Sunday, May 3, 2015

Candy stones recipe for Hanuman Jayanti

Ashta Siddhi Nava Nidhi Ke Dātā
Asa Vara Dīna Jānakī Mātā
Rāma Rasāyana Tumhare Pāsā
Sadā Raho Raghupati Ke Dāsā
„You grant the eight powers and the nine treasures by the boon You received from mother Janaki. You hold the elixir of Ram’s Name and remain eternally His servant.”

(Hanuman Chalisa Bhasya. Sri Swami Vishwananda.)



An incident happened during the life of Rama, when they were building the bridge to cross over to Lanka, which is Sri Lanka nowadays, or Ceylon. They needed to build the bridge to cross over, but they didn’t know how to do it. Every stone that they threw would sink. So Hanuman had a great idea, because Hanuman, you see, He was really a great devotee, actually, one of the greatest devotees because there are not many great devotees in this world. There’s Prahlad, there is Meerabai and some others but one of the main, main, main devotees is Hanuman. He came up with the great idea to write the Name of Rama on each stone and throw it in the sea. So when they threw the stone, the stone would float. Ram was looking from a distance and wondering, He approached Hanuman and said “Hanuman, I’ve been looking at you. You are writing my name on a stone, throwing it in the sea, and it floats, but when I throw a stone, it sinks.” Then Hanuman said “My Lord, it is like that. Look, when Your Name is inscribed on it, it is saved, but without Your name on it, of course it will sink, and in the same way, when You let go of somebody, of course, he will sink.”
(Just Love 1. Sri Swami Vishwananda.)


After the end of the celebration of Rama Navami the idea came that in the next year we can try to make cookies in the form of stones with the name of Rama.  I shared this thought with Bhagysri, to which she replied: “ Why wait so long. After a week will be Hanuman Jayanti. Then you can do.”  Upsss ... it's only a raw idea, and not really supported by the recipe, I thought. But Try your best and god will send help always. Evidently the Lord also liked the idea, because the recipe and design idea "came" very quickly. And today we can share with you this recipe.



Ingredients:
680 gram white chocolate  (chips preferably or blocks cut into small pieces)
400 gram sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
pinch of salt
3 pieces Oreo Cookie + 3 pieces for coloring
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder, optional
1 drop red food coloring, optional

   
Instruction:
1.  Prepare all the ingredients

2.  Oreo cookies grind into crumbs in a blender. Crumbs must be very small. 

3. White chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt heat in a medium saucepan over low heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir frequently until melted and smooth.  


Note: Just heat the mixture until about half of the chocolate is melted. Remove it from the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir vigorously. The chocolate should melt from the residual heat. This should keep the cocoa butter from seeping.


4. Turn off gas flame or remove from heat. Stir with cookie crumbs. Stir just to combine.

 


5. If you want your stones to have different colors, then divide the mixture into four bowls.
Leave one bowl alone. Add another Oreo cookie crumbs to one of the bowls. Add the cocoa powder to another bowl, cocoa powder added a brown tone. Add one drop of red food coloring to the last bowl, this red food coloring gives a nice delicate shade of pink.
You could make your rocks any color you'd like. 


6. Press a piece of plastic wrap down onto the paste in each bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until it is thick and no longer sticky.


7. Pinch off pieces of the paste and shape into rocks. Roll your candy into various shapes and sizes.


8.  Press the stamp into the candy stones with Lord Rama name.



 9. Now you can decorate and create decorations with the finished candies as you wish.

This will keep at room temperature for several days. Keep stored in an airtight container if you'd like to keep it longer.
Enjoy!
Jai Gurudev!

Monday, March 9, 2015

We are looking for Crystal Chandeliers


As you might have seen at Navaratri in the tent and now also in our Light Hall and Darshan Hall - we found some old crystal chandeliers and installed them there. 


We think that they give a really nice light and flair for all the celebrations which are happening in this areas.

As some of you already asked me if you can bring an old one from their auntie or grandma? -  Yes, please bring! We are very happy to install them because they give a really nice sparkling light!


Please just send me an email (drishti at bhaktimarga dot org) - best with a picture - and bring it, if possible, next time. 

Thank you!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Shiva's Trishul



For a while we had the idea that it would be nice to put an XXL-sized Trishul on the wall of Guruji's home. 

Kalpit and Shankara (from the U.S.) where responsible for the construction and they have done their job really well!




Sina has painted the drum and covered the whole construction with golden folio (metal rescue blankets).



To do all this doesn't feel like work at all  - it is huge pleasure as we were really looking forward to seeing a little smile on Guruji's face and wanted to make Him happy! 



Finally, yesterday the moment came: Kalpit brought the big Trishul out of the pool area and imagine - at the right time! ;) "Out of nothing", Guruji popped up and was giving some instructions: "A bit more to the right..., higher...!"  - and, yes, He was happy!!!


Now Shiva's Trishul is on the facade and leaves a really big impression! 



Hara Hara Mahadev!!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Musical Workshops during Christmas and New Years Celebrations



Today we had a program with the kids here in Shree Peetha Nilaya. Mira was taking the lead and she was preparing them to sing on Christmas day.

Even though they were of different nationalities - Russians, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Polish - and despite the fact that they were singing an English song, which none of them understood, still there was no problem in guiding them to sing in tune and in joy. The children easily understand the language of the heart irrespective of the language they speak.

Next Monday there will be another Manjira Workshop here in Shree Peetha Nilaya with Nikhilananda.


This workshop is very popular as within three hours the participants learn the basic beats and you can apply it immediately during our temple prayers and simple bhajans. People show very quick progress with this workshop. This photo was taken in one of the recent workshops.

The workshop will take place on Monday, December 29th from 10-13:00. Please register directly with Nikhilananda.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

The reconstruction of the balconies...

