Gifts For Diwali 2012 as well as Xmas Gifts 2011

Diwali celebrations begin with the festival of Dhanterus, which is the combo of 2 words 'Dhan (hard earned cash)' + Terus (13th day). As the name suggests Dhanterus is the day when people buy brand-new household products for their houses. It is a convention to purchase new utensils, gold as well as silver jewelery on this day as it is believed that it brings more wealth to the houses. Diwali 2011 has watched a shift to more practical present products just like Christmas Gifts.

These items include digital devices, vacations, Saturday and Sunday getaways, original crystals etc.. 

Each year as the days of Diwali grow nearer the interests for these items start to escalate. Some of the incredibly well-liked products that are in demand for Diwali 2012 are:

Netbooks: In today's world they're more of a necessity than an accessory. If anybody in the household is tech savvy then a brand-new laptop computer with the latest software will certainly make an optimal gift. You can easily add stylish laptop computer covers, which are the rage nowadays.

 USB Pen drives as well as compact difficult drives: By having so much data to handle nowadays, storage space devices such as USB drives as well as portable hard drives also make excellent gifts.

Day spa vacations and weekend getaways: Make certain that when you are gifting vacations the dates are manageable so that the recipient can easily utilize them at the dates that are most convenient to them. 

Electronic accessories: Mobile accessories, sophisticated speakers, 3-D finger mouse, laptop sleeves, carry bags, cooling pads, mobile stands, mobile covers etc. can easily be used as gifts.

If your Diwali program is already filled with a list of things to do in preparation for Diwali 2012 as well as your Christmas 2011, you can effortlessly shop for the items online from various websites. You will definitely discover countless fantastic markdowns online and will not have to worry a bit about their shipment.

Types Of Modern Day Diwali Greeting Cards

The Diwali celebrations would be incomplete if you didn’t wish your near and dear ones the best of tidings. For those living far away from their friends and families, calls, SMS’s and Diwali greeting cards is the best way to connect.  Special Diwali greeting cards are the best way to show that you care and are thinking of them during this joyous festival.

From a time thousands of years ago when messages where carried for months across kingdoms to convey Diwali wishes, the way of conveying Diwali greetings has evolved. Today we are fortunate to have beautiful and ornate Diwali greeting cards that say more than just the words and can be sent and received in days and sometimes seconds.

Paper greeting cards have been very popular for many years and their charm will never go away. However as the times have changed, Diwali greeting cards have also evolved with the digital age.

Moreover, with the green revolution the world is slowly moving away from paper cards to the electronic way of saying “Happy Diwali”.

E- cards: These are the same as paper cards in conveying the message without the uncertainty of the post being lost. Beautiful Diwali messages and cards decorated with lights and other decorations are available at various greeting card site. The only thing you need to do to send these cards is to log in to the site, enter the recipient’s email id and select the date to send and it’s done.

Animated cards: If you have seen musical paper greeting cards in the market then you will love the animated greeting cards available online. Diwali card designs include animated cards, prayer verses, fireworks etc. Even cartoon animation designs are available online which you can select easily. Some websites even let you record messages in your own voice over the animations, which makes the Diwali greetings even more special.

Diwali greeting cards with gifts: Diwali greetings cards can also be ordered with gifts online. Popular gifts for Diwali greetings include dry fruit packs, sweet packs, toys, decorative gift items that can be delivered to the recipient’s doorstep. You can even send fresh flowers online as a part of Diwali wishes.

Modern day Diwali greeting cards are becoming popular every year and more and more people are opting for the digital option for sending Diwali greetings to their loved ones.

Diwali Wishes: Decorative Gift Ideas

Modern day Diwali celebrations are a blend of contemporary lifestyle and traditional rituals. As the Diwali holidays approach everyone gets busy decorating their homes, offices, shops and workplaces. A big clean-up effort takes place and every corner of the city is lit with lights and the sound of firecrackers resonates in the air. Diwali wishes are exchanged with near and dear ones.

It has been a long-standing tradition to exchange gifts and sweets on Diwali. There are an unlimited number of Diwali gift ideas available in the market, which makes choosing the perfect gift easier. Decorative gifts are very popular during this festive season and you can chose from trendy or traditional or a mix of both. Here are some popular decorative Diwali gift ideas:

Torans or wall hangings:

Torans are generally handmade and are embellished with beautiful stones, glasses, images, beads and colourful thread embroidery. They are used at the main door and at the entrance of rooms. Both long and short torans are available in a variety of colors such as red, yellow, green, blue and golden.

Decorative lamps:

Made from paper, clay, brass, glass, wood, fiber and even silicone, decorative lamps light up the room in a festive theme instantly. Beautiful colors, and patterns add a completely new look to your house. They make the perfect accompaniment to Diwali decorations and make for long lasting gifts.

Exclusive candles

Candles are much more than something you use when there is no electricity. Aromatic candles create a calm and soothing atmosphere in the room and relax your mind. With so many designs and sizes available, they make a perfect gift for your loved ones.

Diyas

The significance of diyas on Diwali dates back to 2700BC. These days diyas are more ornate and are used for decorative purposes rather than illuminations. Beautiful diyas decorated with paints, glasses, sequins, beads etc. have become an integral part of Diwali celebrations. They are used to decorate the homes and the workplace.

Conveying Diwali wishes with some of these decorative gift items is an easy way to lift somebody’s festive spirit.

Diwali Sweets As A Part Of Diwali Greetings

Yummy Diwali sweets are exchanged on the festival of Diwali as a part of Diwali greetings. The very idea of exchanging Diwali sweets means that you are sending all your love and best wishes with the sweet box and hope that the receivers coming year will be as sweet as the sweetness of sweets!

