Introduction Hari Om! We are pleased to bring you the Seventh edition of the e-book series from the Kanchi Periva Forum. Similar to last month’s special edition on Navaratri festival, this month’s ebook is a special edition to mark the occasion of Deepavali which is celebrated on Tuesday 13th November 2012. This ebook is compiled with a view to present our readers a treasure of sorts. Among many other things, this ebook contains excerpts from Sri Maha Periva’s enchanting discourses on Deepavali – the true message or essence of this festival, importance of Ganga Snanam and what is expected of us during this festival. We also have for you a beautiful compilation of Periva’s sweet audio discourse on Deepavali and a very interesting 'vyaakyaanam' by Maha Periva where He makes a point that all of us are indebted to Narakasuran more than Bageerathan. Truly, it would open up a very new perspective of thought. In addition, the book also includes a couple of interesting episodes which took place on Deepavali days in the presence of Periva and some traditional recipes for making sweets and savouries for Deepavali. Some devotees of our Forum have come together to make this ebook a visual delight. Here is a brief note about these contributors who deserve our profound thanks and gratitude. A detailed note about them appears elsewhere in this ebook.
Sri Saidevo, who has contributed the article on “Periva’s message on Deepavali” Sri B.Narayanan, who has provided us his beautiful painting of Goddess Lakshmi Sri Sankar C.S, who has contributed quite a few articles for use in this ebook. Sri Senthil Kumar.P, who has designed the cover page for this ebook.
We are sure that this Ebook will be a feast to your eyes and we request you to forward this to all your friends and relatives for them also to partake the delight. Let this be your valuable Deepavali gift to them this year, for a change! For those who are not familiar about our website and forum, we welcome you to visit www.periva.org for a collection of rare videos and complete online library of upanyasams of Sri Maha Periva. Please also register on the forum www.periva.proboards.com to stay updated on devotees’ experiences and to receive our regular newsletters. We humbly submit this Seventh e-book at the lotus feet of Shri Maha Periva. Though this book is for restricted circulation among like minded members of the society, this is a Free publication like all our other publications, which can be downloaded from www.periva.proboards.com. Any feedback or queries may be sent to us at [email protected] Administrator Kanchi Periva Forum
Deepavali (or “Diwali”) festival which leads us into Truth and Light is celebrated across the country on Narakahathurthasi day just on the dawn of Ammavaasa during the Month in Tamil Language (Aaso/Aasvayuja/Asvina Months in Hindi langauge) (September/October) every year. The word "Diwali" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Deepavali". Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning a row. It means a row of lights and indeed illumination forms its main attraction. Every home - lowly or mighty - the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich - is alit with the orange glow of twinkling diyas (small earthen lamps) to welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity. It symbolizes the age-old culture of our country which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive
away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge.
The preparations for the festival begin the day before. The house is washed and decorated
with kolam (rangoli) patterns. In the traditional pooja room, betel leaves, betel nuts, plaintain fruits,
flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, gingelly oil (sesame oil), turmeric powder is kept. Crackers and new
dresses are placed in a plate after smearing a little kumkum or sandal paste.
The Deepavali day begins with everyone in the family taking an oil bath before sunrise, a custom arising
from a belief that having an oil bath in the morning on the day of Deepavali is equivalent to taking bath
in the Ganges. Hence, it is called as Ganga Snanam. Before the bath, elders in the house apply gingelly
oil on the heads of the younger members. The oil for Ganga snanam is generally prepared the day
before Diwali. Gingelly oil is taken and heated with peppercorns, ginger and vetrillai. It is allowed to cool
for use the next day. The ingredients vary in different regions.
Here the slokam to chant before applying oil on the head. The slokam signifies worshiping the 7 great chirangeevis and getting their blessings for good health and longetivity.
The custom is to first take a small quantity of Deepavali Lehiyam (medicinal, ayurvedic paste) after the oil bath and then have breakfast. Often sweets are eaten after wearing new clothes. Crackers are usually burst only after the bath.
