Simple kite rangoli designs for Sankranti | Side designs for Diwali rangoli  These are simple border designs drawn on either side of a kolam rangoli.  We can draw them independently also as separate rangolis.  Since they represent simple kite patterns we can draw them for that theme also. The pictures show the step by step images.  The only tricks in drawing this rangoli is the straight parallel lines and connecting curved lines should be perfect.  Drawing curved lines should be done in a single  stroke so that  we get a smooth finish.  If we use many small line segments the thickness will vary and the joints are also visible.  The long curved line being drawn in a single stroke. The next curved line, long one being drawn in a single stroke. We may have to adjust the length of the lines to ensure that the straight  lines to be connected are of equal length.  Otherwise we will not get the correct shape of the design. The outer curved lines , smaller in l

Diwali recipes and snacks - aval mixture or poha mixture |  Chivda  Actually a simple recipe for Deepavali savoury or as a simple evening snack when we have guests.  It is liked by kids and  adults alike.  It has one more  strange use in our family.  It is a side dish for sambar rice or rasam rice.   Also called chivda or chivda namkeen recipe in Hindi and Marathi.  This I learnt from one of my sisters and she lives in Mumbai.  . Ingredients Poha, peanuts, fried gram dhal, desiccated coconut in pieces, curry leaves, oil. mustard, green chilles, asafoetida, turmeric powder  Let us take  thin flattened rice or poha also called Aval in Tamil  in a big cup as shown For this big cup we need one cup each of peanuts, fried gram dhal and dry coconut pieces., some cashews and curry leaves. For species we should add mustard, turmeric powder and hing. Place a vessel on a stove and dry roast the poha till it becomes crisp Add three spoons of oil and fry peanuts. The knob of

Quick and easy sweet appam This appam is prepared for Krishna Janmashtami as an offering or neivedyam to Lord Krishna in our family circles.. Usually prepared with jaggery,  I have done with sugar to make it easy to justify the title ! We need, one cup boiled milk, one cup sugar , one cup maida and cardamom seeds or elakkai powder . Mix all the three , sugar, maida in milk.  Wait for around 10 minutes so that the sugar is completely dissolved in  milk. Add cardamom powder ,  the image below shows what is correct viscosity of the batter to get perfect appams. Heat the stove > When oil is hot turn the knob on the stove to sim position the batter is poured in hot oil using a ladle or spoon.   When  the appam becomes brown turn to the other side .  This ensures that it gets cooked evenly and completely. One important point to be noted is that we should  fry the appam one by one otherwise they will stick together in the oil This  can also be a easy evening snack when gues

Decoration idea for festivals like  Ugadi , Varamahalakshmi Habba  Drawing double line kolam where the lines are distinctly visible comes with practice.  Drawing two lines of different colours simultaneously without the colours overlapping and smudging needs lots of concentration and confidence and these come with practice.  So I have placed this kolam in the category of a difficult kolam .  These challenging kolam can be drawn  before the golu for Navrathri . The first two pictures show how the colours are picked - for this awesome rangoli technique How to hold the colour in the index and middle finger - important rangoli tip for this cute rangoli Draw the triangle.  Draw with confidence then we will get it perfectly - unique without chukki rangoli blooms  Star is drawn with two inverted triangles. We can try for Dasara special rangoli designs Draw the side lines for this beautiful rangoli that can be drawn on Fridays, festivals                Can be used as a Pooja room

The dot pattern is 16 dots 2 rows then 14 to 2 on either side. The design is created with only straight lines connecting the dots The outermost dots are connected with step like formation The next layer of dots are connected The centre simple pattern is as shown Connect the central pattern to the outer step like design with squares That leaves 4 dots in 4 places.  This we can connect with any pattern according to our imagination.  I have converted them into spirals with dots decorating the periphery. The next image shows how shading technique is done. To save time I have only shaded portions of the rangoli More colours to enhance the beauty This very simple rangoli reminds us of a game we used to play during summer holidays . One person draws a line connecting two dots ,  the other person does the same anywhere on the dot grid.  It continues till all the lines are converted into boxes .  Whoever completed one box wrote his name or