Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Flowery feast
Madeira Flower Festival (Festa da Flor) in Portugal — one of Europe’s most beautiful flower celebrations.
The festival takes place on the Portuguese island of Madeira, mainly in the city of Funchal.
It is a grand celebration of spring, flowers, beauty, peace, and renewal. The island is often called the “Floating Garden of the Atlantic.” During the festival:
Flower Parades – Elaborately decorated floats covered with thousands of flowers move through the streets, with dancers and musicians.
Floral Carpets & Installations – Streets and squares are transformed into colorful floral artworks.
Wall of Hope (Muro da Esperança) – Children place flowers on a symbolic wall dedicated to peace and hope.
Music, dance, folk traditions, markets, and exhibitions fill the city.
The festival grew in the 20th century and became one of Portugal’s best-known cultural events, attracting visitors from around the world.
White yet unique
X user calls rasgulla ‘idli in sugar syrup’; Shashi Tharoor’s reply wins internet: ‘If this lady…’
Shashi Tharoor’s response to a viral rasgulla-versus-idli debate has sparked conversations about Indian food identity and the emotional connection people have with iconic dishes.
Shashi Tharoor defended idli in a viral food debate (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal and Canva)What began as a playful social media debate over rasgulla and idli quickly turned into a larger conversation about food identity, regional pride and the cultural significance attached to everyday Indian dishes. The discussion started after a user named Sayantika posted about Bengali sweets like Misti Doi and Nolen Gurer Rosogolla, wondering how to explain their taste to someone unfamiliar with Bengali cuisine. In response, another X user, @crazyxedi, dismissed rasgulla as “nothing but an idli dipped in sugar syrup” and called it “the most overrated dessert.”
The remark soon caught the internet’s attention, especially after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stepped into the debate with a characteristically elaborate defence of the idli. Responding to the comparison, Tharoor wrote, “Indeed! To conflate a Rasgulla with an Idli is not just a culinary error; it is a profound cosmological misunderstanding.” He went on to explain why the two foods are fundamentally different, adding, “She is comparing chhena (the delicate, squeaky, pristine curd of milk) with a meticulously fermented batter of parboiled rice and black gram (urad dal). Their compositions are from entirely different kingdoms.”
Tharoor further described rasgulla and idli not just as foods, but as products of entirely different culinary philosophies. “One is an airy, spongy lattice designed to trap light sugar syrup; the other is a dense, wholesome, steamed matrix of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Their taste, consistency, structural integrity, and existential purpose share absolutely nothing in common,” he wrote. He also passionately defended the idli’s cultural and nutritional importance, saying, “The Idli is not a mere ‘bland cake.’ It is a masterclass in biotechnology.”
Highlighting the science and craftsmanship behind fermentation, Tharoor added, “To achieve the perfect Idli is to balance the delicate microflora of wild fermentation over a cold night, resulting in a steamed cloud that is a triumph of gut health, lightness, and nutritional balance.” Calling it “a savoury monolith of South Indian culinary genius,” he argued that idli was “perfectly engineered to absorb the sharp tang of a well-spiced sambar or the fiery depth of a molaga-podi (gunpowder) paste infused with cold-pressed sesame oil or nutritious melted ghee.
He concluded with a humorous but firm defence of the dish’s identity: “To suggest an Idli would even consent to being drowned in sugar syrup is to fundamentally misunderstand its dignity.” Tharoor also remarked, “If this lady finds Rasgullas overrated, argue that on the merits of their sponginess or sweetness. But please, leave the noble, perfectly fermented, steamed majesty of the Idli out of your dessert-table polemics, ma’am!”
The exchange triggered amused and enthusiastic reactions online. One user commented: “Wah Tharoor saab waah maja aa gaye I am gonna eat some idli sambhar now let me order.” Another wrote: “As my eyes perused through this, my brain and belly conspired to ignite within my soul an urgent urge to devour a plateful of Idlis for dinner.” A third user joked: “Well said. Got me thinking though, what if we do dip Idli in sugar syrup. Yum yum.”
On comparing rasgulla to idli
Food author and chef Sadaf Hussain tells indianexpress.com, “The comparison is technically inaccurate because rasgulla and idli are fundamentally different dishes despite sharing a somewhat spongy texture.” He continued, “I don’t think rasgulla is comfort food in that sense. It’s a celebration… whereas idlis are a basic necessity of every morning.”