Diwali lanterns, diyas, bulbs, lamps, firecrackers, decorations all form part of this five day festival.  The preparations began over a month before the actual day. People fill the shopping malls looking for clothes and decorative items for Diwali.

The aroma of various Diwali sweets adds to the festivities and both adults and children look forward to feasting on the delicious snacks and sweets on Diwali night. The sweets taste best when prepared at home in pure desi ghee (clarified butter without any preservatives). You can however easily purchase them from the nearest sweet shop too.

The popular sweets that are prepared on Diwali include Gulabjamuns, ghujiyas, laddoos, rasgullas, burfi, jalebi etc.  It is not difficult to prepare these sweets at home and if you have some time then you must try the flowing recipe for Rasgulla:

Ingredients

• 1 liter of cow’s milk
• 1 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 300 grams of sugar
• 1 liter water
• 3-4 drops of rose essence or cardamom powder

To prepare

• Boil the milk in a pan.
• Remove from heat and add lime juice or vinegar.
• Stir slowly and you will see that the milk will start to curdle.
• When you see that it is completely separated from whey stop stirring.
• Strain the milk through a muslin cloth. The residue left in the cloth is known as ‘chenna’.
• Wash the chenna under cold water to remove the citric taste of lime juice. Extract all water by gently pressing the cloth.
• Take the chenna in a plate, add baking powder, arrowroot powder, and mash until you get a shiny, smooth dough.
• Make small round balls of the chenna dough and set aside.
• Boil the sugar in water and add the balls to it.
• Let is simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. The ball will puff and become large in size.
• Remove from heat, add rose essence and cool in the fridge.
• Serve chilled.

  The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach and there is no better way to convey your Diwali greetings than doing it with sweets.

Sweets To Prepare For Diwali 2011

Sweets served during the days of Diwali have a special meaning. Serving sweets to guests at home this Diwali is a symbol of joy and prosperity to the receiver. As Diwali is just a few days away, your Diwali calendar would now be full with things to do. There’s the shopping, cleaning, decorating, inviting and organising. Plus the preparation of delicious dishes to serve to guests when they arrive. Here are two simple and easy to prepare recipes to help you lighten the load this Diwali 2011;

1. ABC Halwa (Apple, banana, carrot Halwa)

Ingredients:

• One cup Grated apple (without the skin)
• One cup grated carrot
• One cup mashed bananas
• One cup Milk
• Two cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Grated dry fruits mix
• Three tablespoon pure ghee

To prepare:

• Boil the milk and add the grated carrots to the milk.
• Cook on a low heat till the carrots are soft and cooked.
• Add grated apple and the mashed banana and simmer till the mixture thickens.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder then mix well.
• In a separate pan heat the ghee and add the mix to it.
• Keep on stirring to prevent the mix from sticking to the bottom.
• Cook till the ghee separates from the mix.
• Remove from heat and cool
• Garnish with dry fruits.
• Serve hot

2. China grass (Agar0agar) burfi (fudge)

If you don’t have much time and need a quick sweet for this Diwali then this is the one you should try;

Ingredients:

• ½ liter of milk
• 8 grams of china grass strands
• Sugar 250 grams
• One cup of warm water
• Grated dry fruits for garnish
• Edible silver leaf for decoration

To prepare:

• Cut the china grass strands into small pieces. Soak the strands in warm water for few minutes till they are soft.
• In the meantime boil the milk
• Drain the water out of the china grass strands and add to the boiling milk
• Lower the heat and simmer the milk till the pieces are full dissolved
• Add the sugar and stir to dissolve and prevent the mixture from setting or sticking to the bottom.
• Grease a flat pan and pour the mix into the pan add the dry fruits (you can also add the dry fruits when boiling the milk).
• Let is set and cut into the desired shapes and your Burfis are ready to serve.
• Decorate with edible silver leaf

Surprise your family and friends this Diwali 2011 by cutting the Burfi in interesting shapes and adding smiley faces with dry fruits. You can even add a little food coloring to the milk to get more exotic results.

This Diwali Enjoy The Magic Of Diwali Greeting Cards

The best way to convey your Diwali wishes is with a big hug and a heartfelt ‘Happy Diwali’ wish. It is customary to exchange sweets on Diwali as a part of the well wishes with your near and dear ones. But what about your loved ones who are unable to physically join you in Diwali celebrations? The best way to convey your wishes then will be in the form of Diwali greeting cards.

The magic of Diwali will double when they see your greeting cards and they will thank you from the bottom of their hearts. These cards convey more than just the Diwali wishes; they let the receiver know that you are thinking of them during this festival of lights. Furthermore that you wish them lots of joy, happiness and success in every venture that they undertake.

There are a plethora of Diwali card designs available in the market. These range from simple and elegant designs with beautiful messages to rich and ornate ones studded with gold leaves, precious and semi-precious stones.  You can buy specific cards for mother in laws, brothers, sisters, friends and even nieces and nephews.

Diwali greeting cards with funny messages are also available in the market for those who want to tickle the funny bone during this festive season. The most popular designs on Diwali cards include fireworks, diyas, Rangoli motifs and Diwali sweets. Lamps cut out in interesting shapes of lamps and even sweet boxes.

The least costly and totally paperless way (going green) of sending Diwali wishes is by way of E-greeting cards. There are a number of sites available on the net that provide this service for free. Your card can go from one country to another in a milli-second. E greeting cards with music and bursting firecrackers are especially popular during Diwali.

