Give me strength Shree Ram

Reminds me of the sinking boat incident in Prayag mentioned in Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj’s Charitra.

Just for you to count how many things can go wrong in life, my life. Today I came back home with horrid spasms in the spine. Took injections and got relief. Tomorrow need to get X-rays done and few blood tests. 

हात धोके मेरे पीछे पडे है मेरे राम ! आखीर में गले लगाएंगे । पर अब के लिए सहन शक्ति देना प्रभू …

Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale Bhaat

Masale bhaat is the one pot quick rice that is churned out in 20 mins with a pressure cooker, a whistle or two in many a Maharashtriya home in modern day. It is a must on a wedding menu. We love it anytime. Gone to the doctors, come back home and make masale bhaat. You have unexpected visitors, the quick and tasty masale bhaat is ready to serve. Running short of other things on the party menu add a masale bhaat to it. Its that easy to make.

This Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale bhaat was made for lunch yesterday. I was dead tired from a super difficult Tuesday when we spent 4 hrs each way commuting from Nerul to Churchgate. The morcha protesting the demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan had brought South Mumbai to a stand still. We were unfortunate to have a docs appointment on the day. Anyways got a second opinion on Dad's cardiac condition and its a relief to know that surgery is to be avoided as of now. He is 75 and quite fit otherwise. So Wednesday morning I slept in, believe it or not Dad let me do it. Then at 11.30 am I woke up and by 12 noon we were eating a warm Masale bhaat.

I usually use untoasted masala for my masale bhaat like here in Toor Masale Bhat. Many times when we don't have the Kachha masala ready I use my Gondavale Goda Masala for a quick one. However this time I ran out of it. My friend Soumitra Velkar had gifted me the Parbhi Sambar Masala and it smelt so similar to my Gondavale Goda Masala so I thought let me try a Masale bhaat with it. No surprises the Masale bhaat turned out perfect.

Here try it out and you have two options for the masala now.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

250 gms Wada kolam rice, washed
1 cup fresh green peas shelled or frozen/ Hirve Vatane
1.5 teaspoon Parbhi Sambar Masala OR Gondavale Goda Masala
2 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 green chilies slit
salt to taste

Heat oil in a small pressure cooker. Splutter the mustard seeds and let in the green chilies. Add the Hirve Vatane and washed rice. Add the Parbhi Sambar Masala OR Gondavale Goda Masala and turmeric powder. Add salt without forgetting. Add water according to the quantity of rice and close the lid. Allow 2 whistles. Put off the cooker and allow to cool completely before you open the lid.

To finish
1 teaspoon ghee
2 tablespoon jaggery
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup fine chopped cilantro

Open the lid of the cooker. Fluff up the rice. Sprinkle the jaggery. Drizzle the ghee over the rice. Top with grated coconut and chopped cilantro. Give a nice mix. Serve hot with roasted papad, pickle and buttermilk in summer or a warm Tomato/ Kokum/ Chinchecha Saar in the cooler climes.

Enjoy this very fragrant Hirvya Vatanya cha Masale Bhaat !

' The Aamti ' from Gondavale

A typical meal at Gondavale temple would be Bajarichi Bhakari, Bhaat, Brinjals with crushed peanuts, Aamti, buttermilk, salt on the side, Khuraasnichi chutney, Spicy lime pickle. The Kandi peda in the middle is a Satara special that is offered at the temple.

Gondavale is where my family's faith lies. It is a small sleepy village that comes to life only when there are certain festive days like Ram Navami, Gurupournima, Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj's punyatithi etc.

Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj is the saint who was born there and in his life time he helped people find the love of God through chanting the divine name. He propogated the "Shree Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram" mantra. Today there is a Samadhi Mandir and a trust that manages it. Read more about it on my travel blog, Swachchanda.

Shree's family was the Kulkarni of Gondavale. In his times whenever there was drought he would start some project in the village and provide food to the villagers. Most times it would be a Bajarichi Bhakari with spicy aamti. This aamti continues to be made in the Kitchens of Gondavale Sansthan and is served to 1000s of pilgrims every day along with the meal. There are many stories of miracles that people narrate on consuming the aamti. That is people's strong faith. We love the aamti so much that when we were kids we would drink dron-ful / Leaf cups full of it, guzzle it up when the volunteers came towards us to serve.

It is much later that we started making this aamti at home when we decoded the ingredients and were able to source the special blend of Goda masala from Gondavale itself.

This Gondavale Masala as we like to call is available on my E-shop. It is a fragrant masala and has a satvic taste that it imparts to the food. It can be used for curries and Masale bhaat but the best use is in this aamti. The sweet, tangy spicy aamti can liven up a simple meal. 

Not only the devotees and pilgrims who have tasted it but also many who have heard about it would like to have it decoded. While temple recipes never taste the same at home for two reasons, one the mass proportions in which it is made and above all the blessings of the Lord!

Yet I am trying to put down a recipe that I feel is very close to the original and that I make often in my own kitchen. 