Concurring, celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee explains, “Rasgulla is made from chenna (curdled milk solids) kneaded into soft balls and simmered in light sugar syrup, giving it a spongy, airy texture that absorbs liquid, whereas idli is a steamed savory cake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, resulting in a grainy, porous structure; the cooking methods differ—rasgulla involves boiling in syrup while idli relies on steaming — and the ingredients, preparation, and mouthfeel are fundamentally distinct, making the analogy misleading.”
Chef Hussain also commented on the broader debate, saying comparisons like these can become unnecessary. He used the example of pancakes and luchi, saying that even dishes made from similar ingredients can be fundamentally different in identity and experience.
The emotional and regional significance
To understand why a comparison between idli and rasgulla sparks such a reaction, we have to look at food as a form of ‘cultural shorthand.’ Alok Singh, founder of Diga Organics and food science expert, Teria Ambedkar Uttar Pradesh, mentions, “When someone calls a rasgulla an ‘idli dipped in sugar syrup,’ they aren’t just making a culinary observation; they are unintentionally stripping away the distinct technical and cultural labour associated with those regions.”
In India, regional pride is often tied to the ‘Terroir’ and the specific techniques perfected over centuries. “The idli is the soul of the South—a symbol of patience, where the batter must sit through the night to capture wild yeasts. The rasgulla, particularly for Odias and Bengalis, represents a historical breakthrough in confectionery. In the 19th century, the Bengali technique of ‘chhena’ (curdling milk) was a revolutionary departure from the traditional Vedic aversion to ‘spoiled’ or split milk.”
When these dishes are trivialised, Singh notes that it feels like an attack on the collective memory of a community. “Food is often the first thing people take with them when they migrate and the last thing they give up as they assimilate.”
What actually makes a well-made idli so difficult to perfect despite its simple appearance?
Chef Hussain said the biggest factor is fermentation. “Everything depends on the fermentation itself.”
He explained that if fermentation goes wrong, the idlis can become dense rather than soft and airy. This is also why homemade idlis may not always turn out like restaurant versions.
“Factors like the rice-to-lentil ratio, fermentation quality, grinding texture, batter aeration and steaming time all have to align perfectly,” says Chef Banerjee, adding that even small variations in climate or fermentation can change the final texture dramatically.
Fermentation: The ancient masterclass in biotechnology
According to Singh, Shashi Tharoor’s description of the idli as a “masterclass in biotechnology” is scientifically spot-on. Long before we had microscopes to see Lactobacillus or yeasts, Indian ancestors mastered the art of “controlled spoilage.”
In the context of Indian food history, he states that fermentation was the original preservation and nutrition-enhancement tool. In a tropical climate, fresh milk or cooked grains would spoil quickly. However, by inviting the right bacteria to the party, our ancestors could not only preserve food but also make it more digestible.
“The science behind the idli is incredible: the soaking of urad dal and rice encourages the growth of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. These microbes break down complex starches and neutralise ‘anti-nutrients’ like phytic acid, which otherwise prevent the body from absorbing minerals. This process also creates B-vitamins—essential nutrients that might be lacking in a simple grain-based diet,” he notes.
Historically, he says that this wasn’t seen as “lab work” but as “rhythm.” The placement of the stone grinder, the temperature of the kitchen, and even the touch of the hand (which introduces local microflora) were all part of an ancient biotechnological ritual. “Fermentation allowed for the creation of soft, leavened textures without the need for commercial yeast or chemical baking powder,”
Design to copy. Probably already done.
Nature’s Drones: The Holong Tree and the Flying Science of Seed Dispersal
When we hear the word drone, we think of modern technology — machines that hover, glide, spin, and navigate through the air with astonishing precision.
Yet nature has been doing something remarkably similar for millions of years.
In the forests of Assam, the majestic Holong (Hollong) tree releases seeds that drift down from great heights, spinning and gliding through the air like tiny aerial devices. Watching them descend feels almost like watching a shower of miniature drones engineered by the forest itself.
The Holong Tree — Assam’s Sky Architect
The Holong tree (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus), the State Tree of Assam, is among the giants of Northeast India’s rainforests.
Its seeds are beautifully designed. Attached to them are elongated wing-like structures. When released from towering branches, these wings catch the air and cause the seed to spin, slow its fall, and travel outward.
The purpose is simple but brilliant:
the farther a seed travels, the better its chance of finding sunlight, water, and soil away from the competition of its parent tree.
Nature solved the problem of aerial transport long before human engineers dreamed of propellers.
But Holong is not alone.
Nature’s Many Flying Designs
Different plants evolved different “flight technologies.”
1. The Helicopter Design — Maple Seeds
The familiar maple seed — called a samara — falls in a spinning motion much like a tiny helicopter rotor.