Do it yourself Diwali greeting cards: If you have some time on your hands during the Diwali holidays then why not make the cards yourself. Your own personal touch to the cards will make them very special. You can paint the card in bright colours (Diwali is all about colours) with lots of diyas and firecrackers. If you are not particularly handy at painting or drawing yourself then you can simply cut and paste some pictures of lights or rangoli patterns and decorate the card with gold, silver laces and sequins. Add some cotton under the pictures before sticking and it will transform the card into a three dimensional card.

Ways To Express Diwali Greetings

“Happy Diwali” is the most common Diwali greeting which you will hear during this five-day festival. Diwali greetings are exchanged to wish each other happiness and prosperity for the coming year. These wishes come from the heart and the person on the receiving end understands that you wish the best for them.

The significance of Diwali in cultures from all over the world cannot be underestimated. This is a festival which helps us understand and realize that good times are just around the corner and therefore we should celebrate with faith in our hearts and peace in our minds.

There is less than a month left for Diwali and now is the time to get your preparations in full swing. Lots of things are involved in the preparation for Diwali such as giving your house a good clean, buying Diwali lanterns and candles, preparing the sweets and buying new clothes.

This year why don’t you put a twist on the traditional Diwali greetings by adding some handmade items as a part of the wishes exchanged:

Diwali Lanterns: Lights have a very special place in Diwali celebrations. You can wish ‘Happy Diwali’ with exciting Diwali lights. These can be in the form of attractive diyas, lamps or handmade lanterns. It is not difficult to make beautiful lanterns at home. All you need is some thick colored paper and some wire to create the base. You can twist them in any shape and they are ready to be gifted.

Sweets: Another sweet way to express Diwali wishes is to do so with sweets. You can prepare delicious laddus, barfis, Gulabjamuns etc. easily at home and gift them for Diwali to your friends and family. If you don’t have the time to prepare the sweets you can even order them from the sweet shop and arrange for them to be delivered on Diwali. Your friends and family will be pleasantly surprised to see them.  Homemade chocolates or chocolate gift boxes will make excellent gifts for children.

Significance Of Diwali Greetings

Everyone looks forward to the festival of Diwali 2011 with great joy and anticipation. Diwali greetings are just not about the firecrackers and lighting. It is the time to hope and pray for peace and prosperity for yourself and the rest of the world. The right way to start the festivities is to begin with the Diwali preparations.

As the festival approaches, it is time to get the dusting cloth and your trustworthy mop out of the closet for a thorough cleaning. Once you are done with the cleaning and the much-needed repairs as well as the small renovations to your home the next phase is the Diwali decorations. The decorations are what bring a festive look to your house.

Festive lights: Decorative, ornamental and exotic Diwali Lanterns (diyas - small clay pots filled with oil or wax), candles, paper lamps, electric bulbs all form the part of the festive lights which are used to decorate the house (both inside and out).

You can also use hanging lights or replace your regular lampshades with paper lamps to give a colorful hue to the house. These lights can also be used to focus on other decorations. Different colours of electric bulbs on the boundary of your roof are the perfect choice for outside decorations.

Torans: Torans are door garlands, which are especially popular in South India. They are made from marigold flowers and mango leaves.  However, since the fresh flowers need replacement quite often, artificial ones are also available in the market that you can also use.

The sweet scent of flowers brings a fresh look to Diwali decorations. Roses, marigold, jasmine are the most popular flowers that are used in Diwali decorations. You can use any of your favorite flowers. They can be used in the form of garlands, attractive arrangements or even loose. Water based petal arrangements are a big hit during Diwali. They will fill your house with freshness.

Laying out a Rangoli at your doorstep is another consideration. A Rangoli is a color motif, which is generally in a square shape and is made by connecting dots in various patters and filling it with powdered colours, coloured grains or flowers.

Diwali Gift Ideas - Where To Shop

The weather is changing and so is the mood. It's time to make a list of Diwali gift ideas. The nine day (Navratris) are on their way and the whole atmosphere now has a festive feel about it. Diwali wishes abound and the streets are litered with bright lights decorating the temples and houses. There's also the tantalising smell of delicious Diwali sweets in the air. Plus there’s no ignoring the waves of children jumping with joy in anticipation of the Diwali 2011 holidays and treats.

After Navratris come Dusherra and Diwali. Diwali is traditionally a five day festival and is celebrated all over the world. The sweets, new clothes, jewelry, gifts etc. all find their special place during the Diwali celebrations. Of course, you need to make your shopping list well before the festival arrives and shop in advance so that you’re best prepared to celebrate in style.

Your Diwali shopping list should include the decorations such as the diyas, candles, electric decorative bulbs, lanterns, gifts for family and friends, sweets etc. You can shop for Diwali items in various Indian stores. Some items however are only in-stock around the days of Diwali such as firecrackers.

Traditional Indian garments such as saris, salwar suits, and lehnga choils are the most popular garments on sale in the festive season. Various designs can be seen flooding the market around this time. Shop at store's selling Indian garments to see the full selection and choose your favorite dress for the festival. Make sure that you shop in advance so that you have enough time for fittings and alterations to be done to make them fit perfectly.

If you are planning to give personalized gifts to your friends or co-workers this Diwali then you must pre-order them at least a month before Diwali to get them packed and delivered in time. Popular gift items include beautiful lanterns, candles, sweets, household items etc. Remember it is the thought that counts behind the gifts so make sure that you put a lot of love in the gifts you pick.

Sweets taste best when prepared at home but if you don’t have the time to prepare them in advance then you can get them from the sweet shops. Many shops cater for gift baskets, which consist of pre packed sweets, and savory snacks that you can buy over the counter. You can also pre order the packages and hence decide the types of sweets that will be packed.