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household and her blessings sought for success and happiness. This day is looked upon as the most auspicious day to start any new venture. Some information related to performing Lakshmi pooja can be found on the below links.
Source: kAnchi mahAsvAmigaLin aruLvAkku v03-pp.136-140 Compiler: VAnati A. TirunAvukkarasu Translator: Saidevo There are many books that do jnAnopadesham--teach about true knowledge. More than all of them, a visheSham--distinction has arisen for the bhagavad gitA. At the next kShaNam--moment after this kShaNam when the bhagavad gitA upadesham takes place, no one knows whose hand is going to remain, whose head or life. It was a time when nothing could be said with certainty: if Arjuna is going to survive or even KRShNa is going to survive. Even if we get two minutes before our soul departs, within that time we can get to understand jnAnam--true knowledge, and do-parishuddham--purify our Atman. The jnAnopadesham took place because it was important to get jnAnam even if the soul is to depart (in a man); and that took place in raNakaLam--battlefield. That is why so much khyAti--high opinion and fame, for the gItA. To that bhagavad gItA, dIpAvaLi is tambi--(Tam)younger brother. Just as bhagavad gItA is more renowned than all others, in the same way, the dIpAvaLi festival has attained more khyAti than all other festivals. It is only dIpAvaLi that all our country over, is celebrated by people of all jAtis--castes and matas--religions. Except the matas that came from other countries, even the people of the buddha, jaina matas, which were born in our country, celebrate the dIpAvaLi. Whatever is the manner the festival is celebrated, to all those who reside in the North and South, the day of dIpAvaLi is one and the same. In the desham--country known (today) as AssAm, in a nagaram--city called prAg-jyotiSha-puram, there was a man called Bauman. Only to him is the name NarakAsura. He was indulging in akramam--evil deeds, towards people like strIs--women and sAdhus--sages. Although he was one who had done aneka tapas--several penances, obtaining tAmasa varas--boons characterised by the quality of ignorance, he was doing-hiMsa--injuring, to everyone. Building many forts such as the fort of agni--fire and the fort of vAyu--wind (for his protection), and doing mahA hiMsa--great injury, he remained as loka kaNTaka--one vexed by the world.
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
SvAmi himself (shrI KRShNa) took avatar, adopted many yuktis--artifices/devices, and did-saMhAra-of--destroyed him, although he had built up many bandobusts--safety measurements for him. When the saMhAram took place, bhUmi devI who was his mother, did-prArthana--prayed to BhagavAn. There is no greater shokam--sorrow than putra shokam--loss of son, for women. If the bhartA--husband passes away, for many reasons such as--'the saukaryas--comforts I had till now is gone; who would do-rakSha--protect me; in the absence of bhartA, it would not be possible for me to perform many things! and this would become like an apashakunam--bad omen!',--much grief could pile up for strIs--women. For such duHkham--grief, some selfishness is (also) the reason. But then in the viShayam--case of putra--son, it is not so. Depending on how much older the son gets, to that extent mAtA's--mother's duHkha increases by his loss (if the son predeceases her). NarakAsura has been ruling all along as the chakravartin--emperor of the world. Thus, one who has been doing rAjya paripAlanam--administration of country, as ekachakrAdhipati--single emperor, has been destroyed by BhagavAn--such duHkham--grief did not arise at that time in that mother.
Instead of thinking that her son was lost, thinking: 'To him mokSham--liberation resulted at the hands of BhagavAn! To him was given the bhAgyam--fortune of seeing BhagavAn in person! Only by doing great tapas should BhagavAn be seen? With no such tapas he got this bhAgyam!' She had been praying: 'That my son is gone be on one side. By the duHkham of losing my son happening to me, no duHkham should arise for the people in the world.
On this day my son was gone, everyone should celebrate it with sesame oil bath, wearing new clothes and with a good feast!'
