop the coconut and cashew nut into very small bits.
• Crush the peppercorns and cumin seeds. Heat the ghee and roast peppercorn and cumin seeds in it and add to the batter.
• Mix the chopped greens, coconut and cashew into the batter. Stir well.
• Grease a non-stick tawa, smear little oil. Pour a ladle full of the batter and spread by swirling the tava.
• Pour a tablespoon oil around and on the dosa.
• Cook till it is crisp and golden in color. Remove and serve hot.

Preparation Of Rava Iddli

Ingredients:
1 cup wheat sooji/rava (medium thick)
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
1/2 tea spn grated and crushed ginger
2-3 finely chopped green chilies
1 tea spn chana daal
1/4 tea spn soda
3/4 cup grated carrot
1 tbl spn cashews(optional)
2-3 strands of coriander leaves
2 tbl spn grated coconut(fresh or frozen)
1 cup yogurt/curd
1-2 tbl spn oil
Salt
Method:
Roast sooji till a nice aroma comes out.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add ginger, green chilies, chana daal and fry for sometime. Switch off the heat and immediately add sooji, mix well.
Add salt, soda, carrot, coriander leaves, coconut, yogurt/curd and mix well. Leave it for around 30mins.
Grease an idli stand. Keep half cashew and then put the mixture on top (so that when the idlis are removed, the cashews can be seen on the top). Steam for around 12-15mins.
Serve hot.
Serves : 2
Preparation time : 30mins (excluding standing time)

The Great Lord Rama

RamaTamil: ராமர் Ramar; or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism,and a king of Ayodhya in Hindu scriptures. Rama was born in Suryavansha (Ikshvaku Vansh) later known as Raghuvnsha after king Raghu. Based on Puranic genealogy, Rama is believed by Hindus to have lived in the second Yuga called Treta Yuga, before Krishna who was born towards the end of Dwapara Yuga. Rama is traditionally considered to have appeared in the last quarter of Treta Yuga.
Rama is one of the many popular figures and deities in Hinduism, specifically Vaishnavism and Vaishnava religious scriptures in South and Southeast Asia.In Ayodhya, the Indian city believed to be the birthplace of Rama, he is also worshipped as an infant or Rama Lalla. Most of the details of Rama's life come from the Ramayana, one of the two great epics of India.Born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, Rama is referred to within Hinduism as Maryada Purushottama,literally the Perfect Man or Lord of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. Rama is the husband of Sita, whom Hindus consider to be an Avatar of Lakshmi and the embodiment of perfect womanhood.
Rama's life and journey is one of perfect adherence to dharma despite harsh tests of life and time. He is pictured as the ideal man and the perfect human. For the sake of his father's honour, Rama abandons his claim to Kosala's throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, unable to live without Rama, decide to join him, and all three spend the fourteen years in exile together. While in exile, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, the Rakshasa (Asura) monarch of Lanka. After a long and arduous search that tests his personal strength and virtue, Rama fights a colossal war against Ravana's armies. In a war of powerful and magical beings, greatly destructive weaponry and battles, Rama slays Ravana in battle and liberates his wife. Having completed his exile, Rama returns to be crowned king in Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) and eventually becomes emperor, rules with happiness, peace, prosperity and justice a period known as Rama Rajya.

Raja Raja Cholan

Rajaraja Chola was born as the third child of Parantaka Sundara Chola and Vanavan Maha Devi of the Velir Malayaman dynasty. After a long apprenticeship of an heir apparent, he ascended the throne after the death of Madurandhagan Chola. During the lifetime of his father Sundara Chola, Arulmozhi had carved a name for himself by his exploits in the battles against the Sinhala and Pandyan armies. Sundara Chola’s eldest son and heir apparent Aditya II was assassinated under unclear circumstances.madurandhaghan, as the only child of Gandar Adityar, wanted the Chola throne as he felt it was his birthright. After the death of Aditya II, madurandhagan forced Sundara Chola to declare him as their apparent ahead of Arulmozhi.The Thiruvalangadu copper-plate inscriptions say:

"…Though his subjects…entreated Arulmozhi Varman, he…did not desire the kingdom for himself even inwardly ".

