Ganesh Chaturthi – one of the most looked forward festivals which celebrates the birth of The God of Beginnings – Lord Ganesha is tomorrow. And our homes never get filled with festivity without some delicious sweets and dishes. So, here we present some quick and easy-to-make sweets and recipes that can be made at home for this Ganesh Chaturthi. Also, check out our simple DIY puja ideas to do more things by yourself for celebrating the birthday of beloved Ganesha.

Some Sugary Sweets and Scrumptious Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi

Modak

Ingredients

For the filling: 1 cup coconut (grated), 1 cup jaggery, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of saffron
For the shell: 1 cup water, 2 tsp ghee, salt, 1 cup rice flour

Method

Filling:

1. Firstly, in a hot pan add the grated coconut and jaggery and stir for about a few minutes.
2. Now add the nutmeg and saffron and mix them well.
3. Keep cooking on a medium flame for another five minutes. Then turn off the flame and keep it aside.

Modak:

1. In a large kadai, boil water with ghee. Further, add salt and rice flour and mix gently.
2. Cover and cook till it’s half done. Then, allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Now transfer the contents to a large bowl and start to knead the dough.
4. Take a little dough and roll it into a small ball.
5. Flatten the ball well and shape the edges into a flower pattern.
6. Stuff a spoonful of the filling onto the dough and seal it.
7. Now put them in a muslin cloth and steam them for 10-15 minutes.  And your Modak is ready.

Puran Poli

Ingredients

For mixture: 1 cup Chana Dal (washed), 3 cups Water, 1 cup Sugar, 1 tsp Cardamom Powder, Nutmeg (grated)
For dough: 2 cups Maida, 1 tsp Salt, 2 tbsp Ghee, 1 cup Water

Method

Mixture

1. Pressure cook the Chana Dal for about a few minutes (3-4 whistles).
2. Once it gets cooked, drain the water and mash it coarsely.
3. Now in a pressure cooker add the mashed dal and sugar and cook slowly by mixing it.
4. Add cardamom powder and grated nutmeg to it and stir thoroughly.
5. Until the mixture gets dry, continue stirring on low flame.
6. Now turn off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down.

Dough

1. In a large bowl, add maida, salt, ghee, and little water. Mix them well and make a semi-soft dough.
2. Wrap the bowl with a damp cloth and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes.

Puran Poli:

1. Take a little dough and roll it into a ball. Now flatten it well just like you make for chapatis.
2. Now place a little mixture in the centre and cover the edges.
3. Roll it out again gently so that it takes a round shape.
4. Heat a non-stick tawa and place the puran poli over it.
5. Flip, and cook with lots of ghee till both sides turn equally golden. And your Puran Poli is ready to serve.

Coconut Ladoo

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup grated coconut, 1 tbsp Ghee, 1 cup condensed milk, sugar, cardamom powder, 10-15 cashews and almonds, Desiccated coconut (for coating)

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add the grated coconut and toast it slightly.
2. To this add condensed milk and sugar. Mix them well.
3. Now add ghee and cardamom powder and mix well.
4. Once the mixture turns slightly sticky, turn off the flame and keep it aside.
5. Heat a small pan, add ghee and fry some cashew nuts and almonds.
6. Add the fried nuts to the mixture and roll out the mixture into small balls by greasing your palm with some ghee.
7. Finally, roll these balls over some desiccated coconut. And your coconut ladoo is ready to serve.

Chickpea Pepper Sundal

Ingredients:

Chickpeas – 1 cup, salt to taste, finely grated coconut (optional), black pepper – 1 tsp crushed
For Seasoning: Oil – 1 tbsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, urad dal – 1 tsp, dry red chilli – 2, asafetida/hing – 1/4 tsp, curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak the chickpeas in water overnight.
2. Drain the water and add it to a pressure cooker.
3. Add some water and salt and pressure cook it for 4 whistles.
4. Drain the water and set it aside.

Seasoning:

1. Heat the kadai, add oil and all the seasoning ingredients and saute well.
2. Now add the chickpeas, salt and crushed pepper and mix them well.
3. Add coconut (this is optional) and mix well. And your chickpea pepper sundal is ready to serve.

Medu Vada

Ingredients:

Urad dal (soaked atleast for 4 hours) – 500 gm, finely chopped green chilli- 2-3, finely chopped ginger- 20 gm, grated coconut- 100 gm (optional), curry leaves, hing, finely chopped coriander leaves- 50 gm, whole black pepper- 10 gm, cumin seeds- 10 gm, refined oil- half litre, salt to taste.

Does this long list of ingredients worry you?  Try installing a modular kitchen as it can keep everything close to your hand and save a good deal of time which you usually spend walking between the zones of your kitchen to reach your ingredients. An added benefit is this kitchen is easy to clean and maintain.