Like BhagavAn did gItopadesham in the raNakaLam--battlefield, when this woman was weeping in putra shokam--grief due to loss of son, she has sought kShemam--welfare (for the world)! 'All the people in the town are in welfare; all their sons are doing fine! Whereas our son is such!'--except that such thoughts would arise in us, 'Let our son go astray. May the sons of people of the town be happy'--would such thinking come to us? It has come for the mother of NarakAsura. That is why we celebrate dIpAvali. Instead of dismissing it as some PurANa story, doing-rakShaNam--nourishing it, for generations together, people of our country have been celebrating the dIpAvaLi festival; what is the use? What is the Atma lAbham--profit for the soul, we get by this paNDikai--(Tam) festival?
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
'Because we suffer, may the others too suffer, may the world suffer'--such a thought should not come to us. We should develop the mental frame of thinking 'may the world be in kShemam--welfare, even if we suffer'--This is the use of celebrating dIpAvaLi; this is the nIti--moral that the dIpAvaLi festival teaches us. Our sukha-duHkhas--comfort and grief, are there for ever. Instead of thinking about their volume, if by us to some extent saMtoSham--satisfaction, sukham--comfort would arise for the world, to get the mental frame of praying for it, is what the dIpAvaLi festival teaches us. The text tulA mAsa mahAtmiyam in the adhyAyam--chapter it speaks about dIpAvaLi says taile lakShmIH jale gangA--goddess LakShmI resides in the sesame oil and goddess GangA in water. That PurANam says that in places where the GangA river is not there, taking sesame oil bath in warm water at whatever place would fetch the puNyam--merit of doing gangA snAnam--bathing in the GangA river. On this day of dIpAvaLi, instead of considering 'this is our kaShTam--difficulty, our duHkham--sorrow', let us do-prArthana--pray for the welfare of the world.
Three Baths on the day of Deepavali
Source :www.rlalitha.wordpress.com;
www.mahaperiavaamyguru.blogspot.in
Translator: Saidevo
The shAstram--scripture mentions that we should take two baths on
the day of dIpAvaLi.
The aitihyam--traditional instruction, is that on that day at time of early morning for the
duration of one muhUrtam--48 minutes, the GangA river itself resides in warm water.
So, at that time, we should take sesame oil bath in warm water. While bathing the thought about
NarakAsura, SatyabhAmA, shrIKRShNa and BhUmA devI should arise in us. This is known as the gangA
snAnam.
After the warm water bath, the aitihyam is that for six nATikAs (one nATikA = 24 minutes) after sunrise,
all rivers including kAvEri, reside in cold water. So, at that time, we should take bath in cold water. This
has the name tulA snAnam. The thought about ParamEshvara should arise during this snAnam--bath.
After the exterior body is purified, there is yet another great snAnam. And is the govindeti sadA
snAnam, which will remove our interior dirt.
Since it is mentioned that our jIvan--individual soul, gets refined at that time, it should not be thought
that the other two baths are not important.
Realizing that all these three baths are important, do the snAnam.
Renowned Artist Sri Maniyam Selvan recalls an incident when
his father Maniyam painted a black and white painting of Siva
Thandavam for Kalki Deepavali Malar in 1961.
Periyava holding a small veena was in the forefront of this
painting. Lotus petals, along with nagalinga flower were drawn
in the place where the box of sacred ash was normally kept
near his feet. The huge piece of moon on the head, the loose
locks of hair, raised foot, abhaya hasta, agni and the vilva leaves
were visible, but not Muyalakan or the right foot of the Lord.
“Ra. Ganapathi Sir took this Deepavali Malar to Periyava, when
the sage asked him to fetch my father during his next visit to
the mutt. When Ganapathi Sir took my father to the Mutt,
Periyava said, “You have opened my eyes!”