This was to say that Raja Raja was very much legally elected through the kind of democratic process followed by Cholas as seen in their Uttiramerur inscription. No other interpretation of the same is correct. Another example of such a process is selection to Pallava throne of Sri Nandi Varman II. In as much as it could very much be possible that the king rejected the offer in order to continue to devote time and energy to build the resources to realise the Cholan military objectives. The assertion seems to be very much true as we see right from the beginning how the king was involved in the Cholan expeditions and also the organised structure of their military. Madhurandhagan made a compromise with Sundara Chola that Madhurandhagan will be succeeded by Arulmozhi and not his own son.

Tamilnadu Special Biriyani

Thalapakattu Biryani is a popular rice dish in India.  This is famous for its spicy taste, rich aroma and strong flavor. You’ll never forget the taste, once you’ve enjoyed this biryani. Here, I’m very happy to share this recipe with you…

Ingredients:

• Chicken                       - ½ kg
• Biryani rice                  - ½ kg
• Onion                          - 5
• Tomato                        - 4
• Green chilly                 - 7
• Red chilly pwd           - 1 tsp
• Cardomom, cloves      - 6
• Cinnamon                    - 2
• Cashew                       - 6
• Ginger                         - a small piece
• Garlic                          - 10
• Curd                            - small cup
• Garam masala              - 1 tbsp
• Thick coconut milk     - ½ cup
• Lemon                         - 1
• Oil                               - 100 g
• Ghee                            - 2 tbsp
• Coriander and mint leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil biryani rice and spread in separate bowl.
2. Chop onion, tomato to fine pieces.
3. Slit green chilli, grate ginger garlic.
4. Take 2 cups of thick coconut milk and keep aside ready.
5. Heat 2 tbsp ghee, fry cashew to golden, keep aside.
6. Add cardomom, cloves, cinnamon and allow to splutter.
7. Add onion pieces, roast to golden brown.
8. Take half of the onion from this and keep aside ( can be used at the last)
9. Add ginger and garlic sauté well, add curd, tomato, salt and green chilly.
10. Add garam masala pwd, red chilly pwd, chicken pieces and fry in medium flame for 5 mins.
11. Add coconut milk and allow chicken to cook covered.
12. Once the gravy thickens, add fresh lemon juice, combine well.
13. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. Toss it well.
14. Add this chicken curry masala to the white rice and mix gently.
15. Add fried cashew, roasted onion, mix them, keep it closed for 10 mins.

Indian National Game

Amongst most of the sports that is being played these days Hockey is one of the favorite of all. In the general sense it is a kind of sport in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver the ball into the opponent's nest using a hockey stick. However, games like hockey have been played in almost every populated region in the globe from Ancient Greece to North America. Hockey has also been played in the ancient times in both foot and in horseback. However, these days playing hockey while sitting on the horse is called the game of Polo. There are many types of hockey like field hockey, ice hockey, roller hockey (online) and roller hockey (quad). However, the most famous form of hockey is the Field hockey. This type of hockey is played on gravel or natural grass with a small hard ball. Nowadays it is played on a special type of artificial surface known as the astro turf.
History of Hockey in India
Hockey in India became popular with the coming of the British. It was when the British army regiments played the game; the Indian regiments also picked up the game and then followed the tradition of playing the game of hockey. Then gradually this game was adopted by the masses. Hockey in India saw its first ever in house hockey club in Calcutta, which was formed in the year 1885-86. Then followed the formation of hockey clubs in Bombay and Punjab. Slowly and gradually this game gained its importance amongst the masses and more and more people started playing it.

Indian Marriage Style

                 Marriages are arranged by elders, ideally by a sister and brother for their respective son and daughter. A girl is technically able to marry soon after the ceremony of her first menstruation, but now her marriage may be postponed a few years, and boys often do not marry until their twenties. The marriage is performed by a Brahman priest or by a caste priest in the home of the bride. Her family bears expenses and provides a modest dowry, though in some castes there is more bride-wealth given than dowry. Recently among educated classes the expectation of dowry has vastly increased, in line with the costs of education and the presumed benefits of the marriage for the girl and her family. Ideally a married couple sets up its own house, usually in the boy's village, but if necessary they may move in with the boy's or alternatively the girl's family until this is possible. Marriage is a religious ceremony and only a few register it with the state. Divorce is quite difficult for higher castes with strict social expectations, but separation and new alliances or marriages are common among castes whose prestige is not so damaged thereby. Widow remarriage is forbidden or rare among castes having Brahmanic values, but not among lower castes.     

