Apple Pear Smoothie

Today I prepared a delicious and colourful smoothie. I am sharing its recipe here.

Ingredients
Apple -1
Pear -1
Spinach 8-10 leaves
Basil Leaves - 5-6
Honey - 1 tablespoon
White pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
Lime juice - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
For garnishing - water melon seeds

Method
1. Chop apple and pear in small pieces removing its pips.
2. Add chopped spinach leaves and basil leaves to it.
3. Add honey, white pepper, lime juice and salt to it.
4. Mix them well in a mixer. Pour the liquid in a glass.
5. Garnish it with water melon seeds and serve it.

Bhojpatra tree in Uttarkashi

While trekking in Himalayas from Gangotri to Bhojwasa, I saw some bhojpatra trees.

It's scientific name is Betula utilis and it's white bark was used in ancient times to write scriptures and texts in Sanskrit. Even these days, sacred mantras are written on it's bark for doing some special prayers.

Due to deforestation, most commonly found tree in hills is now rarely found!

Pineapple Smoothie

Today I tried a new recipe 'pineapple smoothie'. I added spinach to it to give unique colour to it. The light green colour was amazing and it tasted wonderful. The recipe is as follows :-
Ingredients
Pineapple - 4 -5 round pieces
Spinach - 6-7 leaves
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tea spoon
White pepper - 1/4 tea spoon
Salt to taste

Method
1. Chop pineapple in small pieces. Add chopped spinach to it.
2. Pour milk in it and blend them with the help of blender or in mixer.
3. Add sugar, salt and white pepper to it.
4. Pour in glasses and serve.

Try this healthy drink.

Early morning chant

"Tomorrow morning after opening my eyes I will join my palms, fold them in the form of cups and looking at my palms I will chant the mantra
कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मिः करमध्ये सरस्वति ।
करमूले तु गोविन्दः प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥Karaagre Vasate Lakshmih Karmadhye Saraswati |
Karmule Tu Govindah Prabhaate Kardarshanam ||" My roommate said.
"Nice." I said.
"I means that at the top of palm dwells Goddess Lakshmi, in the middle of the palm dwells Goddess Saraswati and at the base of the palm dwells Lord Govinda (another name for Lord Krishan) Therefore in early morning one should look at one's palm and contemplate on them.
"It is one of the best mantra to be chanted early morning before starting the day."
"Tomorrow morning first thing I will do is to chant this mantra."

NEXT MORNING
"SH*T!" She uttered. The alarm didn't ring on the set time and she got late for the class.

Powerful touch

"Are you ok?" Mataji, director of Sivananda Kutir, Netala asked me after putting the ash on my forehead at the time of initiation of Sadhana Intensive course.
"No." I said. I was shivering even after wearing jacket and shawl.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Severe dehydration, constipation and now I am shivering like an malaria patient."
"Do you have fever?"
"No."
To confirm my statement she gently touched my neck with the back of her hand. I have read many incidents in which when the master touches his disciple the disciple starts crying without any reason. I was quite sure that now tears will start flowing thorough my eyes.
"After this ceremony you come and meet me, I will give you medicine for that. Tomorrow morning you will feel better."
"I am taking homeopathy medicines. I only need an extra blanket."
She nodded.
I hurried towards my seat where the rest of my batchmates were sitting and waiting for their turn. I sat crossed legs and covered myself completely with shawl. Soon my eyes became moist and tears started coming out of my eyes without any specific reason. I wiped my tears before anybody could notice them.

Special chants on Diwali

A person updated her status on Facebook as
Today is Diwali, I will be chanting Goddess Lakshmi chants what I have learnt in TTC, Uttarkashi.
Ms. 'F' replied
I am doing chanting, opening and closing prayers and satsang chants regularly. I will be doing the special chants today.
Ms. 'S' replied
Generally I am doing mental japa.

Reading all these comments I thought, "I am only writing posts regularly on my blog."

Happy Chanting! :) Happy Diwali! :)

Hanuman Chowk, Uttarkashi

"We are near petrol pump. Where are you?" A friend asked me on phone.
"I am coming towards the market after visiting Kaleshwar Temple. On which petrol pump I have to come?" I asked.
"In Uttarkashi, there is only one petrol pump."
"I do not know where it is. In main market, I only know about Hanuman Chowk."
"Fine. We are going towards Hanuman Chowk. We have to pick the cake from a bakery which is situated near it. You come there and give a call to me."
"Fine."

I started moving towards Hanuman Chowk. I walked straight on not so good road then take a left turn and saw this beautiful scenery.

I clicked some photos. I wanted to stay there for some more time but I have to rush to meet my friends who were waiting for me. In hurry, I missed a turn and moved in a wrong direction. There were not so many people passing through that road. I doubted whether I am on a right path. To confirm I asked a man coming from opposite direction. He guided me. I couldn't understand the way.
He said," I am also going on the same side. You can follow me."
I turned and began to follow him.

We went some steps ahead on the road, took a narrow downward lane which I couldn't saw and crossed this bridge above the Bhagirathi river.

At that time, many people were crossing the river which was flowing harshly. We walked in the streets; sometimes taking left turn, sometimes taking right turn and sometimes walking on straight roads and sometimes on curved roads.
"Where are you? We are waiting for you. Come fast." I received the sms from my friend.

I paced and almost ran sometimes. As I saw the image of Lord Hanuman, I started running in full speed towards it. I forgot to say thanks to that man who showed me the correct path to Hanuman Chowk. How I could be so thankless!

This post is dedicated to him. :)