Ingredients

1 cup cooked dal

4-5 kokum or 1/8 cup tamarind pulp

2 teapsoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard

1 tablespoon Gondavale Goda Masala

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

2 green chilies slit

1 sprig of curry leaves

2- 3 tablespoons crushed jaggery

salt to taste

handful of cilantro for garnish

Heat a deep pan add oil and splutter mustard seeds in it. Add the asafoetida, follow in with the curry leaves and slit green chilies. Shake the pan around to avoid charring of the phodni / seasonings.

Now add the cooked dal to it. Add the spices red chilli powder, turmeric powder and don't forget the Gondavale Goda Masala. Top up with water, the aamti at Gondavale is very thin and watery. You may want it slightly thick so adjust the water to your liking. 

Churn the dal with a Ravi/ beater. This helps thicken it and liquidize the dal. 

Once the dal looks well blended and is boiling rapidly, reduce the heat. At this stage add the kokum or tamarind pulp and jaggery. Let it simmer for 5 mins after adding salt. Dress up the aamti with fine chopped  fresh cilantro.

Serve steaming hot. Drink it up. Mix with rice and toop/ ghee or crumble a stale bhakri and slurp it up!

Appeal: Construction of Annexure to Sri Brahma Chaitanya Mandira Trust

|| Sri Rama Samartha ||

Sri Rama Jayarama Jaya Jaya Rama

This is an  appeal made by the Trust: 

With the blessings of Sri Pampapathi Narayanappa Maharaj, Sri Brahma Chaitanya Mandir, came into being in a small rented house at Gavipuram Guttahalli on 11-02-1959. Later on, with the blessings of Sri. R. C. Ketkar Maharaj and Sri. Narayanappa Maharaj, the holy paduka were installed on 25-05-1972, at its own building at no.1692, Banashankari 1st stage, Bangalore. Further, a marble idol of Sri. Lord Gopalakrishna was installled on 18-05-1983, by Pujya Prof. K.V. Belsare, over the Samadhi to make it similar to Gondavale. Since the inception of the Mandir, daily upasana and other activities of this tradition, are being performed regularly.

 However, as the present accommodation is inadequate for devotees coming from outside places and the present building it too old, the neccessity for having a spacious hall, a kitchen and a few rooms is felt.

It is therefore, decided to build a new annexure for the Mandir, with better amenities. We request all the devotees of Sri Sri Maharaj to participate in the holy cause.

Sri Brahma Chaitanya Mandira Trust, Bengaluru.
Registration no. 3503 dtd. 9-9-1960

No.1692, Banashankari 1st stage, 

2nd Block, 5th Cross, 16th Main, 

Bengaluru - 560 050

Contact Persons:

B.L. Satyanarayan : 080 26699611

K.L. Srinivasa Murthy : +91 9741038109

Nagesh : +91 9241296013

Send in your donations through online fund transfer to:

CORPORATION BANK

SRINAGAR BRANCH

S.B. ACCOUNT NO. SB01016110

IFSC: CORP 0000215

I will be updating this blog with photos of the site once in a month.

View Bramha Chaitanya Mandir in a larger map

Shree Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar, 96th Punyatithi at Bangalore

View from the upper level walk way.

On top is Shree Gopal Krishna Idol and on the ground level is the Shree Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar Samadhi. In the cellar is located the Dhyan Mandir.

This picture was taken at 6.51 am after the Gulal ceremony. I will post another picture in the evening if I make it for the Darshan.

Gurupoornima at Bangalore Math

7th July 2009 @ 7 pm

Easy to locate address:

Shri. Satguru Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar Mandir
16th Main road
Near Srinivas Nagar
Banashankari stage I
Bangalore 560050

The Postal address:
Shri. Satguru Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar Mandir
10th Main road, 6th cross
Banashankari stage I
Bangalore 560050

Directions:

by Bus:
Take route no. 45 from Majestic Bus Stand. Get off at Bata shoe shop at Srinivas Nagar Entrance entrance. Walk to 16th Main. It takes just 5 mins. Spot the temple on right side.

by own vehicle:
Coming from Vidyapeeth Circle: Come straight down. After Bata shoe shop take right at 16th Main. Spot the Mandir on right hand side. Park vehicle on the same road or take right and go to frontside of the temple. Entry available from side gate on 16th Main road or Main gate in front of the temple.

Coming from Outer Ring Road: Enter from Hoskarehalli cross. Come towards Bank Colony bus stop. On 16th Main take left. Park vehicle on the same road or take right and go to frontside of the temple. Entry available from side gate on 16th Main road or Main gate in front of the temple.



View Directions:Bangalore to Navi Mumbai in a larger map

Gondavalekar Maharaj Punyatithi at Blr

This picture was taken at the 12.00 noon aarti in the Blr mandir yesterday. While the Punyathithi was celebrated in Maharashtra yesterday here in Karnataka it is celebrated today. Just attended the Gulal ceremony and am off to work. Will go to the temple in the evening again.

Darshan at 7.30 pm today