Indian Legend

Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of Space Club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies, Dr. Kalam took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organisation as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions. He was the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

As Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at Technology Vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India from the present developing status to a developed nation. Dr. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.

Dr. Kalam took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & Societal Transformation at Anna University, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country.

In his literary pursuit four of Dr. Kalam's books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India" have become household names in India and among the Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages.

Dr. Kalam is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). He is a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.

Tamil Pulavar Thiruvalluvar

Thiruvalluvar (திருவள்ளுவர்), was a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher  whose contribution to Tamil literature is the Thirukkural, a work on ethics. Thiruvalluvar is thought to have lived sometime between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD. This estimate is based on linguistic analysis of his writings, as there is no archaeological evidence for when he lived. He is sometimes also called Theiva Pulavar ("Divine Poet"), Valluvar, Poyyamozhi Pulavar, Senna Pothar, or Gnana Vettiyan.

Tamilnadu Favourite Food

 Tamil Nadu– Has a distinct place in the culinary map of the country having a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies to offer. The important ingredients in Tamil cuisine are red chillies, turmeric, tamarind, fresh coconut and a whiff of asafoetida. Coconut or gingelly oil is normally used as a medium of cooking, Tiffins or a light meal is very popular and a part of the Tamil Cuisine which is usually served for breakfast or as an evening snack. Tiffins are served steaming hot like Dosas. Idli, Upma. Vada, Uttappam and Pongal accompanied with Sambar, Coconut chutney and Milagai podi are mouth watering and light to eat. The tiffin is accompanied by a steaming hot filter Coffee, which is an authentic signature beverage of the Tamil Cuisine.

Rice is the staple food of the South India, where lunch and dinner is served with rice accompanied with a variety of Poriyals (curries), Avial, Kootu, Kozhambu (stews), Sambar, Rasam and Thayir ( means the Curd or Yoghurt )

Chettinad cuisine is very special in Tamil Nadu and hails from the deep southern region of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the spiciest, oiliest and most aromatic cuisines in India and is famous throughout the country. Some of the popular dishes of the Chettinad menu are Varuval – which is a dry dish fried with onions and spices (sautéed with chicken , fish or vegetables), Pepper Chicken, Poriyal – a curry and Kuzambu – ingredients stewed in a gravy of fresh coconut milk and spices. The Tamil style of Mughalai food can be tasted in Biryani and payaa. Payaa is a kind of spiced broth eaten with Parathas and Appam.

A Tamilian meal is called the ‘Sappadu’ means a full course meal, which can be either lunch or dinner. An authentic tamil cuisine is served in a banana leaf and is to being eaten with hands. A typical tamilian would enjoy to eat in banana leaf as it gives different flavors and taste to the food. But after modernization, the food is also served on a stainless steel plate with varied types of curries served in small bowls.

Barathanatiyam-The Fire Dance

Bharata Natyam is considered to be a 'fire dance' — the mystic manifestation of the metaphysical element of fire in the human body. It is one of the five major styles (one for each element) that includes Odissi (water), Mohiniattam (air), Kuchipudi (earth) and Kathakali (sky). The movements of an authentic Bharata Natyam dancer resemble the movements of a dancing flame.
In ancient times Bharata Natyam was performed as "Sadir attam" (court dance) by Kovil (temple) Devadasis. E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale renamed the "Sadir attam" as "Bharathanatyam" in 1930s. Many of the ancient sculptures in Hindu temples are based on Bharata Natyam karanas or dance postures. In fact, it is the celestial dancers (apsaras) who are depicted in many scriptures as dancing the heavenly version of what is known on earth as Bharata Natyam. In the most essential sense, a Hindu deity is a revered royal guest in his temple/abode, to be offered the "sixteen hospitalities".