The Mount Mary Bandra Novena started on 5^th September (for details look here)and is currently on. The church and the area around the church is looking beautiful. Here are some photos:

Mother Mary’s Statue, Mount Mary Bandra

Lovely Colourful Candles

More candles in different shapes

Candles at the gate of Mount Mary Bandra

Watch this space for more….

 

More Blogs on Mount Mary Novena and Bandra Fair

Mount Mary Novena time table: Click Here

Bandra Fair 2008: Click here

 

 

 

   Ganapati’s favourite sweet: MODAK

 

There are hardly any days left for Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesh Chaturthi falls on 3^rd September this year. This year try your hands on preparing Ganapati’s most favourite sweet – MODAK (for strangers to the concept these can be called – “steamed rice dumplings with sweet filling”)

It is customary to make Modaks on the very first day of Ganesh Utsav. Modaks are so tasty, delicate and tender and like they say “you cant eat just one…”

 

 

Ingredients: 

 

For the Cover

 

·        1 Cup rice flour

·        1 tsp ghee

·        1 cup water

·        ½ tsp oil

·        A pinch of salt

 

For the Filling

·         2 cups shredded fresh coconut

·         1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

·         1 tsp. roasted poppy seeds

·         1 tsp. rice flour

·         1 cup Jaggery (Gur) or Sugar

Preparation:

For the Filling

• To make the filling, combine and cook coconut and jaggery together on medium heat. Stir continuously until they are mixed properly. Do not overcook.
• Add cardamom powder, roasted poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon rice flour to it and cook for some time. The filling is ready now. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

For the Cover

• Boil 1 cup of water. When it has reached a steady boil, add ghee, salt and oil.
• Now immediately add the rice flour and stir quickly so as to remove all lumps. Cover with a lid for some time. Remove the lid & stir again & again, cover again. Note: This has to be done very carefully. The dough should be neither too sticky nor too dry.
• Now remove pan from the heat. Take off all the mixture on a flat plate. Knead it thoroughly while hot. Make soft dough.
• Divide this dough into small balls.

To make the modaks

• Note:It is best to make the modaks when the dough is slightly warm.
• Grease the palms of your hands well. Take a ball of dough. Flatten the dough to form a cup shape.  Place about 3/4^th teaspoon coconut filling into this cup. Dip thumb & index finger in the oil & make 5-6 small pinches side by side on the outside edges of the cup. Bring them together on top and join to form a peak. Your modak is complete. This should look like a whole garlic pod.
• Like this, prepare all modaks. Spread a damp cloth onto a flat round sifter and arrange all the modaks onto it. Place the sifter in a steamer and cover. Steam for about 15 minutes. Use a big size saucepan or pressure cooker if you don’t have a steamer. Do not put the whistle if you use the pressure cooker.

Serve with ghee and tell us if you were able to stop after eating just one.

 

Leena

 

Also check ,

 

Ganesh Utsav - The biggest festival of Maharashtra

 

Eco Friendly Ganesh Utsav

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 things we can do to make this an Eco-friendly Ganpati - Ganesh Utsav:

1.    Buy eco-friendly Clay Ganesh Idols and not plaster of paris idols. Plaster of Paris is harmful to the water and land and takes a long time to dissolve and causes long term damage.

2.    Insist on Ganesh Idols painted with Natural Colors. Artificial colors and paints used to paint the idols contain dangerous chemicals that pollute the water.

3.    This year reduce the size of the Ganesh idol in your home or community by half.

4.    Lets also try and reduce the number of public pandals or community Ganesh Utsavs and jointly celebrate the festival thereby reducing the number of Idols to be finally immersed.

5.    Remove the garlands and flowers and put them in paperbags and not plastic bags.

6.    Discourage the use of loud speakers during Aarti or during the procession to immerse the Ganesh Idol. We can all do we lesser noise in Mumbai and enjoy the Aarti without the speakers.

7.    Work in your local area and create an artificial well where the murtis/idols can be immersed. For your personal home Idols it might be suggested to use a big tub to immerse the Ganesh Idol.

Lets all do our small bit in our local areas to ensure a more eco-friendly Ganesh Utsav for all.

More Blogs:

Ganesh Utsav - The biggest festival of Maharashtra

Its that time of year in Bandra when the festivities take over and make Bandra a colourful place. Bandra, Khar and Santacruz are such a huge melting pot of varied communities and religions and all festivals are celebrated with equal enthusiasm.

Bandra Fair is one of the biggest such festivals (or maybe an event) that gets celebrated in Bandra. Every September this feast of Mount Mary or Bandra Fair is celebrated on the Sunday after 8^th September, the birthday of the Virgin Mary. Bandra Fair is a week long celebration that is visited by thousands of Christians and non-Christians. This year the Bandra Fair 2008 is being celebrated from September 14^th to 21^st.

The Bandra Fair involves the prayer at The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, more commonly known as Mount Mary Church. The Mount Mary Church stands impressively on a hillock about 80 odd meters above the sea level overlooking the sea. It’s a beautiful sight and it draws lakhs of devotees annually. Many faithful attest to the miraculous powers of the Mount and you find the faithful lighting candles and saying a silent prayer almost everyday. During the Bandra Fair, tens of thousands visit the shrine. The best part is that shrine attracts people from all faiths who pray to the statue for thanksgiving or requesting of favours. Bollywood movies have had their share of Mount Mary Church as a place for prayer and reunion of lost brothers or families in true bollywood istyle.

During the Bandra Fair, the entire area is decorated with festoons and buntings. Stalls selling religious objects, Candles, roasted grams, fast food and sweet items are set up along the road leading to Mount Mary Church.

This year like always the celebrations for Bandra Fair 2008 would be big. We just hope that the celebrations are arranged as well as they are always done and special care is taken to ensure security to all the devotees who come for the Bandra Fair 2008. Residents near Mount Mary Church in Bandra have expressed reservation over cooking on roadside and digging that is normally carried out in preparation of the Bandra Fair. At a meeting with the ward officers last week, they raised the issues concerning the festival. “Residents live in constant fear because of the cooking in case any accident occurs. We would be the worst sufferers,” said Lillian Pais, member of the Saint John Baptist Road Advanced Locality Management (ALM).

“We have just managed to get our road repaired after putting in a lot of effort,” said Maria D’Souza, member of Mount Mary Road ALM. “It is paver blocked. They should try to manage the crowd with drums.”

“We will not allow any cooking on the roads. Even stalls that sell nuts will be given a separate place,” said deputy municipal commissioner Arvind Hire. “We will not discount on the security of devotees, especially after the incidents at other religious places. However, we will ensure that minimum damage is done to the roads.”

More Bandra Blogs:

Proactive Citizens of Bandra, Khar and Santacruz

List of Colleges in and Around Bandra

Emergency Numbers in and around Bandra