Happy Dusshera

~Happy Dusshera ~

Vijaydashmi commonly known as Dusshera is one of the 

most important festivals celebrated with great enthusiasm 

throughout India. The day  is celebrated to commemorate the

 victory of Lord Rama over the ten headed demon king Ravana.

 Besides this, the day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga

 over the demons. The festival of Dusshera spreads the 

message of victory of truth and goodness over evil. 

Ravana - the ten headed demon 

As per the Hindu mythology king Rama along with his 

younger brother Laxman  and a huge army of monkeys headed

by monkey deity Hanuman fought a great battle to get Sita, his 

abducted wife back from the demon. The entire narrative is 

beautifully  recorded in the religious epic Ramayana. Several 

plays and performances known as Ramleela are performed

 throughout the fortnight. Actors dress up in colorful masks and 

attire and beautifully enact the life and chivalry of Rama.

Ravana, the primary antagonist of epic Ramayana was a great

 scholar, his ten heads depict his immense knowledge and power

but his unethical desires and proud transformed  him to a demon. 

His 10 heads depict lust, anger, delusion, greed, pride , envy ,

 destructive mind and intellect ,  ill will and ego. Huge effigies of 

Ravana are burnt to remind the mortals that it is very necessary 

to channelize our five senses and five bodily instruments into 

the right direction. 

The share of Dusshera ...... 

We are currently enjoying a Dusshera break here !! While my 

daughter was busy playing with her friends I decided to 

treat them the Little Food Junction way. Watching the tiny hands 

sharing ,eating and laughing is definitely festivity at its best. 

 Garlic and white bean dip ,crackers and veggies.

Eyes- cheese and capers ( use a small piece of straw to cut tiny 

circles), moustache and brow- radish greens, hands- carrot and olives , 

dress - red bell pepper, ground - cucumber shavings (using a peeler)

May Almighty keep showering his blessings upon you, 

To make  your life  prosperous and trouble free throughout.

Happy Dusshera to all my dear readers !!!  

Facts ref - Wikipedia.org , goindia.about.com, indiadivine.org   

Mission Mars ...

~ India's First Mars Mission~

Today is the red letter day or Red planet day  for India. 
India's Mars Orbitter Mission (MOM) successfully entered 
the Mars orbit this morning at 7:41am IST ,making my country
 become the first Asian nation to reach the red planet. The 
special orbiter craft called Mangalyaan (the Sanskrit word for
 Mars vehicle) is till date the cheapest interplanetary ever 
at about $75 million. Our Prime Minster Mr Narendra Modi 
congratulated the space research ISRO scientists stating that
 he had complete confidence over their hard work after all 
"MOM would never disappoint". Today is surely a moment 
of pride of all of us !! 

MOM enters Martian Orbit 

Since morning my daughter and I had been over excited, we 

switched on the television set right at dawn. Her eyes and attention

 were glued to the screen even while getting ready for school , I'm glad 

I had been following the MOM updates quite keenly owing to which 

I was able to answer  hundreds of questions pouring out off and 

on till shes was finally off to school. 

I decided to add some fun and celebrate the successful mission 
the Little Food Junction way........With watermelon , oranges ,
 a few seasonal veggies and some star shaped crisps in hand 
I loved playing with food !!! The fruit plate is all ready and set on 
the table, just waiting for my little pilot to be back from school 
and let the non nom begin !! 

"MOM "- we love you !! 

Watermelon, carrot , radish , orange, star crisps and tiny 
cheese circles . 

Back from school - daughter thoroughly enjoyed the fruit art !!  

I had to request her to pose for some pics before gulping down the 

 spaceship, sun , tiny planets and stars. Indeed a  day well spent !! 

Pirate day

~Pirate on my plate~

" Ahoy Matey , yer on a blog dedicated t' food art

T' mark this 'Talk like a pirate day' make a yummy

sandwich t' yer sprogs ...."

My little one and I have a deep affection towards sea, the

 lively underwater creatures, sparkling dusky sand and tides. 

We can spend hours and hours at the beach just watching the 

ebb and flow of the surging waves and collecting gorgeous

 sea shells or spending our day on the adventurous  rides of ferry 
and catamarans  ripping through  boisterous winds and waves .
Often the strong winds and the hustle bustle during these
 trips makes us think about the lives and adventures of 
the pirates !! 

 YO HO Lets GO !!!!!

Pirate- Bread topped with red pepper cap with cheese polkas

( use a piece of straw to make perfect tiny circles),organic radish 

green, olives, cucumber, carrot and capsicum . Parrot- Kiwi, olive 

and bell pepper. 

 Very few of us are aware that International  Talk like a pirate

 Day is celebrated on September 19th every year. Lil one

 is a great fan of Jack and the neverland pirates, a Disney 

animation series based on the famous book and play by British

author J.M. Barrie thus a pirate theme lunch was perfect 

to mark the occasion. With a big smile and acting like Jake,  she 

lifted the plated and said "Yo ho lets go"...and I in an equal happy

Cubby's tone just said "Oh Coconuts". 

  

Boat appetizers - scooped tomatoes filled with seasoned sprouts

 and some green chutney ,topped with tiny bell pepper  masts and placed

 on a bed of shredded purple cabbage.