You can easily shop for the Diwali items and gifts at any major stores and these days…even online at your convenience.

Tasty Treats For Diwali Wishes

Diwali 2011 is just around the corner and it is time for the sweets, snacks, lights and crackers again. While you may be busy preparing the sweets for Diwali, you mustn't ignore the savoury part of the festival. It's always nice to have some tasty treats on hand to serve the guests who arrive with Diwali wishes. Here are some simple recipes for two Diwali snacks.

They can be prepared in advance and stored to serve on the days of Diwali.

1.     Chakli

Ingredients

• 4 cups rice
• 2 cups of Bengal gram (chana dal)
• 1 cup black gram
• ½ cup of coriander seeds
• ¼ cup cumin seeds
• ¼ cup white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
• Red chili powder (according to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• ½ teaspoon of haldi (turmeric powder)
• Pinch of asafetida
• ½ cup of ghee (clarified butter)

To prepare:

• Roast rice, Bengal gram, and black gram separately on low heat until crisp. Do not use any oil for roasting.
• Roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds, sesame seeds.
• Grind all the ingredients into a fine powder. Add salt, chili powder, asafetida to the powder
• Heat the ghee in a pan.
• Pour the hot ghee into the powder
• Add some boiling water and knead into a soft dough.
• Put the dough into a chakli mold (available at Indian grocery stores).
• Press the molds to make spiral chaklis.
• Deep fry the chaklis in oil at low heat until crisp.
• Cool and store in an airtight container

Note:

• If you do not have chakli molds then you can also use your icing gun to make the shapes.
• You can use ghee to fry the chaklis
• These can be stored for up to a month.

2.     Mathri

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup of maida (all-purpose flour)
• ¾ cup wheat flour
• ½ cup dahi (yoghurt)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

To prepare:

• Combine all-purpose flour, wheat flour, yoghurt, oil, salt, carom seeds, and knead into firm dough.
• Keep the dough aside for ½ hour.
• Now take small pieces of the dough and roll into thin rolls of 2 inch diameter.
• Prick the mathri with a fork so that it does not fluff up when fried.
• Heat the oil on medium heat and fry the mathris until golden brown in colour and crisp.
• Drain on a paper towel and cool
• Store in an airtight container.

Delicious Variations Of Halva (Halwa) For This Diwali

Sweet savoury desserts are the highlight of the Diwali 2011 festival. The celebrations are not complete if there aren't an assortment of sweets and desserts on the table for your family and friends to enjoy. In this article, we have listed some delicious Diwali recipes for  Halva (halwa in Hindi) that you can easily prepare in no time!

1.     Caramel Halva

The caramel adds a delicious twist to the traditional halva. Here is what you need:

• 1 cup suji (semolina)
• 1 cup plain granulated sugar
• 1 cup of pure ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
• Dry fruits for garnish
• Water or milk to soak the semolina

Method:

• Soak the semolina in a little water (it will swell to almost double the size).
• Stir the sugar and cardamom powder with ghee in a nonstick pan on a medium flame until it melts and turns golden brown (caramel).
• Reduce the heat and add the soaked semolina. Keep stirring continuously until the oil separates.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• Garnish with strands of saffron, almonds and cashew nuts.
• You can also add raisins to the mixture.
• Sever hot or cold.

2.     Bread halva

This is a special sweet treat for Diwali, which uses bread as one of the main ingredient. Here is what you need for it:

• Eight slices of regular white bread (you can use brown bread as well...however, white bread tastes better).
• 100 grams of khoya (mawa)
• ½ cup of milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
• 1 cup of ghee (clarified butter)
• Some dry fruits and raisins for garnish

Method:

• Make breadcrumbs by rubbing the bread slices between your palms.(take care to remove the crusts)
• Add crumbed khoya (mawa), and sugar to the breadcrumbs. Mix well
• Add cardamom powder and milk to the mixture and combine well.
• Heat ghee in a nonstick pan on a medium heat.
• Add the prepared mixture to the ghee and cook on a low heat. Stirring continuously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
• When the oil starts separating from the mix, remove from the heat.
• Garnish with dry fruits, raisins.
• You can also add some dry dates to it for a twist.
• This tastes best when served hot.

Note:

• In both the recipes, you can replace sugar with sugar free (used for cooking).
• You can also decrease or increase the amount of sugar used depending on taste.
• When the halva is cold, you can use a cookie cutter to cut it into interesting shapes.

Diwali Recipes for Sweets: Kalakand

Kalakand (Hindi) or Qulaqand(Urdu) is a very popular sweet during Diwali in the northern and eastern parts of India. This milk based sweet simply melts in your mouth. Quand is an Arabic word, which means sweets. Here are some very easy and simple to follow Diwali recipes for Kalakand which you can easily prepare at home and surprise your loved ones with thisDiwali 2011.

Express with Cottage Cheese: What you will need

• 1 can condensed milk
• 250 grams fresh paneer (cottage cheese)
• A pinch of saffron
• 1 tablespoon cardamom powder
• 8 nos. Pistachio nuts

To prepare

• Mix all the ingredients in a microwave proof glass bowl.
• Microwave on high for fifteen minutes.
• Every three minutes stop, stir and restart.
• Pour the mix on a greased aluminum tray and let it set for few hours.
• Cut into squares to serve.

Express: What you will need

• Condensed milk -1 can
• Yogurt- 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon cardamom powder
• ½ tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) for greasing.

