Krishna Jayanthi celebration and Sweet Aval (poha/flattened rice)

Sri Krishna Jayanti marks the celebration of the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna was born on the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star) on Ashtami day. The festival Sri Krishna Jayanti is also known as Gokulashtami and Janmashtam. The actual day of celebration can be on two different days as the star 'Rohini' and Ashtami may not be on the same day. This occurs between August and September on the Christian calendar.

This year it was celebrated on 13th of August.

Since I have a whole bunch of Krishnas in my collection, I always display all of them as a golu and offer pooja to them. :)



Sri Krishna is Lord Vishnu's eighth avatar (incarnation) on earth. He is considered to be the Lord's most glorious incarnations. Even saying and remembering His name brings joy because Sri Krishna himself was a manifestation of joy at all levels and in all walks of life. No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or for that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales and so fully radiating with all the divine attributes as Sri Krishna.

More details on this festival is found here.



Its a practice of drawing little krishna's foot marks using rice flour from the entrance to the place where the lord is arranged. This marks that the lord himself has come home. :)



I have offered lord with 33 prasadams since I have placed 33 idols in my golu. :)

Namely - Milk, Butter, Navanitham(mixture of butter with sugar), curd, Paalkova(milk sweet), Sweet poha, Badam, pista, cashew, Kalkandu(sugar crystals), paanagam(jaggery mixed with water), mixture, 5 types of savouries, Jangiri, chocolates, plumcake, jelly, sweet seedai, salt seedai, sesame balls, Suruta poli(sweet), Adhirasam(jaggery riceflour sweet), thattai, Soan papadi, Jamoon, mint balls, halwa, dates and fruits. :):)


Since Sri Krishna lived in luxury throughout his life, Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with pomp and splendor. Plenty of sweets are made. Among these are laddus (yellu oonde), chakli, cheedai, payasam (kheer), sweet aval and so on. In addition, plenty of milk products especially butter, which was Sri Krishna's favorite childhood food, are given in offerings. A wide variety of fruits are also offered.



At home we used to keep all food that can attract a kid as prasadam since Sri Krishna is considered as a kid. :) So you can see chocolates, cakes and biscuits in my offerings unlike others. :) ;)




Sweet Aval/ Poha

Ingredients:

Aval(poha/ flattened rice) - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - for flavour
Ghee - 2 tsp
Coconut - 1 tsp
Cashews - few

Method:

Soak poha in a bowl, pouring in adequate water(say about 1 inch above the level of poha) for 2 hours.

In a pan, heat a tsp of ghee and add the broken cashews. Once they turn golden brown remove from flame and keep it aside in a plate.

Now in a pan take jaggery and add water to immerse it. Once the jaggery melts and becomes thick (if you pour a drop of it in a cup of water it should not dissolve immediately. A sticky consistancy.) simmer the stove and add the poha and mix well. Now add the the cashews, ghee and powdered cardamom.

Sweet aval/poha is ready to eat. Its absolutely yummy and tempting. Happy making and eating :)



Wish you all a very happy Krishna Jayanthi :)

I am sending this post to Purva's FF event.


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com