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Valaikaapu
Valaikaappu (in Tamil: ; in Malayalam: ) is a Baby shower, prenatal ceremony or celebration similar to baby-shower, held by South Indian women from Tamil Nadu and few parts of Kerala, meant to bless a pregnant woman, celebrate her fertility, and prepare the baby and mother-to-be for a safe birth. It is typically held at the 5th month and 7th month of the pregnancy by the mother side of the girl in her mother’s house. It is widely practiced among both the urban and rural populations of the region. Etymology The etymology could be related to two Tamil language, Tamil words that mean to protect the bangles: valaiyal (வளையல்) which is typically a glass bangle, and kaapu (காப்பு), which means to protect. The equivalent in Malayalam would be (വള) for bangle. History It is related to the more formal traditions of Seemantham or Simantonnayana dating back to the 4th century BCE, documented in the Kalpa Sūtra, Kalpa Sutras, possibly part of the Jaini ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seemantham
Simantonnayana (, ) (literally: parting the hair) or ''Simantha'', is the third of the 16 Saṃskāras (sacraments, rites of passage) in the ancient texts of Hinduism. It is observed in the last trimester of pregnancy to wish for safe delivery and is similar to a baby shower.Pandey, R.B. (1962, reprint 2003). ''The Hindu Sacraments (Saṁskāra)'' in S. Radhakrishnan (ed.) ''The Cultural Heritage of India'', Vol.II, Kolkata:The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, , pp.390-413 The authorities are not unanimous whether this saṃskāra should be performed for the first child or it should be performed for every child.Pandey, Rajbali (1969, reprint 2002). ''Hindu Saṁskāras: Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, , pp.64-9 Description Simantonnayana, also called ''Simanta'' or ''Simantakarana'', literally means "parting the hair upwards".PV KaneSamskara, Chapter VI History of Dharmasastras, Vol II, Part I, Bhandarkar Oriental Research In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baby Shower
A baby shower is a party to celebrate the Childbirth, delivery or Pregnancy, expected birth of a child. Practices vary greatly by culture, but it is often a rite of passage that celebrates through Gift, giving gifts and spending time together. While the term ''baby shower'' is commonly associated with US traditions, similar traditions exist across cultures. Etymology The term ''shower'' is often assumed to mean that the expectant parent is "showered" with gifts. A related event, called a bridal shower, may have derived its name from the custom in the 19th century for the presents to be put inside a parasol, which when opened would "shower" the bride-to-be with gifts. Description Traditionally, baby showers are given only for the family's first child, and only women are invited to party, though this has changed in recent years, with baby showers being mixed-sex or taking place in the workplace. Smaller showers, or showers in which guests are encouraged to give only diapers or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Payasam
Kheer, khir or payasam is a pudding or porridge popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice. It can be additionally flavoured with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, it may contain cracked wheat, vermicelli ( sevai), sago or tapioca (sabudana). In Northern India, it is made in various ways. The most popular versions are the ones made with rice and vermicelli (semiya). Etymology The word ''kheer'' is derived from the Sanskrit word '' kshira'' (क्षीर), which means milk or a milk-based dish. Kheer is also the archaic name for sweet rice pudding. The word ''payasam'' used in South India for kheer originates from the Sanskrit term ''pāyasa'' (पायस), which means "milk" or a dish made from milk. This term evolved into various regional languages, including Malayalam (പായസം, pāyasaṁ), Telugu (పాయసం, pāyasaṁ), and Tamil (பாயசம், pāyacam). Origin It i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Konkani People
The Konkani people are an Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group native to the Konkan region of the Indian subcontinent. They speak various dialects of the Konkani language. Following the Konkani language agitation, Konkani became the premier official language of Goa state, while Mahratti, Marathi remains as the associate official language of Goa. Konkani is also spoken by populations in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Damaon, Kerala, & Gujarat. A large percentage of Konkani people are bilingual. Etymology The word ''Konkan, Koṅkaṇa'' (कोंकण) and, in turn ''Koṅkaṇi'', is derived from ' (कुङ्कण) or (कुङ्कणु). Different authorities elaborate etymology of this word differently. They include: *''Koṇa'' (कोण) meaning top of the mountain. *The name of aboriginal mother goddess, which is sometimes Sanskritisation, Sanskritised to mean goddess Renuka. *Some scholars believe that (कोङ्कण) comes from (कोण) "co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maharashtrians
The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a Marathi-speaking state of India on 1 May 1960, as part of a nationwide linguistic reorganisation of the Indian states. The term "Maratha" is generally used by historians to refer to all Marathi-speaking peoples, irrespective of their caste; However, it may refer to a Maharashtrian caste known as the Maratha which also includes farmer sub castes like the Kunbis. The Marathi community came into political prominence in the 17th century, when the Maratha Empire was established by Shivaji in 1674. Etymology According to R. G. Bhandarkar, the term Maratha is derived from Rattas, a tribe which held political supremacy in the Deccan from the remotest time. The Rattas called themselves ''Maha Rattas'' or Gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shaadh
Sadh or Sadhbhakshan is a traditional pregnancy ritual observed by Bengalis. It is performed during the eighth or ninth month of pregnancy, after the expectant mother completes seven months. The ceremony involves feeding the pregnant woman special foods as a gesture of wishing good health for both the mother and the unborn child. Sadh is a regional variation of Simantonnayana, a ritual of the ancient Indian Samskara. Similar traditions exist in different parts of India, known as ''Seemantham'' in Kerala, ''Valaikappu'' in Tamil Nadu, ''Godh Bharai'' in Punjab, Godh Bharna in Gujarat and ''Dohale Jevan'' in Maharashtra. Meaning According to Bengali tradition, the term "Sadh Bhakshan" or "Sadh Khawa" literally means a feast or ceremony based on the cravings of a pregnant woman. This event includes a variety of delicious foods, and the expectant mother is also showered with gifts as a symbolic gesture of filling her lap with blessings and joy. Importance During pregnancy, issues ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bengali People
