May the Lord's Blessings on Vishu.

If  your first step is wrong, the whole journey will be wrong, getting off to a good start is very essential.Indian astrology perhaps more than any other, gives very importance of beginning of the position of the stars and planets is taken into consideration to insure auspicious beginnings.

In Kerala the start of the Zodic New Year when the sun enters into Ashwini nakshatra is celebrated as Vishu.It is said that what one  who sees  the first Vishu in the morning is an indicated of what one can expect in the year to come.

Thus on Vishu effort is made to assure, one opens one's eyes before an auspecious image-The Vishukkani.
(I love this tradition)

While the festival is called Vishu across India festivals sharing the same spirit such as Ughadi in Karnataka and Andra Pradesh Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra,Bihu in Assam and Baisakhi in Punjab areceleberated around the same timee rice.of year.

Meaning Of Vishu

Lord Vishnu, the preserver of creation,is focused upon during Vishu.In Indian astrology,Vishnu is seen as the head of Kala Purusha the God of Time.

A rice mixture of turmeric is called as Akshata,which is devided into halves of husk and un-husked rice,is placed in a special bowl called 'Uruli'

The uruli traditional is made of pancha-loham. Panchaloham being symbolic of the universe,which is comprised of the five elements- Earth,water,fire , air and space.A nice well starched cloth is pleated like like a fan inserted into a sprouted puja vessel used for pouring sacred water. As special kind of mirror with an extremely long and thin handle decorated with gold is also inserted.and urli is placed on top of rice.

Gold-both in color and  coin is placed the central of the  Vishukanni .Kanikonna golden colored flowers, jewelry   gold, fruits and vegetables,such as banana, jack fruit etc.A spiritual Bhagavad-Geetha (symbol of knowledge) is made part of the arrangement.

Two Diyas which are from the two halves of a split coconut,are also kept in the uruli. The wicks are made from pieces of starched cloth. The lighting of the diyas welcomes God into our lives and it also symbolic knowledge and the remover of the darkness of ignorance.

Tradition of the Vishu 

 The women of the house who arranges the Vishukkani .On the auspicious hours she will light the oil lamp and take in the auspicious sight. She will then awakes  others (family members) and leads them to the pooja room, covering their eyes

Upon opening one's eyes ,one is overwhelmed with the darshan of the Lord the mirror which symbolic Devi -ma Vishukkani is not reserved only for those who come to the puja room,but is taken around for viewing of the elderly people.Vishukkani points to a year of abundance both spiritually and materially.Food,light,money and knowledge all should fill our life.

Vishu also means feasting that day!The items prepared for Vishu are of all tastes spicy,bitter,sweet and sour. Dishes are usually prepared from mangoes, pumpkin gourds and jack fruits.

Street Entertainment

There is abundant street entertainment during Vishu.Young people put up tradional dance performance after dressing up in a skirt made up dried banana leaves and wearing masks.

Legend of the Kanikonna Flower

The Kanikonna flower is an integral part of Vishu hasan interesting legend behind its origin.Once upon atime in a village a boy named Unni used to love the stories of Bala Krishna, he start visiting Krishna temple near his house.Lord Krishna moved by his devotion and offered  him his golden waist chain  it to Unni.

Next day when the temple was opened that the chain was missing.the news about the theft spread everywhere,Unni's mother was thought Unni has stolen it.She threw the chain which landed on the top of a tree,developed golden yellow flowers and Kanikonna flower was bloomed.

MAMA

Women n Self Improvement

Women loving  themselves is very important. Although self-love is very important for a woman's happiness.

 Self improvement calls for a positive change in oneself. You don’t have to be compared to anyone; it is just how you make yourself feel. If you have the ability to work towards bettering yourself, you can naturally see a change and will definitely stand out in a crowd.

The basic aims of self improvement should be positive thinking,good habits,happiness,confidence and leadership qualities and most importantly taking charge of your life.Think again,you can achieve all these things,by simply following some self improvement tips.

Self Improvement Ideas

         Meditation gives you that inner peace like nothing else can.      After some time, you will notice that all negativity will be removed and you become happier.

         Sleep gives you a sense of calm and freshness when you wake up. Wake up about 30 minutes earlier than normal and see how many more things you can do. Extra time gives you that extra edge to better yourself.

          Smiles make such a big difference, and when someone around you is happy, Accept compliments with a smile and thank people for them

         Principles must be set in a realistic way. It can be as simple as not wasting food.

         Rules are not meant to be broken. So if you keep your principles on, you’ve obviously becoming a better person.

         Have complaints about everything? Stop this. It is an extremely irritating habit.Find  a mentor or a role who can you had like to be.remove unwanted people and things from your life,you are better without them.Go to your room,remove all unwanted letters,posters and make more space for few things.

If someone has been bothering keep him/ her out from your life.Television is for the utterly bored!! It is junk for the mind and body.If you feel like you need entertainment desperately,then watch something educative for about 30 minutes or so but don't drown in the idiot box. A little bit of pampering is great for women,taking the extra time to fix their hair or make up can make a real difference in the way they feel about themselves,but it can help to make them feel more confident.

A nice massage from  time to time is great as well.This is can help women to relax and unwanted at the end of a stressful day.  

mama   

 
Behavior is a mirror in which everyone displays his own 
image. 

Trend of Engagement Ceremony

I never got the big deal about the Engagement  Rings  it is not that I don’t appreciate  sparkle and  bling...
Because trust me I do it is just that I never quiet understand how one object could be such a defining function of a marriage from the way some girls going  about  it, you  would think the ring is ever more important than the –hubby- to-beJ.