Its rotating descent slows gravity’s pull and allows wind currents to carry it farther. Engineers studying autorotation and aerial descent have long found inspiration in such natural designs.
2. The Parachute Design — Dandelion Seeds
The humble dandelion chose another strategy.
Each seed is equipped with a delicate tuft of silky hairs that acts like a parachute. Even a light breeze can lift it into the sky and transport it surprisingly long distances.
Scientists studying airflow discovered that the dandelion’s parachute creates a stable vortex of air, improving its flight efficiency — sophisticated aerodynamics hidden inside a garden weed.
3. The Hitchhiker Design — Burdock Burrs
Some plants avoid flying altogether.
Burdock burrs carry tiny hooks that cling to animal fur or clothing. A passing creature unknowingly becomes a seed courier.
This natural mechanism famously inspired the invention of Velcro when Swiss engineer George de Mestral examined burrs stuck to his clothes under a microscope.
4. The Floating Design — Coconut
The coconut solved a different problem: ocean travel.
Protected by a fibrous waterproof husk, coconuts can float across seas and establish new trees on distant shores. Nature here designed not a drone, but a self-contained marine vessel.
Nature: The Original Engineer
Modern drones use rotors, wings, parachutes, and transport systems.
Nature employs the same principles — rotation, lift, drag, buoyancy, and attachment — through seeds, fruits, and flowers.
The Holong tree’s graceful spinning seeds remind us of a profound truth:
many of humanity’s inventions are not entirely new ideas. Often, they are rediscoveries of principles already perfected in forests, oceans, and meadows.
The next time a seed twirls down from a tree, one might see not merely a falling fragment of nature, but a tiny masterclass in engineering.
Monday, May 18, 2026
When the Rains Fall, the Soul Turns Homeward
Chaturmasa: When the Rains Fall, the Soul Turns Homeward
There are seasons in nature, and there are seasons in the spiritual life.
Summer dazzles with movement. Spring bursts forth with colour. But the monsoon… the monsoon asks something different of us. It asks us to slow down. To listen. To remain still long enough to hear the hidden music of existence.
In the sacred traditions of India, the rainy season became more than a climatic event. It became a spiritual invitation.
This invitation is known as Chaturmasa — the four holy months traditionally dedicated to restraint, reflection, devotion and inner renewal.
What is Chaturmasa?
The word Chaturmasa comes from two Sanskrit words:
Chatur — four
Masa — months
It refers to the four sacred lunar months generally extending from Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi (Devashayani Ekadashi) to Kartika Shukla Ekadashi (Prabodhini or Devutthana Ekadashi).
Tradition poetically describes this period as the time when Lord Vishnu enters Yoga Nidra, a divine cosmic repose upon Adi Shesha in the Kshira Sagara, the Ocean of Milk.
Yet this “sleep” is not ordinary sleep.
The Lord does not cease to govern the universe. Rather, His Yoga Nidra symbolizes inward withdrawal, silent preservation, hidden sustenance. During these months, the cosmos appears to soften its outward momentum and invite humanity toward deeper introspection.
Curiously, while Vishnu “rests,” devotees are encouraged to become more awake than ever.
When Did Chaturmasa Begin?
Like many ancient Indian observances, Chaturmasa did not suddenly appear in history through a single founder or decree.
Its roots stretch deep into the rhythms of ancient Indian life.
For countless centuries, rishis, monks, wandering teachers and ascetics travelled from place to place carrying knowledge, philosophy, devotion and ethical instruction.
But India’s monsoon changed everything.
Heavy rains flooded paths, rivers swelled, roads became treacherous, and unseen living creatures multiplied across fields and pathways. Continuous travel became difficult and, in many cases, harmful.
Thus arose the ancient practice of remaining in one place during the rainy season.
What began as practical wisdom gradually matured into sacred discipline.
The stationary months became ideal for:
scriptural teaching
philosophical discussions
meditation and austerity
devotional singing and satsang
ethical reflection and vows
community learning and charity
Over time, this seasonal discipline became sanctified through Dharma traditions, Puranic narratives, temple customs and monastic observances.
Chaturmasa therefore represents something deeply Indian: the union of ecology, practicality and spirituality.
Nature shaped discipline; discipline became tradition; tradition became sacred symbolism.
A Sacred Rhythm Across India’s Spiritual Traditions
One of the most fascinating aspects of Chaturmasa is that the rainy season retreat appears in multiple Indian traditions.
Hindu Chaturmasa
Within Hindu traditions — especially Vaishnava, but also widely respected among Shaiva and Smarta communities — Chaturmasa became a period of vrata (sacred observance).