To prepare

• Mix condensed milk, yogurt and cardamom powder in a microwave proof glass bowl.
• Note that you don’t have to add sugar to the mix as the condensed milk is already sweetened.
• Microwave on high for 9 minutes.
• After every two minutes stop, stir and restart. Stirring is very important otherwise it will not cook evenly.
• Let it stand for 3 minutes.
• Pour the mixture in a greased aluminum tray and let it set on a cool place for a few hours.
• Cut into squares to serve.

 

Garnish

• Garnish with edible silver foil on Kalakand.
• Grate some cashew, pistachios and almonds to use as a garnish.

Variations

• Add some fresh mango pulp to the condensed milk and yogurt pulp and you will have a delicious mango Kalakand ready in minutes.
• Chocolate is a favorite among the kids. Add some chocolate sauce to the mix for chocolaty Kalakand.
• Also, add some cardamom powder for flavor.
• You can also experiment with food colourings to add your own unique look to the Kalakand.
• When the mix is ready divide it into three different portions and add different colours to each portion. Layer the portions on top of one another thus creating an interesting layered Kalakand display.
• You can also add some grated coconut to the mix for coconut Kalakand.

The origins of Kalakand can be traced back to the Braj area of Uttar Pradesh which is known for is excellent quality milk and dairy products. Kalakand tastes best when eaten fresh.

Diwali Recipe: Gulabjamun

Gulabjamuns are deep fried dumplings which are dipped in sugar syrup. These can be served both hot and cold. Some like to eat them with the syrup and some completely dry. Either way the wonderful, juicy taste of Gulabjamuns makes them a must have at every Diwali festival.

This Diwali 2011 you can also make this juicy sweet Diwali recipe at home. We have listed here three different recipes of Gulabjamuns:

1. 1.     Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup Khoya (Mawa)
• ¼ cup Chenna (soft cottage cheese made from cow’s milk)
• ¼ tablespoon soda bicarbonate
• 3 tablespoon refined flour (maida)
• ¼ tablespoon green cardamom powder
• 2 cups sugar
• Ghee (Clarified butter) for frying

Method

• Great Khoya and Chenna together in a deep bowl.
• Mix together soda bicarbonate, refined flour and green cardamom powder.
• Add a little water to make a soft dough.
• Divided the mixture into 16 balls. Make sure that the balls are even and there are no cracks visible.
• Heat Ghee in a frying pan.
• While the ghee is heating up, prepare the sugar syrup by boiling 2 cups of sugar in 2 cups of water, till the mixture thickens.
• Add the balls to ghee and fry at low heat, till golden brown in color.
• Drain and soak in the sugar syrup for about half hour before serving.

1. 2.     Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk powder (cow’s milk)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour.
• ½-teaspoon baking soda.
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Ghee (clarified butter) for frying
• 1 tablespoon green cardamom powder

Method

• Shift together milk power, flour and baking soda.
• Add a little water and knead to make soft and even dough.
• Divide the dough in 10-15 balls ( the number of balls will depend on the size you want). Make sure that there are no cracks on the surface.
• Prepare sugar syrup by boiling 2 cup sugar with one cup water. Add the cardamom powder to the syrup. Remove from heat and cool.
• Fry the balls in Ghee at a low heat so that the balls are cooked till inside. Remove when golden brown in color.
• Drain and stew the balls in sugar syrup for at least half an hour and your Gulabjamuns are ready.

To serve:

• You can serve then chilled or heat in the microwave before serving.
• Garnish with grated dry fruits and saffron strands before serving.

 

Variations

• You can stuff raisins, nuts and even candy sugar in the center of the balls to add a different taste  to the traditional Gulabjaumuns.
• Roll the stewed Gulabjamuns in grated coconut. Chill before serving.

How To Make Your Diwali Preparation Easy

Diwali 2011 is not only a festival of lights but also a festival of hopes and a time to have new starts. People from all over the world look forward to celebrating this festival and each one of them has special hopes and wishes for the time. Indian businesspersons celebrate their New Year on Diwali celebrations day. It is considered to be a good day for investing, shopping and of course acquiring wealth.

It is said that if you spend on Diwali day you attract more money to your pocket the whole yearlong. The shops and streets are decked in their best finery and lined with goods related to Diwali to welcome the customers. Preparations actually began about a month before the festival starts.

There are lots of things involved in Diwali preparations and missing out on even one of them will give a feeling of incomplete celebrations. The easiest way to make the preparations simpler is to make a list of things, which you will or you might need. If you are not very sure about the things you need there is always the elders and the internet to guide you.

The list will help you understand the things you need and you can also make it in sequence in which you will need them. For example you can buy firecrackers in advance (even two weeks) but you cannot buy or prepare sweets in advance as they can become spoiled and stale.

Your list should include the things you will need to perform the evening prayers, firecrackers, lights such as diya, lantern, lamps, electric strings etc., sweets, clothes, powder colors for rangoli, flowers for decorations and anything else you need for decoration.

Before you raid the markets, do an inventory of your house. You might have some firecrackers left from the last cricket win you celebrated or some electric string of lights, which you can use. Remember that for the puja, you cannot reuse anything that has been used previously. Everything has to be fresh for the puja.

Take the list with you when you shopping and keep marking the items that you have bought. You can also right down the recipes of sweets or dishes you want to prepare to pick up the items. This way you will stick to your budget and refrain from overspending. To shop for the right things is an important part of Diwali celebrations. When you are done with the shopping don’t forget to keep the list at a safe place to refer again next year.

Firecrackers And Diwali

Diwali is a festival of sweets, lights, firecrackers, joy and spirit. Although it’s primarily a Hindu festival, Diwali is celebrated all over the world. It is a festival, which brings everyone together in the festive spirit. Temples, markets, homes, and business places are decorated with lights and colours.