 Though most of the people believe that  this trend of- ‘Engagement ceremony’ came from the west  but if you look deep into the Indian traditions the engagement ceremonies exist in one form or the other in different communities of India from a long time.,One of the most important pre-wedding rituals amongst them is the Engagement  Ritual.

An engagement ring is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married.  Engagement rings are traditionally worn only by women.

 It is known as ring ceremony, Aashirwad and  Mangni in different Indian communities.One of the most the engagement ceremony is the ceremony that restores - the fact from the family ancestors, which means they bestow good luck and blessings on the bride and bridegroom.


In some families the sagai ceremony is clubbed with the engagement itself. This is another pre- wedding ceremony, which strengthens the bond  between the both families. In sagai, the bride is given jewelry, clothes, make-up kit and baby toys  by the mother of the groom.A havan is also performed at times.

 On the other hand, the groom is put tilak and given gifts by the family of the bride. A havan is also performed at times. Here also a lot of gifts such as fruits, sweets, clothes are exchanged between the two.However,the essence of all these ceremonies is the same.Besides quiet often ,the date of te marriage is also decided and confirmed at these ceremonies.These ceremonies thus,conclude with the blessings of the elderly and the Almighty. 

Different Kinds of Engagement Ceremony

Christian Engagement

It is usually a small formal party. The church priest is invited to preside over and bless the couple. The date and venue for the marriage is formally announced to all present. The couple exchange rings and cut cake .Wedding preparations usually start after the engagement ceremony.

Gujarati Engagement

The Gujarati engagement is called as “sagai” or in some parts as the ‘gol dhana’ which literally means jaggery and coriander seeds referring to the practice of distributing a small amount of jaggery mixed with coriander seeds during the ceremony. The bride’s family presents the grooms family with a steel container filled with sweets and gifts and is called as the ‘matli’.

North Indian Ceremony

The engagement ceremony of north India is very different from the south. The engagement ceremony is performed soon after the marriage is finalized  The ritual of applying Tilak, followed by the exchange of rings by the bride and groom. Baskets of fruits, dry fruits, sweets etc. are exchanged between the two families. The bride is also gifted with a dress and jewelry by the groom’s family.

Muslim Engagement

The Muslim engagement ritual is usually with a ring exchange between the future bride and groom. The grooms’ family then presents the girl with a dress and jewellery.









 Different regions have different rituals.According to their community and family rituals.Generally the bride's family is organizing the place (their house) or some banquet hall.The family and relative of bride  and bride groom  gather for the forth coming wedding ceremony.Both then families exchange exchange sweets and good wishes.

A formal ring ceremony is then done to solemnize the engagement ceremony.A prospective bride and groom are introduced to each other's family. 

 A  lunch,dinner(depending up on the time of function)or high tea is organizing for that event.The engagement ceremony in South India is more like a commitment between both the families .The most important ritual is south Indian engagement function is the exchange of Traditional Plate

'Engagement plate' which consists of coconut, flowers, turmeric, beetle nuts  beetle leaves and sweets.

MAMA
 What gets to me even more about the engagement ring is that most people think there is only one way to go,the Solitaire.

BridaL Beauty Tips

Feeding your skin from the inside will give your complexion a boost.

Start your day regime at least 2 weeks in advance diet and skin care.

 Increase your liquid intake include coconut water and green tea

Eat plenty of raw food and vegetable.-minimum 4 serving’s f a day.

 Remember, Stress releases water retention.

Increase your protein intake, evenings slash hot water on your face.

Use a mild skin lightening face wash and gently rub the lather for 2-3 minutes.

Wash immediately and use a night cream containing Anti oxidants like vitamin c and vitamin E.

 Green tea and pomegranate these are very soothing and safer antioxidants that will brighten your skin.

Bridal skin care should ideally begin at least four to six weeks in advance for your big day. According to the Skin and hair expert says, "You could begin using hot oil treatments and hair masks at home as early as six months before the wedding date.”

 If you're opting for treatments that can't be done at home — like re-bonding or straightening, make sure it's either six months prior or 20 days post your wedding. This way, it will replenish whatever damage hair styling may have caused."

Body pack 

Uptan is a traditional homemade bridal body pack recipe.- Take wheat bran, gram flour, yoghurt or cream of milk and a pinch of turmeric. 
- Mix together in a bowl and keep aside
- Then massage your body with sesame seed (til) oil 
- Now apply the uptan, leave it on for half an hour, and wash off while bathing.

Do this thrice a week. It helps to clear the skin of dead cells, leaving it smooth and bright.

Pedicure 

For a quick pedicure, add some foot salts in half a bucket of hot water and soak your feet for ten minutes. Use a heel scrubber or pumice stone to remove the dead skin on the heels.

 Remove your nail polish and re-paint your toes. Moisturize feet with foot cream. Tie a piece of clean cloth, like a bandage, wear cotton socks and go to sleep. This will help soften the skin. Do this thrice a week.

Manicure 

For dry and dark hands, take two tablespoons of sunflower oil, two tablespoons of lemon juice and three tablespoon of coarse sugar. Mix together till it becomes a paste.

 Apply and rub into hands. Wash off after 15 minutes. Do this thrice a week for best results.

Hair mask 

Give yourself a hair treatment twice a week using simple kitchen remedies. Try the curd-egg-beer mask to give for a volume hair mask. 
- Take two tablespoons each of curd, honey and olive oil, three drops of almond oil and half a banana and make sure you mash it well to avoid lumps. 

- Add half a cup of flat beer and a raw egg to the mixture 
- Mix the ingredients together and apply evenly all over your hair 
- Cover your hair with a shower mask to prevent it from dripping 
- Let it soak for 30 minutes and shampoo off with cold water .

MAMA

On wedding day you should be smiling all day long. The first thing you want is to feel self conscious about your teeth ,so white them up a few weeks before the big dayJ.