Devotees undertake additional disciplines:
extra japa and prayer
study of scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam and Vishnu Sahasranama
dietary restraint
acts of charity and service
pilgrimage and temple worship
simplified living
Many choose to temporarily renounce a favourite food or comfort — not because the item is sinful, but because voluntary restraint strengthens awareness.
The goal is not punishment.
The goal is mastery.
Jain Chaturmas
In the Jain tradition, Chaturmas holds immense importance.
Jain monks and nuns traditionally suspend long-distance travel during the rainy season to avoid unintentionally harming tiny forms of life that flourish during monsoon months.
This beautifully reflects the Jain emphasis on ahimsa — nonviolence in thought, word and action.
These months become a period of:
spiritual discourses
repentance and ethical purification
fasting and vows
scriptural contemplation
intensified community participation
The sacred festival of Paryushana, one of the most revered periods in Jain life, falls within this broader spiritual atmosphere.
The rains, in Jain understanding, become a season of heightened conscience.
The Buddhist Rain Retreat – Vassa
The Buddhist tradition developed a comparable observance known as Vassa, the rainy-season retreat.
During the time of the Buddha, monks who wandered continuously began remaining in one location during the monsoon.
The retreat encouraged:
meditation
disciplined communal living
teaching and learning
spiritual refinement
Lay followers often deepened generosity and support during this period.
Thus, across Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions, the rainy season repeatedly emerged as a sacred time for stillness, learning and compassionate awareness.
This shared civilizational rhythm is remarkable.
When the clouds gathered over India, movement slowed — and wisdom deepened.
Why Does Lord Vishnu “Sleep”?
The image of Lord Vishnu reclining upon Adi Shesha during Chaturmasa is one of the most profound symbols in Hindu spirituality.
What does it mean?
Perhaps the tradition is quietly telling us something essential.
Human life is often lived outwardly — chasing, building, acquiring, reacting, speaking, proving.
But not all growth occurs in visible activity.
Seeds germinate underground.
Rivers gather strength unseen.
A child grows silently in the womb.
Likewise, spiritual maturity often develops in seasons of inwardness.
Vishnu’s Yoga Nidra reminds us that divine work continues even in stillness.
Silence is not emptiness.
Rest is not stagnation.
Stillness can be a form of sacred power.
The Special Benefits of Chaturmasa
Traditional literature praises Chaturmasa as a spiritually potent period. The benefits described are not magical shortcuts but the natural fruits of sustained discipline.
1. Strengthening of Self-Discipline
Choosing restraint voluntarily sharpens inner strength.
To consciously reduce indulgence, regulate speech, simplify food, or commit to daily prayer trains the mind toward steadiness.
Small disciplines can create large transformations.
2. Deepened Devotion
Repeated daily practice changes the texture of consciousness.
Extra chanting, lamp-lighting, scripture reading or nama-japa gradually make devotion less occasional and more natural.
The heart acquires devotional momentum.
3. Greater Mental Clarity
Modern life fragments attention.
Chaturmasa invites simplification.
Reduced excess often brings:
improved focus
calmer thinking
greater gratitude
emotional steadiness
When noise decreases, subtle truths become easier to hear.
4. Compassion and Ethical Sensitivity
The rainy-season traditions remind humanity of interdependence.
Tiny creatures, hidden life, ecological awareness, careful conduct — all become part of spiritual life.
Religion here is not separation from nature.
It is refined participation within it.
5. Opportunity for Personal Renewal
Many devotees adopt one deliberate resolution during Chaturmasa:
daily japa
regular scripture study
gentler speech
reduced anger
increased charity
simplified diet
more mindful living
Four months can reshape habits.
A season sincerely observed can redirect a life.
Month by Month: The Inner Journey of Chaturmasa
Each month carries its own devotional mood.
Shravana often overflows with bhakti, sacred stories, fasting and temple worship.
Bhadrapada deepens introspection and includes beloved festivals and spiritual observances.
Ashvina brings purification, worship and reflection.
Kartika, radiant with lamps and devotion, culminates in some of the most cherished observances in the Hindu calendar.
The journey feels almost musical — beginning with rain clouds and concluding in the luminous devotion of Kartika.
Observing Chaturmasa Today
Modern life may not permit traditional monastic discipline.
Yet the essence of Chaturmasa remains profoundly relevant.
One need not retreat to a forest hermitage.
One may simply choose intentional living.
A meaningful contemporary observance could include:
ten minutes of daily meditation
regular chanting or prayer
reading a sacred text
one dietary discipline
digital restraint
conscious kindness
weekly charity or service
The form may change.