The new moon of the Hindu calendar brings the New Year with it. People dress up in new clothes, clean their homes, prepare sweets and worship the gods in order to welcome the new start.  Diwali is a five-day festival and celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Diwali and firecrackers go hand in hand. The celebrations are not complete without the sound and light of firecrackers in the sky. Whether it is the kids, youngsters or the older people, everybody enjoys the show of firecrackers. This very much adds to the appeal of the festival.

The History

The history of firecrackers dates back to the 7^th century in China. Many countries welcome the New Year with firecracker displays. Diwali is also associated with firecrackers and lights. People pay their attainment of to the gods of prosperity and wealth by illuminating their homes and brightly lighting the sky with beautiful firework displays.

There are two reasons behind the use of firecrackers on Diwali day:

Traditional: The sound and the fumes of the firecrackers scare the evil away and the light covers the darkness and brings joy to everybody.

Scientific: Diwali comes in the month of October- November, which is after the rains, and the dry weather starts in India. The fumes from the firecrackers drive the mosquitoes and other insects away, thus cleaning the environment.

Types:

Firecrackers come in many different varieties form the visual ones to the noisy ones or a combination of the two - you can select whatever your heart desires. Shops are quick to offer attractive displays of firecrackers as soon as the festival approaches. According to tradition firecrackers are burst on three days of the Diwali festival: Choti (small Diwali), Diwali and the day after i.e. on Govardhan puja.

Some of the common varieties of firecrackers include: sparkly sparkles, twinkling flower pots (they come in various sizes from small to very big), furious rockets, chakris or ground flywheels that give out lovely colors, bombs, snake tablets, stone bombs and many more.

The delightful combination of all of the above makes for a joyous Diwali whilst the festival becomes a delight for people of all ages.

Ingredients Of Diwali Celebrations

The Hindu calendar is filled with many festivals and each of these festivals has a special meaning. Some are celebrated by a particular religion, some by a region and some by a state. However there is one festival i.e. the festival of Diwali, which brings the whole world together in the Diwali celebration of joy and peace everywhere. Diwali is a festival of sweets and lights. It is celebrated by people of all ages all over the world.

Here are some important ingredients for the Diwali celebrations, which should help you prepare for Diwali 2011.

Lights: Diwali or Deepavali is essentially the festival of lights. It is believed that the light ‘shoos’ away the darkness and brings hope and joy to the world. Therefore, the festival cannot be complete without lights. Bright coloured strings of lights are used to decorate the houses, streets, offices etc. Traditional earthenware decorative diyas (a small cup-shaped oil lamp made of baked clay) are used to light up every corner of the house and drive away the darkness. Apart from these candles and lanterns, lamps are also used. The basic idea is to light up the dwelling as much as possible to attract the gods of wealth to your house.

Sweets: No festival is ever complete without sweets. It is a tradition to exchange sweets with your loved ones on this day. The exchange and distribution of sweets is to celebrate the death of darkness (evil). Nobody who comes knocking on the door can leave without eating sweets. Diwali sweets include Gulab Jamun, Cashew barfi (Indian fudge), Ghujia (sweet roll), Coconut fudge, Rasagulla (Indian cheese dipped in sweet syrup). The most popular sweet is the Ghujia.

New clothes and jewelry:  Wearing new clothes are considered to be a good omen on this day. People from all walks of life wear new clothes for the evening prayers on the day of Diwali. Buying new jewelry is also considered as an invitation to the gods of wealth.  It is customary to dress up in your best clothes to celebrate Diwali. The new (fresh) clothes mark the celebration of a new season and new beginnings.

Firecrackers: The part of Diwali that attracts the children the most is the firecrackers. Different kinds of firecrackers such as mini bombs, sparklers, coloured matches, flowerpots, rockets, ground wheels (chakra) etc.  The whole sky is lit up with the lights and sounds of firecrackers, which are enjoyed, by both the old and the young.  The lighting of firecrackers produces fumes, which burn the evil away.

The Traditional Stories Behind Diwali

India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage mainly stems from its age old glorious religious history. There are over three hundred festivals, including Diwali, celebrated in India every year. The history of Indian festivals is dedicated to thirty three hundred lakh gods and goddess that are worshiped all throughout the year. Each of the deities has his or her own significance and is revered with great devotion.

One such festival, which is celebrated all over the country, is Diwali. Diwali is associated with the defeat of evil at the hands of good. Diwali is celebrated by lighting lights in homes and business places, distributing sweets and bursting firecrackers. The lights and firecrackers keep evil away. There are many traditional stories attached to this glorious festival. Here are a few of them:

Defeat of evil Ravana by Lord Rama: Lord Rama is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama was sent into exile by his father for fourteen years. During his stay in the jungle his wife queen Sita was abducted by the evil king of Lanka, Ravana. With the help of an army of monkeys Lord Rama killed Ravana and brought Sita back to his kingdom at the end of exile. The day he came back his subjects welcomed his return by decorating the city , bursting firecrackers and lighting lamps. This day is celebrated as Diwali every year.

Return of Pandavas to their kingdom: According to the epic Mahabharata, Diwali is celebrated as a day when Pandavas came back from their exile of 13 years to get their kingdom back from their evil brother the Kauravas. People celebrated this day by lighting earthenware diyas in the entire state and welcomed their rule with great joy and celebrations.

Incarnation of Goddess of Wealth: The celebration of Diwali begins with the worship of goddess of prosperity and wealth Laxmi.  She was incarnated during the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons.

