THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

 

                                                           THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

Janmashtami is the celebration of Bal Gopal Krishna's birth. His birth is celebrated with great joy and fervor throughout India. This year the festival will be celebrated on 11 August. People observe fast, play games, worship the Lord, and feed Him with His favorite sweets.

 

We all know that Lord Krishna is popular for His taste in sweets. Even in the stories, we find the mention of His sweet tooth. He would go hunting for milk and milk products in almost all the houses of Gokul. That is why people offer various kinds of delicacies prepared with milk in front of the Lord. It is said that there are a few milk sweets which are a favorite of Lord Krishna and they should be offered to Him while you perform the puja. Milk sweets like rabri, kheer, peda, gopalkala, misti doi, kalakand, etc. are some of the favorite sweet items of Lord Krishna.

 

Dahi Handi is celebrated every August/September, the day after Krishna Janmashtami. Here, people break the Dahi Handi which is a part of this festival. The term Dahi Handi literally means "earthen pot of yogurt". The festival gets this popular regional name from the legend of baby Krishna. According to it, he would seek and steal milk products such as yogurt and butter and people would hide their supplies high up out of the baby's reach. Krishna would try all sorts of creative ideas in his pursuit, such as making human pyramids with his friends to break these high hanging pots. This story is the theme of numerous reliefs on Hindu temples across India, as well as literature and dance-drama repertoire, symbolizing the joyful innocence of children, that love and life's play is the manifestation of God.

 

 It is common knowledge that Lord Krishna loved good food. He was also fondly called 'Makhan chor' (butter thief) for his special liking for butter. Some devotees also prepare a special 'Chappan bhog' for Lord Krishna, containing 56 kinds of food items!

The following sweets are the most loved by one and all :

 

🔷 Rasmalai: This dessert recipe is made using milk, paneer and dry fruits. If you want to add an edge you can garnish with a few strands of Kesar.

🔷 Rabri: Rabri is a traditional Indian dessert and is often a part of celebrations and festivals. Rabri is basically the thick, creamy residue that is left behind after milk is evaporated.

 

🔷 Phirni: It is an aromatic dish that has been a part of the Indian traditions through generations. Unlike kheer in which whole rice is used, in Phirni, broken or semi grounded rice is cooked with milk.

🔷 Peda: Made with milk, saffron, sugar, and dry fruits this is the most famous sweet associated with Krishna Janmashtami. If you want to try the best ones¸ then you must visit Vrindavan and indulge!

🔷 Mishti Doi: This dessert recipe looks very simple but has a rich taste of sweetened yogurt and is prepared with caramelized sugar, warm milk, and plain yogurt. It is rich, creamy, and got perfect texture.

🔷 Kulhad Kheer: This delicious sweet dish is prepared using milk, rice, and nuts. Kulhad Kheer is also prepared on the eve of Janmashtami.

🔷 Kalakand: Made with full cream milk, sugar, and dry fruits this fragile dessert dish has a shorter shelf life. In this recipe, milk is reduced and thickened and then sugar and dry fruits are added and allowed to rest and then cut into small square pieces.

 

BANARASI  MISTHAN BHANDAR