“In the original photograph of Periyava, his eyes were looking down at the veena he was holding. In the painting of Maniyam, however, Periyava’s eyes were looking straight. Father, though a bit embarrassed, said: ‘No Periyava. I thought it would be nice if your ‘paarvai’ (vision) fell on the devotees!’ Periyava replied: ‘Maniyam, what I saw in my inward vision, you had painted in the background showing the Siva Thandavam! (Thanks to Sri Ma. Se, this painting appears in the next page for your viewing pleasure).
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Okkarai is a famous traditional South Indian sweet dish that is made on the auspicious day of Deepavali.
Ingredients
Channa Dal/ Kadalai Paruppu – 1 cup Grated Jaggery – 1 ¼ cup Cardamom power – ¼ tsp Cashew nuts – few Ghee – ½ cup Method
Dry fry the Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu in a pan till it turns into golden brown color and put the Dal into the vessel
To this add boiling water and soak the Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu for at least 3 hours After 3 hours, rinse the Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu and take it out Add 2 hand full of Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu and also 1 hand full of jaggery to the mixer and
grind it to a nice paste Repeat it for the remaining Dal and jaggery Mix all the ground Dal jaggery paste and add cardamom powder Heat the pan and add 1 spoon of ghee and add the cashew nuts and fry until it turns into golden
brown color. Take the fried cashews and mix it well with the ground Dal jaggery paste In the hot pan, add half quantity of ghee and add the ground mixture and stir it once Keep the flame low and stir occasionally The okkarai breaks down into smaller pieces and it should be soft. When we take the small
pieces in hand and make into ball then this is the right stage to remove the okkarai out off the flame.
The delicious Okkarai is ready to serve
Recipe # 3 – Mullu Murukku
Ingredients Par boiled rice -2 1/2 cups (pulungal arisi) Fried gram /Chutney kadalai /pottu kadalai - 1 1/4 cup Oil - 1/3 cup Jeera /cumin seeds - 1 tsp Green chillies - 6-7 medium size Salt to taste ( mix it in a little water and add) Oil for deep frying murukku
Method
Soak boiled rice in water for 2 hours, grind it to a fine paste, adding green chillies and little water. Do not add too much water, then you will not be able to prepare the dough.
Dry grind fried gram to a fine powder and sieve it. Keep it aside.
Mix grounded rice + fried gram powder + salt + cumin seeds together. Bring 1/3 cup of oil to boiling point and add it to the mix.
Make a slightly stiff dough by adding warm water.
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Take a small amount of dough and put it inside the murukku maker, then press it with the other mould (you have 2 moulds) and you will find dough coming out of the 3 star shapes holes (use this particular 3 star plate)
Move it in a circular motion to make muruku on the back side of a small plate or the back of a flat ladle. Grease the back of the small plate or flat ladle with little oil and then press on it. We are doing this as the murukku will easily slip into the hot oil when you turn the plate or ladle.
Heat oil in a kadai and when it is hot, drop the murukku inside the oil gently. It stars bubbling with a sound. Let it get cooked. After sometime, flip it over to the other side and fry till it become golden brown.
Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
Store the murukkus in an air tight container
Recipe # 4 – Ribbon Pakkoda
Ingredients Bengal gram flour - 2 cups Rice flour - 2 cups Asafoetida/hing - a generous pinch Salt needed Butter - little less than 50 grams Chilli powder as needed Method
Mix both the flour well. Add hing, butter, salt, chilli powder and needed water and make a soft dough. Knead well
Take a murukku maker and fit the ribbon pakoda making plate/disc.
Heat oil ( to test if the oil is hot , drop a small ball of dough into the oil, if it raises to the surface immediately, then the oil is hot enough to fry the murukkus)
Put the prepared dough inside the murukku maker and press it directly into the hot oil in a circular motion.
You will get a sound when the murukku is getting cooked. Flip it over to the other side and fry both sides well till golden brown.
When the "shh sound" ceases, the murukku is done. Use a slotted ladle to remove the murukku and drain it on a paper towel.
Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
When the murukku cools, store it in an air tight container.
