Air India

Air India Flight

All resting after a good spicy meal.

Very Informal and relaxing atmosphere.

Strongly recommend- I had a good time. Air India has changed for the better....

This is what the Air India wing looks like through the window.

Jet Airways is fantastic too. Strongly recommend Jet Airways (India) ...

Bon Voyage

Mumbai- The Island City

Mumbai the powerhouse of India, an Island city, looks beautiful from space.

Home to 16 million people and full of character this Island city never sleeps. It is a microcosm of India. Hindus Muslims Sikhs Parsees Buddhists Jains Atheists Christians and the non religious live here.

Mumbai is the soul of India. Let us keep her cosmopolitan. Let us accept all who live in Mumbai, the rich and the poor, the Biharis and the marathis, the Hindus and the muslims, the christians and the atheists.

Delhi is Beautiful and old, Calcutta is full of culture, Madras smells of jasmine blossoms but Bombay alone shines 24/7

Mumbai, our city of dreams.....

Shree Mahalakshmi Prasanna

Picture of Mool Murthi of Devi from Verna, Goa, taken to safety in Kerala by the Konkanis in 1565 AD

Hail MahaLakshmi Goddess of Prosperity. May you bless us all.

Prayers to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune
These are Prayers to all of the qualities of the Goddess and the blessings that She gives.
The First is the Lakshmi-Stuti, from Vishnu Purana, 7.9.116-138,
The Second is the Sri Suktam.
This Stuti eulogy of Lakshmi, which was spoken by Lord Indra, is the source of all opulence. In this world, poverty never dwells among those who recite this stuti daily.
indra uvacha
namasye sarva-lokanam
jananim abja-sambhavam
Shriyam unnidra-padmaksim
vishnor vakshah-sthala-sthitam

Indra [the demigod king of heaven] said, "I offer my obeisances unto the lotus-born mother of all beings, unto Sri [the Goddess of fortune], having full-blown lotus-like eyes, and reposing in the bosom of Vishnu."
padmalayam padmakaram
padma patra-nibheksanam
vande padma-mukhim devim
padma-nabha-priyam aham

"I offer my obeisances unto the Goddess who is the abode of lotuses, who holds the lotus, whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus, whose face is a lotus, and who is dear to the Lord who has a lotus navel."

tvam siddhis tvam svadha svaha
sudha tvam loka-pavani
sandhya ratrihi prabha bhutir
medha sraddha sarasvati

"You are siddhi, nectar, Svaha and Svadha, O purifier of the worlds. You are twilight, night, effulgence, opulence, intelligence, faith and Sarasvati."

yajna-vidya maha-vidya
guhya-vidya cha shobhane
atma-vidya cha devi tvam
vimukti-phala-dayini

"You are the knowledge of sacrifice, the worship of the universal form, and occult learning, O beauteous one. You are the knowledge of Brahman, O goddess, and the bestower of the fruit of liberation."

anvikshiki trayi varta
danda-nitis tvam eva cha
saumyasaumyair jagad rupais
tvayaitad devi puritam

"You are the science of dialectics, the three Vedas, Varta, the knowledge of chastisement. O goddess, this universe is filled with your gentle and terrifying forms."

ka tv anya tvam rte devi
sarva-yajna-mayam vapuhu
adhyaste deva-devasya
yogi cintyam gada-bhritaha

"O goddess, who except you can dwell in the person of that God of gods, who consists of all forbearance, the bearer of the mace, who is contemplated by the yogis?"

tvayi devi parityaktam
sakalam bhuvana-trayam
vinashta-prayam abhavat
tvaye danim samedhitam

"O goddess, the three worlds, having been abandoned by you, were on the verge of destruction--because of you, they have again recovered their position."

dara-putras tatha garam
suhrid-dhanya dhanadikam
bhavaty etan maha-bhage
nityam tvad-vikshanam nrinam

"O exalted one, men are endowed with wives, sons, houses, friends, grain and wealth due to your constant glance."

sharirarogyam aishvaryam
ari-paksa-ksayam sukham
devi-tvad-drishti-drishtanam
purushanam na durlabham

"O goddess, freedom from bodily ailments, riches, destruction of enemies, and happiness are not difficult to attain for persons who view your glances."

tvam mata sarva-bhutanam
deva-devo harih pita
tvayaitad vishnuma chadya
jagad vyaptam-characharam

"You are the mother of all creatures, as that God of gods, Hari, is their father. And this universe, consisting of moving and nonmoving entities, is presently permeated by you, as well as Vishnu."

ma nah kosham tatha goshtham
ma griham ma paricchadam
ma sariram kalatram cha
tyajethaha sarva-pavani