The spirit need not.
When the Rains Fall, the Soul Turns Homeward
Perhaps that is the enduring beauty of Chaturmasa.
The rains darken the sky, but nourish the earth.
Likewise, inward seasons may appear quieter, slower, less dramatic — yet they often nourish the deepest roots of the soul.
Ancient India understood something subtle: not every sacred journey requires movement.
Sometimes one grows by staying.
Sometimes wisdom arrives when the roads are flooded, the world is washed clean, and the restless mind finally consents to be still.
And perhaps that is why generation after generation preserved these four sacred months.
Because when the rains fall…
the soul remembers the path back home.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Disguise.
When the great doors close in silence, listen for the sparrows still singing on the windowsill.
If the mountains of hope crumble, gather seashells from the shore of ordinary days.
The universe may not answer your questions, yet the evening breeze still knows how to comfort your skin.
When storms tear apart your larger dreams, let tiny lamps of joy guide you through the dark.
There are days when a cup of tea, falling rain, and a familiar song become enough to save the heart.
Do not overlook the small miracles — sunlight on leaves, laughter in another room, the hush before dawn.
Even when life forgets to be magnificent, it still remembers how to be beautiful.
The stars are far away, but warmth still lives in small hands, quiet moments, and gentle words.
When the oceans within you are restless, anchor yourself to simple things that ask nothing except presence.
The world may fail your grand expectations, yet a flower blooming through stone still whispers: continue.
Sometimes survival arrives disguised as an ordinary afternoon.
Tiny joys are the stitches that keep the soul from unraveling.
Not every light comes from the heavens; some glow softly beside us each day.
In difficult seasons, even small happiness becomes sacred.
The heart heals quietly, often in moments too small for history to notice.
Putusottama.
The Significance of Adhik Māsa or Puruṣottama Māsa
The extra month known as Adhik Māsa (अधिक मास) occupies a special place in the Hindu calendar and devotional tradition. It is also reverentially called Puruṣottama Māsa, the Month of the Supreme Lord.
Why Does Adhik Māsa Occur?
The traditional Hindu calendar is luni-solar — it harmonizes both the moon’s cycles and the solar year.
Twelve lunar months together equal roughly 354 days.
The solar year is about 365¼ days.
Thus, each lunar year falls short by nearly 11 days. Over time, this gap widens. To restore balance, an extra lunar month is inserted approximately every 32–33 months.
This additional month is called Adhik Māsa — “the added month.”
In this sense, Adhik Māsa is a beautiful example of ancient Indian astronomical precision woven into spiritual life.
Why Is It Called Puruṣottama Māsa?
A beloved traditional account explains this.
Because it was an “extra” month, lacking its own zodiacal solar transition (saṅkrānti), it was considered neglected and inauspicious by many. Feeling unwanted, the month approached Lord Vishnu seeking refuge.
The Lord, moved by compassion, bestowed upon it His own supreme name — Puruṣottama, “the Highest Being,” a title associated especially with Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna.
From then onward, the once-ignored month became the most spiritually potent period for devotion, prayer, charity, scriptural study, and self-reflection.
The story carries a profound message: what is rejected by the world can become sacred through divine grace.
Spiritual Importance
Traditionally, Puruṣottama Māsa is regarded as especially favorable for:
Japa — repetition of the Divine Name
Pārāyaṇa — scriptural reading and recitation
Dāna — charity and acts of kindness
Vrata — spiritual disciplines and fasting
Sevā — selfless service
Reflection, repentance, and inward renewal
Many devotees read texts such as:
Bhagavad Gītā
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Vishnu Sahasranāma
Stories connected with Puruṣottama Māsa
The emphasis is not merely ritual austerity but intensified remembrance of the Divine.
Why Are Weddings and Major Ceremonies Often Avoided?
In many traditions, worldly celebrations such as:
marriages,
house-warming ceremonies,
major new beginnings,
are often postponed during Adhik Māsa.
This is not because the month is “bad.” Rather, it is viewed as a month set aside primarily for spiritual accumulation rather than material or social undertakings.
Different regional and sectarian traditions, however, may vary in practice.
A Deeper Symbolism
Adhik Māsa quietly teaches several timeless ideas:
Time itself can be sanctified.
Correction and recalibration are part of cosmic order.
What appears “extra” or “out of place” may carry hidden value.
Devotion transforms neglect into grace.
Just as the calendar periodically pauses to realign itself with the heavens, human life too may need moments of re-alignment — a month to slow down, reflect, and return inward.
That perhaps is the enduring beauty of Puruṣottama Māsa.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)