Happy Dev Diwali

Happy Dev Diwali from Jikoni

With the Diwali festivities still ongoing in Charleston (well the Diwali dinners at least) the dinner party coincided with Dev Deepavali or Dev Diwali – Diwali of the Gods. In Hinduism Dev Diwali is celebrated in the belief that the Gods descend on the Earth on this grand instance. There is another myth of celebrating Dev Deepavali that at this day demon Tripurasur has been killed by the Gods, so it is named as Dev Diwali and celebrated as a
victory day of the Gods at the Kartik Purnima.

Our celebrations continue exactly as per Diwali, our homes still lit up with diyas and the jikoni busy as ever.

Happy Dev Diwali every one from the jikoni.

JALARAM JAYANTI

Last week we celebrated Jalaram Jayanti in Charleston Carolina.  This is
something I started a few years back as I have great faith in Bapa.  There are hundreds of times when I have experienced Bapa’s presence, watching, guiding, healing and protecting.  I am tremendously grateful for this presence in my life and that of my family.

To celebrate this event, we try to create a Virpur type of atmosphere.  The set up and decor reflects a story related to Bapa or Virpur.  The food is always Khichdi, Shak Rotla because that is what you get served in Virpur.  The event has now become very popular in Charleston and we have a large congregation of devotees that attend.  Sometimes, I sponsor the event and cook the entire meal for everyone, sometimes a small group of volunteers get together and divide the menu so that each person within the group is focusing on making just one dish (in large quantities). This year the menu was divided up between a group of women who each made one item.  It was my turn to make the rotla.

It is amazing how one finds the energy when performing seva for this event.  Things always seem to fall into place, and deadlines met.  I find that contributing to this event makes me deeply happy.  It allows me to show my gratitude for all the times Jala bapa has granted my wishes and looked after us.  A prime example was two years ago when I on a very quite bank holiday, I was in our store.  At around 4pm, I just had the intiution, like someone telling me that I should shut the store door and do it quick.  Now there was nothing going on in the area, nothing amiss but I listened to that voice, just thought about Jalaram bapa and went to shut the doot.  Beleive it or not, no sooner had I turned the key, two large males appeared from nowhere, now on the outside and tried to push the door. They kept trying for quite a while even though i was miming to them that the store was shut.  These guys were not regular customers, they did not even look local and it was a scary moment for me.  I was truly shaken but I beleive and now affirm that it was Bapa telling me to quickly shut the door, it was him watching over me….getting goosebumps?…..I could relay hundreds of similar incidents to you.

My niece Minu who lives inthe UK has for the last two years been making cakes for the Lohana Jalaram Jayanti events in South London.  The cake she made last year (and featured in my previous blog – Jalaram Jayanti 2012) has become quite a hit and the pictures are doing rounds around the globe.  This year she made yet another cake, depicting irbai Maa serving a meal to the Sadhu’s.  She called me around 11pm (UK time) on the eve of Jalaram Jayanti, telling me she had baked a cake but had NO idea what decoration to do.  She had been inundated with cake orders that week and had not sat down and given much thought to Bapa’s birthday cake.  She said she had wanted to make something  related to Virpur but was in a bit of a last minute panic.  I spoke to her for a bit, knowing she was nervous and told her that she will make a beautiful cake.  It doesn’t matter if she left it late; but the fact that she really wanted to make something beautiful for Bapa was enough motivation and that Bapa will guide her.  Sure enough, I get a call at 8am (Charleston time) that the cake was ready and can I get online to take a look?

Dates & FIG ROLLS

DATES &  FIGS ROLL

Now that the hustle bustle of Diwali has calmed down a bit I  can take time to write a bit about the activities and all the goodies I prepared over the festive period.  In Charleston celebrating Diwali is nothing like the celebrations in India or Tanzania. Here we make a seriously conscious effort to get together and celebrate. In Tanzania, we used to just be carried away  with the celebrations as our neighbour and friend would be also rushing around trying to get gifts and sweetmeats in preparations for the arrival of visitors. Here, our neighbours homes are not lit up with Diyas nor are their front porches adorned with colourful Rangolis. Our neighbours probably don’t even realise it is Diwali whereas if we were in Tanzania, they would be joining us, probably making equally yummy food to present us with in exchange for the traditional Diawli Thali (platter) that we would bring round to their place.

Here in Charleston at our home, we try and still carry on with some of the traditions.  Our home is lit up with diya’s, front porch adorned with the  Rangolis that I or my brother Krishna would have made. In the Jikoni, I would be busy preparing the traditional mung lapsi for Dhan Terash and making mithai to take to the temple and send to family and friends. Then there is the traditional Diwali dinner at the Vithlani’s and this year the menu was ratehr extensive what with garma garam samosa, dhokla, dal rice, chana shak, tindora shak, potato shak, two different types of Ladu, salads, pickles, popadoms and of course Paan.

Every year, I look to make some new mithai, something that is quick and easy to make given that I only have a couple of hours after I come home from our store.

This year for the Ankot Puja, I made this sweet using dried figs and dates. Very easy to make and  I am truly pleased to say everyone liked these.  I have shared with you the recipe and I hope you will give it a shot 🙂  The stuffing is surprisingly tropical and reminds me of Dar-es-Salaam.

—

Minelle Hemraj

15 pieces dates

12 pieces figs   ( soft)

1 tea spoon ghee

Crush dates and figs together make smooth paste and soute in a tea spoon of ghee.,till it becomes nice and smooth. Let it cool little take small amount in your palm make small disk add the filling and  make small ball or any shape you desired.Garnish with your choice of decoration.

bind the above ingredients with milk.Keep on the side

STUFFING:

5 table spoon coconut grated

3 table spoon icing sugar

3 table spoon butter ( room temperature)

3 table spoon mix nuts small chunks

Mix all above ingredients .

Take little date mix in your palm make a small disk add the stuffing mixture and roll in a small ball.

DIWALI DINNER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

DIWALI DINNER