Bengalis ( ), also rendered as endonym Bangalee, are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the Bengal region of South Asia. The current population is divided between the sovereign country Bangladesh and the Indian regions of West Bengal, Tripura, Barak Valley of Assam, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and parts of Meghalaya, Manipur and Jharkhand. Most speak Bengali, a classical language from the Indo-Aryan language family. Bengalis are the third-largest ethnic group in the world, after the Han Chinese and Arabs. They are the largest ethnic group within the Indo–European linguistic family and the largest ethnic group in South Asia. Apart from Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Manipur, and Assam's Barak Valley, Bengali-majority populations also reside in India's union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with significant populations in the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Odisha, Chhatti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sambar (dish)
Sāmbār, or Sambhar is a lentil-based vegetable spiced curry or stew, cooked with pigeon pea and tamarind broth. It originates in South Indian cuisine and is popular in other parts of India. History The recorded history of sambar is vague. According to food historian K. T. Achaya, the earliest extant reference to sambar, as "huli", can be dated to the 17th century in present-day Karnataka. ''Kanthirava Narasaraja Vijaya'', a 1648 text by the Kannada scholar Govinda Vaidya, mentions huli (puli) (literally "sourness"), a curry similar to the modern sambar, made with vegetables and toor dal. According to a legend, sambar was first made in the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom during the reign of Shahuji I (r. 1684–1712). The legend states that during a visit by Sambhaji, a king or his royal chef substituted kokum with tamarind in the traditional ''amti'' (lentil soup), and added some vegetables to it: the resulting curry was named ''sambar'' or ''sambhar'' after Sambhaji. Sourish Bha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ajwain
Ajwain or ajowan (''Trachyspermum ammi'') () —also known as ajowancaraway, thymol seeds, bishop's weed, or carom—is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Both the leaves and the seed‑like fruit (often mistakenly called seeds) of the plant are consumed by humans. The name " bishop's weed" also is a common name for other plants. The "seed" (i.e., the fruit) is often confused with lovage seed. Description Ajwain's small, oval, seed-like fruits are pale brown schizocarps, which resemble the seeds of other plants in the family Apiaceae such as caraway, cumin and fennel. They have a bitter and pungent taste, with a flavor similar to anise and oregano. They smell like thyme because they also contain thymol, but they are more aromatic and less subtle in taste, as well as being somewhat bitter and pungent. Even a small number of fruits tend to dominate the flavor of a dish. Vernacular Names Trachyspermum ammi, commonly known as Ajwain, is known by different names across I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nigella Sativa
''Nigella sativa'' (common names, black caraway, black cumin, nigella or kalonji) is an annual flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Asia (Arabia, the Levant, Cyprus, Turkey, Iran and Iraq), and eastern Europe (Bulgaria and Romania). It is naturalized over parts of Europe, northern Africa, and east to Myanmar. It is used as a spice in various food preparations, especially in Arab and Halal cuisines. Etymology The genus name ''Nigella'' is a diminutive of the Latin "black", referring to the seed color. The specific epithet ''sativa'' means "cultivated". Common names In food preparation, ''Nigella sativa'' and its seeds are variously called black caraway, black seed, black cumin, fennel flower, nigella, nutmeg flower, Roman coriander, or black onion seed. Black seed and black caraway may also refer to '' Elwendia persica'', which is also known as ''Bunium persicum''. Description ''N. sativa'' grows to tall, with finely divided, linear (but not thread ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karupatti
Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in colour. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars, and up to 20% moisture, with the remainder made up of other insoluble matter, such as wood ash, proteins, and bagasse fibres. Jaggery is very similar to muscovado, an important sweetener in Portuguese, British and French cuisine. Etymology Jaggery comes from Portuguese terms , , borrowed from Malayalam (), which is borrowed from Sanskrit (). It is a doublet of sugar. Origins and production Jaggery is made of the products of sugarcane and the toddy palm tree. The sugar made from the sap of the date palm is more prized and less commonly available outside of the regions where it is made. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gulab Jamun
Gulab jamun is a sweet confectionery or dessert, originating in the Indian subcontinent, and a type of mithai popular in India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives and Bangladesh, as well as Myanmar. It is also common in nations with substantial populations of people with South Asian heritage, such as Mauritius, Fiji, Gulf states, the Malay Peninsula, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname). It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from '' khoya'', which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Modern recipes call for dried or powdered milk instead of ''khoya''. It is often garnished with dried nuts, such as almonds and cashews, to enhance flavour. Preparation In the Indian subcontinent, milk and cheese solids are prepared by heating milk over a low flame until the water content has evaporated and only the milk solids, known as ''khoya'', remain. The solids are kneaded with flour ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