Recipe # 5 – South Indian Mixture
Ingredients Omapodi ( Sev) - crush it - 2 cups Kara boondi -2 cups Beaten rice (Aval/poha) - 1 cup Fried gram (pottu kadalai) - 1/2 cup Peanuts - handful Cashew nuts - handful
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Curry leaves handful Oil for frying Salt and chilli powder for taste Method
Prepare Omapodi (Sev), crush it and keep it aside (recipe for reparing this follows in the subsequent pages)
Prepare kara boondis (recipe for reparing this follows in the subsequent pages)
Heat oil and fry pottu kadalai (fried gram). Keep it aside.
Then fry Aval and drain it on a paper towel. It gets fried very fast.
Then fry peanuts, cashew nuts and curry leaves separately.
Now mix everything together and sprinkle a little salt and chilli powder on it. Mix well again.
There are no hard and fast rules regarding measurements and oyu can add omapodi (sev) or kara boondi if you like.
Recipe # 6 – Omapodi
Ingredients Bengal gram flour/Besan/kadala mavu - 1 cup Ghee/Clarified butter -1 tsp Red chilli -2 Asafoetida/Hing - a generous pinch Omam -1/2 tsp (Ajwain, carom seeds) Salt to taste Oil for deep frying Method
Grind red chilli, hing and carom seeds together with little water. Filter it and keep it aside.
Take besan in a bowl, add the grounded filtered water, a tsp of ghee, salt and make a soft dough by adding water little by little.
Make a small cylinder with the dough and put it inside the muruku maker. Use the plate with many small holes for making this omapodi
Heat oil, when the oil is hot, press the muruku maker in a circle over the hot oil.
Once you have squeezed enough dough, stop pressing the muruku maker.
Fry both sides till golden brown
Once it is done, the bubbling noise stops. Omapodi is done. Remove it with a slotted ladle and strain it in a colander.
Repeat the same process for the rest of the dough.
After it cools, store it in an airtight container.
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Ingredients Bengal Gram flour/Besan -1 cup (kadalai mavu) Ghee/clarified butter -2 tsp Oil for deep frying boondis Salt and chilli powder to taste Method
Take besan/chick pea flour in a bowl, add 2 tsp ghee, needed salt and chilli powder.
First add little water and mix it well without lumps. Then add more water little by little and make a slightly thin batter.
The batter should neither be very thin nor thick. The consistency should be that of dosa batter.
Heat oil, then take the boondi ladle and pour a little batter on the ladle. The batter will fall through the holes into the hot oil.
Fry the balls till golden brown and drain it on a paper towel.
After it cools, store it in an air tight container.
Instead of adding salt and chilli powder in the batter, you can even sprinkle it on the fried boondis, mix it well and then store it.
Recipe # 8 – Jangiri
Ingredients White urad dhal - 1 cup (dehusked whole black gram) Rice - 1 tbl sp Sugar - 1 1/2 cup Water - 1/2 cup Kesar colour - little Saffron - little Rose water - 2 tsps Method 1. Soak dhal and rice together in water for 15 minutes. 2. Grind into smooth thick frothy paste with very little water using wet grinder. 3. Grind for 40 to 45 minutes, add little kesar colour and take out from grinder. (To check consistency of dhal - When little paste is put in water Dhal paste should float). 4. Mix sugar and water in a heavy pan and heat in medium flame stirring constantly till half string consistency is reached. Mix rose water, kesar colour, little crushed saffron to this. 5. Heat oil in a medium sized kadai or flat pan with about 1 1/2 inch depth. 6. Take little dough in jangiri cloth (cone shape cloth with small hole in centre). Close it properly and with gentle pressure put two continuous circles (clock-wise direction) of two inch diameter in oil and continue with chain like rings (anti clock-wise direction) on top of it so that jangiri shape is formed. 7. Turn over gently when it is cooked. (Do not fry "over crisp". Colour of jangiri should not change). 8. Take it out from oil, drain excess oil and put in hot sugar syrup. 9. Allow it to soak for one minute turning once in between. 10. Remove from syrup and arrange on a flat plate. 11. Take more dough in the cone shaped cloth and repeat the process of frying till all the dough is over.