Death of Demon Narakasur: Narakasur had his kingdom in Nepal. Blinded by his wealth and power he imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of gods and saints in his harem. He also snatched the earrings of Goddess Aditi. Aditi was also a relative of Lord Krishna’s wife Satyabahama. Satyabahama with the help of Lord Krishna defeated Demon Narakasur and freed the girls from his harem.

King Vikramaditya: King Vikramaditya is the most popular king in the history of India. His rule is also referred to as the golden age of the kingdom of India. Diwali is celebrated as the day Vikramaditya was crowned as the king and began ruling the country.

Some Common Diwali Customs

Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of lights. The very name of the festival reveals its meaning. The word means a string of lights. The day falls on the day of ‘amavasya’ that is the day of the new moon. The lighting of lamps in and outside the house signifies the defeat of the evil of darkness. Light is the symbol of hope and prosperity and when we light up our houses we drive away the darkness.

Diwali usually falls in the month of October or November. This is the time when the seasons change and the New Year starts with new hope and best wishes for the wellbeing for everyone. Diwali is very important for Hindus as well as Buddhists, Sikhs and the Jains. Every religion has a different story or stories behind this beautiful festival.

The customs might be different in every religion but the festival is celebrated with the exchange of gifts, sweets and well wishes. The festival brings with it a series of festivals, each one of which is celebrated with fervor and joy.

Customs of Diwali

The first day is Dhanterus. On this day people renovate, decorate and light up their workplaces and houses. Lights are left on for the whole night to attract goddess Laxmi to their homes and workplaces. People buy gold and silver jewelry on this day. It is believed that spending money on this day attracts more wealth.

The second day of Diwali is also known as the choti Diwali. People get up early in the morning before sunrise and bathe with a scrub made with gram flour and fragrant oils. It is customary to burst firecrackers on this day as the sound keeps evil away. Fourteen diyas made from wheat flour and desi-ghee (homemade clarified butter) are lit up around the house to welcome wealth and prosperity.

The third day is the most important day of the Diwali festival. Houses, streets, localities,

workplaces, buildings and shops are all decorated with diyas, candles and electric lights. People get up early in the morning and prepare a rangoli designs at the entrance of their homes. They dress up in new clothes and women wear jewelry and prepare for the puja in the evening. Firecrackers and sweets are the favorites for kids on this day.

The fourth day of the festival is devoted to the work tools. Deities are bathed in milk and dressed in new clothes and ornaments. The last and the final day of the festival is celebrated by brothers and sisters all over the world. Sisters prepare delicacies for their brothers and brothers get sweets and gifts for theirsisters.

Diwali Diversity

The Diwali date usually falls between mid-October to mid-November. This is the time when the seasons change and bring with it new opportunities and a fresh start for everybody. Traditionaly, Diwali or Deepavali is celebrated by the lightening of lamps and bursting firecrackers to ward off evil (of any kind). People pray for a successful and peaceful year and distribute sweets among their family and friends. They pray that the sweetness spreads to the lives of their near and dear ones.

Here is a brief overview of the legends or stories behind Diwali celebration in different religions.

Sikhism: One of the stores of the beginning of Diwali celebrations among the Sikhs dates back  to the time when the foundation stone for the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid down.

Historically Diwali has been celebrated among the Sikhs for hundreds of years but the significance increased with this day marking the release of their revered Guru Hargobind form prison. He was help prisoner by the Mogul emperor in the Gwalior fort. He also facilitated the release of 52 Hindu Kings. Guru Hargobind’s first stop after release was at the Golden Temple. To comemorate his arrival  and  the celebration of his release, the temple was lit with lights and candles whilst sweets were distributed.

Hinduism: For the Hindu’s there are many stories, which are linked to the Diwali celebrations in different regions. The most popular one is the celebration of Lord Rama’s homecoming form a 14-year exile. Lord Rama was the son of the King of Ayodhaya. He was exhiled for 14-years by his stepmother. During his exile, he beheaded the 10-headed demon Ravan. Lord Rama is believed to be the human incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

With his return, Lord Rama brought wealth, prosperity, and happiness to his kingdom and people lived happily ever after. Diwali is celebrated with lights, sweets, new clothes, jewellery and prayers for peace and wealth.

Jainism: Jains celebrate Diwali as a mark of respect for Lord Mahavira. It is this day that Lord Mahavira left his body and attained the highest spiritual level that is the nirvana. Jains maintain a  three day fast and recite mantras and believe that Lord Mahavira is guiding them on the path of moksha. They also listen to Uttaradhyavan Sutra, the last preachings by Lord Mahavira.

This day is also auspicious for opening new business accounts with the blessings of Lord Mahavira.

Buddhism: Buddhists celebrate Diwali in their own quite way. Diwali is also known as Ashoka Vijaydashmi. For them this is the day

when emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism and decided to dedicate his life to spread the teachings of Lord Buddha. This festival is celebrated in monasteries and temples all over the world. Buddhists celebrate Diwali by chanting mantras and decorating their place of worship and homes with lights. The lights signify the enlightenment of Lord Ashoka.

5 Day-Long Celebrations for Diwali

Diwali represents the beginning of joy and the victory of good over evil. People from all over the world celebrate this Diwali five-day festival with great joy and happiness. The festivities start with the welcoming of the New Year for the merchant community. The preparations actually begin many days before the festival day with people planning for the celebrations with full fervor.

Here is an outline of each one of the festival days to help you prepare better for Diwali 2011.