... on the south side of the building is finished. 



Before the company removed the scaffolding, Jaitraya quickly painted the orange color on the front sides.


During summer we will paint also the sidewalls of the balconies.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

The Star of Bethlehem



In the week before Babaji's birthday the idea came up to make a big star and hang it on one of our walls on the facade of the building.

So I spoke with Pramod about the idea and asked him if he can help with the construction of the star. 


He liked the idea and offered to go and buy some construction steal - and to weld it together. I should just have painted  the star, and that could have been done on the floor of the garage.

In only three hours the form of the star was made out of steel. 


I painted it in the color of the wall (first we wanted to hang it in front of the orange wall) and together with Vidya, a seva helper from Switzerland, we fixed the LED lights around the steel construction.


The day before the 1st Advent Pramod and some helpers from Czech went on the roof to hang it. 

So, sorry that I forgot to take some pictures from this moment - it was cold, rainy, windy and these three men on the roof waiting for the advise: 'higher', 'a bit more right', 'noo, more up'... 
By the way - does the moment of three men hanging the star remind you of three wise men following the star of Betlehem and coming to baby Jesus? :)

In the end the star looked beautiful and Swamiji likes it a lot!


Now we have a nice Star of Bethlehem which shows you all the way to the place where we will celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus at Christmas.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Pot-plants for Swamiji and the SPN Centre

Here is a request from Mataji Prajna, who is responsiple for all our pot-plants inside and outside the ashram:



Jai Gurudev dear friends and spiritual family,

Until now many of you have brought beautiful pot-plants for Swamiji and Shree Peetha Nilaya, beautiful orchids and other flowering plants. They have certainly  enriched the temple and the center.



The idea to bring pot-plants instead of cut flowers is also very thoughtful because they are longer lasting than cut flowers and bloom several times. For that we would like to thank all of you whole-heartedly.



However, from now on we kindly ask you not to bring anymore pot-plants as we have reached our maximum capacity. We have 40 orchids and there are also more than enough large plants. It takes a lot of time to look after them and this time pulls us away from our daily seva for Swamiji´s mission.


For that reason we make this request: Please, for the time being, do not bring any orchids or other plants. We will not accept them anymore. On the other hand, cut flowers  are always welcome.

Thank you very much for your understanding and  cooperation.

Prajna 
in the name of Shree Peetha Nilaya

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Reconstruction of our balconies


As you know, we bought this property in 2008. It's an older building built in 1968*. The price was very competitive and it was clear that it gradually needs to be restored. 
The roofs we have now are solid and insulated. The next necessary step was to reconstruct the balconies. The concrete on them has already been cracked in many places. 



Rainwater was penetrating through the cracks which made the steel rust. In the winter the water freezes and the cracking of concrete continues. 

It was high time to do something with it. 



The scaffold was erected on the south side of the ashram in September. Right now the damaged concrete is being removed and the steel reinforcement is exposed. 

Subsequently, new concrete will be applied after the appropriate treatment of the steel. 


Here you can clearly recognise: before (top) and after (below). 

We believe that the work on the south side of the building  will be finished this week. Then it can be nicely painted and will look like new again!

*Sorry, I wrote 1868! Of course this was a mistake, it was built 1968 and was first time renovated 1986 - and than we took it over.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Our new "Veggie-Cellar"


The construction works here at Bhakti Marga are actually always an ongoing process: Now we are building a "veggie-cellar" outside of the Building A (temple/church- building):


As you can see, the construction company digged already a huge new hole on the back side of Building A

There will be soon 3 veggie-cellars for the fruits of the garden (potatoes, apples and, and  - its a lot what Giri produces !). 

One of our goals in SPN is to be self sufficient, and therefore it is important that all vegetables from our garden can be stored for the winter months when there is not much harvest.


Last week all the earth was brought away, stored at our parking area outside - this will go back where it was after the construction is finished, because the cellar has to be covered with earth and plants so that there will be a natural climate in the rooms (not too cold and not too warm). 


Only the entrance will be seen and the green hill covered with grass, plants and bushes will be back.

You can see the groundplan of the 3 cellars, we did apply for building permission already some time ago...


Now we finally build it :-)

Monday, October 6, 2014

After Navaratri

Now, after these wonderful celebration days of Navaratri - we have to remove all the decorations and the tent must be deconstructed before wintertime, as it cannot hold the snow which will eventually come.


Already 3 weeks before Navaratri, when we started with the preparations, we could feel the presence of the Divine Mother more and more! She was with us and helped in the kitchen, during shopping and with the planning of everything - also with the decoration - She had Her clear picture of how She wanted it ;-)




And latest at the end it was clear: He, our beloved Guru, arranged everything! We just have to be good tools in his hands! 

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Next-Level Prasad

During Navaratri, the kitchen team at Shree Peetha Nilaya has been working hard to make some top-tier prasad.






We wanted to share a few of our recipes over the upcoming days of the festival for the Divine Mother.

Here is one of the favorites from last night.



LAMINGTONS




BISCUIT:
325 gr flour
240 gr sugar
180 gr oil
410 gr water
1 ½ baking powder
Vanilla aroma
Pinch of cinnamon powder

Mix separately in one bowl dry ingredients; flour, backing powder, cinnamon powder and sugar and in another bowl put together water, oil and vanilla aroma.
Then put all together and mix gently with the whisk.
When it is well mixed put the mixture into a backing pan and bake it on the 180 degree for 15-20 minutes.


DIP:
200 gr butter
100 gr carob powder
6 spoons of sugar
3 dcl milk
Vanilla aroma

Melt everything in a pot.
For this measure it is required 30 dkg of coconut
Biscuit cut in cubes, dip them into the carob sauce and then roll them into the dried coconut.


Bon apetit! ☺