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Maida/All purpose flour – ¼ kg (250 gms) Ghee – 50 gms Vanaspati/ Dalda – 100 gms Cooking soda – ¼ tsp For the sugar syrup Sugar – ¾ cup Water – 2 cups Milk – 4 tbsp Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp Edible camphor/ pachai karpuram – a pinch Method
Seive maida and keep it aside.
First mix dalda and ghee nicely for 10 minutes. Then add maida, cooking soda and mix well. Add water little by little and knead it into a soft dough. Keep it aside for 15 minutes .
After that divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls, flatten it a little and make a depression with your thumb in the middle. Meantime let us make the sugar syrup-
Take a pan, add water and sugar and bring it to boil. Add milk and boil for a few more seconds. The impurities (if any) in sugar will come to the surface. Remove it with a ladle.
Then boil sugar syrup till it reaches one string consistency. Add cardamom powder and pachai karpuram. Badusha preparation
Heat oil first , add 4-5 badusha, then keep in low flame and fry the badushas until golden brown. Flip them gently and cook both sides.
Then drop them in the sugar syrup and let is sit for 6-7 minutes.
Then remove it from the syrup and place it in a plate. Let the sugar syrup dry.
If needed, garnish with grated coconut and cashew nuts on top.
Store them in an air tight container
You have to keep the flame in low while frying the badushas. If the temperature of the oil is high, the badushas will turn golden brown fast but will remain uncooked inside.
Recipe # 10 – Boondi Laddu
Ingredients
Kadalai mavu /Bengal gram flour - 1/2 kg (500 grams)
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp and a pinch
Lemon Yellow food color - a pinch
Ghee - 1 1/2 tbsp
Kanchi Periva Forum – Deepavali Special Edition Ebook – November 2012
Sieve both bengal gram flour and rice flour separately.
Fry cashew nuts, raisin and cloves in ghee separately and keep it aside.
First you have to prepare the sugar syrup and keep it ready. Take a pan, add water and sugar, mix well first. Then bring it to boil. Add 1/4 cup of milk to it, all the impurities in sugar will come to the surface. Remove it with a ladle. Boil sugar syrup till you get a one string consistency. How to find one string consistency?
When you pour a little sugar syrup in a plate with little water, it should not dissolve.
When you touch it between your index finger and thumb and pull it apart, it should form a string.
Or just lift the ladle from the sugar syrup and wait for a few seconds- it will form a string. Switch off the flame.
Add cardamom powder, pachai karpuram, fried cashew nuts, raisins and cloves to the sugar syrup.
For Making boondi
Mix both bengal gram flour and rice flour, add cooking soda and a pinch of yellow color.
Add water and make a batter. It should neither be too thin nor thick.
Heat oil and pour a little batter on the boondi ladle and gently tap it. Tiny droplets of batter will fall into the hot oil. Fry till golden brown. Keep aside. Note - Do not fry it too crisp as for South Indian mixture or kara boondi. Remove it from oil a stage before that.
Repeat the process for the rest of the batter.
After the boondi cools a little, add half of it to the sugar syrup.
Put the rest of the boondi in a blender and grind it a little. Take a small mixie jar and blend it little by little only for a few seconds. Do not make it a paste
Now add this also to the sugar syrup. Mix both well together.
Making of laddu/ladoo
Add a tbsp of ghee and make balls out of it.
More Recipes
For those of you interested in trying out a variety of modern sweets this Deepavali, please take a look at
this PDF which has recipes for 100 mouth-watering delicacies. Download the following file containing
100 special Deepavali recipes: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9vnMtrPKkYVOUpxZ0U3a1NNSEU
Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the following blogs and websites which contained a treasure of information for compiling this Ebook on Deepavali Festival.