1. 
   Dhanterus: The festivities begin with the worship of goddess Laxmi. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Dhanterus is the combination of two words Dhan + Terus. Dhan represents wealth and the word Terus represents the 13^th lunar day of the Kartik month in the Hindu calendar, which usually falls in the month of October or November. It is a tradition to buy new utensils for their home to attract wealth to the home. It is also believed in some cultures that spending money on this day attracts more money therefore spending is good.
2. 
   Choti Diwali: This day falls on the 14^th lunar day of the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar i.e. a day before Diwali. This day celebrates the death of demon Naraksura by Lord Krishna. It is a tradition to take a bath early in the morning and light up wheat flour diyas in an around the house to indicate happiness.
3. 
   Diwali: The third and the most celebrated day of the festivities falls on this day. People clean their house, decorate, dress up in new clothes and light up their houses/ business places with attractive lights, candles, bulbs and diyas. An evening puja of the goddess of wealth is performed after sunset. People pray for the goddess to come and stay at their place and grant them the wish of lifelong wealth and prosperity. It is also customary to exchange sweets with each other, which indicates sharing joy.
4. 
   Govardhan Puja: It was this day when Lord Krishna lifted a mountain named Govardhan on his little finger to protect his villagers and cattle from the wrath of the rain god. People worship their cattle and fields and pray for a good crop and that cattle produce all through the year, which in turn brings wealth to their community and households. They also worship their tools of trade such as the plough, seeds, fodder etc.  Cattle are dressed and decorated with beautiful colors, tattoos, paper etc.
5. 
   Bhai Dooj: The 5^th and the final day of Diwali celebrations marks the end of the festivities. Bhai means brother in English and Dooj is the second day of the new season. This day is dedicated to brothers and sisters. Sisters pray for the long life of their brothers and brothers promise to look after their sisters. Those who eat a meal prepared by their sisters never go to hell.

The Diwali Border

This video reminds us of the Diwali "mexican stand-off" whenever there's only one cupcake left at morning tea.

Lucky they're only armed with swords…or are they?

Have a great break from everyone at the Diwali Blog.

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Diwali Greeting Cards

The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is a majestic structure located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. The shop façade’s are fastidiously kept so as to maintain the look & feel of this building's heritage. Visitors to the QVB are normally international travelers particularly during the festival of Diwali.

Many years ago my family owned and operated one of the shops on the top level of the QVB. We where lucky enough to encounter and sometimes befriend people from all four corners of the planet.

We would note with curious interest the ebb and flow of nationalities and wonder at the circumstances influencing the rise (or fall) in visitor numbers from particular countries. Some visitor nationalities where always a constant such as the Japanese, American’s and New Zealanders’. Other’s where sporadic such as Indonesian’s, German’s, French and Brazilian’s.

We sold this business more than a decade ago however I sometimes wonder what the current trend is.

On the way to a business conference in the city recently I decided to ‘duck-in’ to the QVB for a quick look.

Times have certainly changed.

I can only imagine that the rate of exchange for the Australian dollar has had a significant impact on the number of visitors to our shores. The place was VERY quiet.

As I passed by our former shop I noticed the absence of a shop that was a favourite of mine whenever visiting the QVB.

It was a shop dedicated to Cartoon Cell’s however my interest was not in the Cell’s but the Greeting Card’s they produced once a year for Christmas.

The cards where unlike any Christmas card most people are likely to receive. They where provocative and a little bit macabre but intensely funny for those of us with a dry sense of humour.

The artist would hand draw each one hence only a limited number where available each year. I always made a point of checking their arrival every day in the months leading up to Christmas.

It gave me tremendous pleasure to send them out to friends and family as I knew most would react with indignation before ‘cracking-up’!

The phone would ring and I would be censured for a few moments and then we’d enjoy a long overdue chat.

And so it is with Diwali or at least should be. The year sometimes passes without annotations and we neglect to maintain contact with friends and family. All it takes is a greeting card to renew past connections and hopefully maintain them.

So put pen to paper (or cardboard) and surprise someone you know and want to keep knowing.

Use the Force Junior

The Diwali Network is busy debating the important things in life as they do every Friday.

Today's topic of debate is:

What is it about Darth Vader that's so enduring?

I think it's the cape.

What do you think?

Diwali greetings from us all.

Diwali Gifts – What to get your Mother in Law

Gifts and gift giving during Diwali is a tricky business in some situations. None more so than when it is for the in-laws aka out-laws.

The moment you turn your thoughts to buying them a gift that will hopefully be considered worthy is the moment that doubt floods your conscious awareness.

Remembering that, if you buy something very expensive, they may presume that you’re being flippant or possibly wasteful with your family’s money.

If you buy something cheap will they take this to mean that this equates to how you value them.

Or worse still a gift voucher. Oops.

In my humble opinion the ideal gift is More Of The Same.

If your in-law collects scented candles then add to that collection. If they appreciate botanical miniatures then migrate to the local garden centre. If they enjoy camping in the kitchen then proffer more pots and pans.

More importantly avoid overdoing the gift. If they collect modest art I would suggest resisting the urge to gift the Mona Lisa.

And, if they insist that the best gift they’ve received was their grandchildren then the two of you’d better get cracking!

This type of gift giving is also a measure of your interest in them. You would need to invest some time understanding exactly ‘who’ your in-laws are and what they appreciate. You may even discover that it becomes a two-way street.

Overall a well-selected gift during Diwali can shape the family dynamics for the remainder of the year if not forever. Not because of the gift or it’s value but because it’s a gesture of understanding and openness.

It is conceivable that a gift card with a few simple words telling your in-law how much you appreciate them and the gift of their offspring would traverse most emotional voids.

It may seem that all your efforts are sometimes unnoticed but ultimately any effort is always better than none at all.

Abandon doubt and don your investigative cap before Diwali. What exactly do they like…More Of The Same!