Divisions persist despite prosperity in India - The Boston Globe

Divisions persist despite prosperity in India - The Boston Globe

Offerings for Ganesha...

When you see Ganesha's left hand, he is always holding his favorite sweet, the modak or kozhakattai. This is made of a rice flour paste, inside which is stuffed an absolutely heavenly mixture of jaggery, coconut and cardamom. It is a very tricky sweet to make, and tedious, no wonder it's exquisite.

I actually took it upon myself this year to make all the five offerings that are traditionally made by South Indian families to celebrate Ganeshas birthday. Paal Payasam, Vadai, Sweet kozhakattai, Salt Kozhakattai and Idlis. Recipes to come soon....

Happy Ganesha Chathurthi

The Hindu festival of Ganesha Chathurthi is one of the most widely celebrated festivals for Hindus worldwide. My fondest memories are of sitting with my mother and making our own Ganesha each year. To this day, I make my own Ganesha using either red or white clay. After the Ganesha is made, we set it up at the shrine, and perform the puja on Ganesha Chathurthi day. Eleven days later this clay idol is immersed in a pond, river lake or ocean, symbolizing Ganesha return to heaven and his parents, Shiva and Parvati.

Along with Ganesha, the idols of his favorite vehicle the mouse is also made. How can one forget to make models of the modak or kozhakattai, Ganeshas favorite sweet.