"O purifier of all, if you forsake us, neither our treasures, nor our cows, nor our houses, nor our possessions, nor our bodies, nor our wives, are secure."

ma putram ma suhrid-vargam
ma pashun ma vibhushanam
tyajetha mama devasya
vishnor vaksah-sthalalaye

"O you whose abode is the chest of Vishnu, if you forsake me, neither sons, nor friends, nor animals, nor ornaments can be mine."

sattvena satya-shaucabhyam
chatha shiladibhir gunaih
tyajante te narah sadyaha
sansyakto ye tvayamale

"O spotless one, men who are forsaken by you are also forsaken by goodness, truth, purity, good character and other virtues."

tvayavico kitah sadyaha
shiladyair akhilair gunaih
kulaishvaryaish cha muhyante
purusha nirguna api

"And those who are glanced upon by you, although devoid of any good qualities, are infatuated by all good qualities, such as good character, lineage, wealth, etc."

sa shlaghyah sa guni dhanyaha
sa kulinaha sa biddhinam
sa shurah sa cha vikranto
yas tvaya devi vikshitaha

"O goddess, he who is glanced upon by you, is praiseworthy, accomplished, fortunate, intelligent, high-born, heroic and possessed of power."

sadyo vaingunyam ayanti
shiladyah sakala gunaha
paranmukhi jaga-dhatri
yasya tvam vishnu-vallabhe

"O nurse of the universe, O beloved of Vishnu, all virtues, character, etc., immediately abandon him from whom you turn away."

na te varnayitum shakta
gunan jihvapi vedhasaha
prasida devi padmakshi
masmams tyakshih kadachana

"Even the tongue of Brahma is incapable of describing your qualities. O lotus-eyed one, be auspicious unto me. Please do not abandon me."
[Thus ends the Lakshmi-stuti]
Sri [the Goddess of Fortune] said: "I shall never turn my face from one who praises me every morning and evening with this hymn."

Konkani speakers parking only

Hey this sign is being sold on ebay from Miami Florida...

Cool N'est ce pas!!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali

Wishing everyone a very happy Diwali and a prosperous new year. Let us all go from darkness unto light.

Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur

On the eve of Deepawali, I have found this fantastic picture of Shree Mahalakshmi.of Kolhapur. The revered Ambabai in all her regalia.

HAPPY DIWALI EVERYONE

Old Map of Konkan - Bellin

Here Bellin , in the latter half of the 18th century made some brilliant maps of the western Indian coast. Of course he made maps of loads of places in the world too.

Bhagvat Gita XII 13,14 "Hate no one"

He who hates no one, Is friendly and compasionate to all,
free from ego , equal and alike in Joy and Sorrow, Ever forgiving

Ever content,self controlled, of firm resolve- such is he, having surrendered his mind and heart to Me, the devotee dear to me.

Katol - a fantastic Gujrati bean curry

Katol

1 Cup black eyes bean- Soak overnight and cook in a pressure cooker
2 Medium sized tomatoes- Chopped into small pieces.
1/2 inch ball of tamrind or 1 tespoon tamrind concentrate
4 green chilies slit
1 teaspoon coriander seed (Dhaniya) powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin (Jeera) powder
1/2 teaspoon haldi
1/2 teaspoon hing powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 inch piece jaggery
Few curry leaves.

For the phaaN (baghaar/tempering)
2 tsp oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 red chilli

In a pan add the soaked and boiled beans.Add the tomatoes, green chilies, haldi, dhaniya powder, jeera powder, garam masala, hing, chili powder,. Boil. Add salt. Add the tamrind concentrate or soaked tamrind ball. Continue simmering. Add the jaggery. In a small pan heat the oil. add the hing, the kadipatta,mustard, chilli and after 2 minutes and some spluttering pour over the simmering beans. cover and let simmer for a few minutes. Add chopped coriander ;leaves as a garnish.

Ajinkyatara - The impenetrable fortress

Satara , one of the most beautiful towns of Maharashtra is surrounded by 7 mountains or the saat taaras(Seven stars) and hence called satara.

One of the mountains is a fortress called as Ajinkyatara or the impenetrable fortress.

It has the television tower on the fortress which looks very beautiful. It can be seen from everywhere in the city of Satara.

I will try to put more pictures of the city of satara but here are two pictures of the famous AJINKYATARA

Kolhapur Ambabai temple.

The Bhawani Mandap in Kolhapur holds the ancient and revered temple of Mahalakshmi, lovingly called as Ambabai.

Initially Built in the 7 th Century AD and then re built on several occasions especially by the Shilaharas of western India this temple of Black granite is trult beautiful. It has a wooden Mandap , perhaps built in the 18th century.

Pictures say it better than words and hence I put up some pictures of the Bhawani Mandap and the Ambabai temple.