Method:

1. Add the soaked urad dal, salt, green chilli, and little water to blender and grind them to smooth paste.
2. Now, transfer it to a large bowl and add ginger, hing, curry leaves, black pepper and grated coconut. Mix them well.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Wet your hands with water and take a small ball out of the paste.
5. Slightly flatten the ball and make a small hole at the centre using your thumb.
6. Drop it carefully in the hot oil.
7. Keep the flame in medium and flip the vada. Cook till it turns crispy and golden on both sides.
8. When done, remove it to a kitchen tissue and serve it hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

Some DIY Ideas For Puja Needs

Eco-friendly Ganesha

Materials Required:

Clay, Water, Toothpicks, Knife

Preparation:

1. Mix water and clay and prepare the dough.
2. Split and roll the dough into different pieces to form body parts like torso, hands, ears, trunk, face and legs.
3. Attach or join the body parts ( Referring to any Ganesha picture or statue)
4. Now the rough layout of the idol is ready, use a knife or toothpick to make intricate designs.
5. When done, allow it to sit for a while.

Note: If you wish to paint your Ganesha, avoid using chemical colours and try organic colours or just turmeric from your kitchen. It’s more eco-friendly and less harmful to mother Earth.

Bandhanwar or Door hanging Toran

It is usually hung at the entrance of the house as decoration during auspicious occasions.

Materials required:

Chart paper, scissor, glue, light-weight beads, golden ribbon or thread, watercolour and brush.

Preparation:

1. Cut the chart paper into any shape like mango, leaf, bell, etc. with the help of the scissor (counts depending on the breadth of the entrance).
2. Use some bright and shining colours like red, yellow, green, etc. and paint the cutouts and allow it to dry.
3. Paste the beads on the painted cutouts to make beautiful designs and decorate it carefully.
4. Now paste or staple all the decorated cutouts on the golden ribbon at equal distance. And your door hangings are ready.

DIY Lamps

Materials Required:

Old glass jars (shorter ones preferably), small LED bulbs/candles, glitter paste.

Preparation:

1. Take a clean old glass jar and beautify it with glitter paste.
2. Allow it to dry for a while.
3. Now, place small LED bulbs inside the jar. If LED bulbs are not available, try using thick and short candles.
4. Try keeping one lamp on either side of the idol or Keep them in different corners of the Ganesh mandap to enliven it.

The post Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi 2021 At Home Using DIY Puja Items & Recipes appeared first on ZAD Interiors.

Raksha Bandhan, the festival which celebrates the unbreakable relationship between beloved brothers and sweet sisters is here. And it definitely calls for a joyous celebration! Though we are into the novel coronavirus pandemic, there are many things we can do to make this rakhi a truly memorable one. So, sharing here a few ways in which you can make this special day more special amid this crisis and bring a wide smile on your sibling’s face.

Make Beautiful DIY Rakhis at Home

Though the market is flooded with all sorts of rakhis, it is good to halt your shopping activities this year as a preventive measure to keep the virus at bay. But, let this not stop you from celebrating the occasion; you can still shower your love on your siblings by making DIY Rakhis at home.

1. Rakhi with Woollen Threads

Materials Required: Woollen threads, some beads, glue, and scissors.

Steps:

• Twist the woollen thread around your fingers for 20 rounds.
• Pull the twisted threads out and tie it at the center.
• Cut the ends of the bow using scissors.
• Now spread and press it to form a flower pom pom.
• Place a bead at the center using glue.
• Finally, tie another strand of thread behind to make the Rakhi.

2. Rakhi With A Piece Of Cloth

Materials required: A piece of cloth, fabric glue, sketch pens, thick thread and scissors.

Steps:

• Cut a piece of cloth in the shape of your choice (preferably rectangle) and secure the edges by folding and glueing them.
• Using the sketch pens, write your rakhi wishes on the cloth.
• Now stick this cloth on a thick thread and your rakhi is ready.

Prepare Some Delicious Sweet Recipes

1. Kaju Katli

Ingredients: 1 cup of cashews, ½ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of water, ⅛ teaspoon of elaichi powder, 1 teaspoon ghee and Kesar strands (optional).

Method:

• Grind the cashews to a smooth powder and sieve the powder.
• In a pan, mix the sugar and water over a low flame and keep stirring until a syrup forms.
• Add the cashew powder and elaichi powder to this mixture and continue stirring until a dough is formed.
• Add a teaspoon of ghee and take the dough out of the pan onto a greased surface.
• Knead the dough for about 30 seconds and cover it with butter paper.
• Now, press a plate on top to form a uniform layer.
• Roll the dough out according to your preferred thickness and cut the edges to form diamond shapes.
• Finally, decorate it with some kesar strands and serve it.

2. Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

For Sugar Syrup: 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon elaichi powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For Gulab Jamun: 9 tablespoon milk powder, 3 ½ tablespoons of all-purpose flour/maida, 1 tablespoon of rava/sooji, a pinch of baking soda, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ghee and 4-5 tablespoon warm milk.

Method:

• In a pan, add sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring until the sugar syrup thickens.
• Add the elaichi powder and lemon juice to the syrup and keep aside.
• In a bowl, add milk powder, maida, sooji, baking soda, ghee and lemon juice and mix well.
• Add milk little by little and knead it into a soft dough.
• Roll the dough into small balls.
• Fry the balls (until they turn golden brown) in hot oil/ ghee on a low flame.
• Now, drop the balls into the sugar syrup and allow it to rest for about atleast 2 hours.
• Finally, garnish it with chopped cashew or pista.  

Prepare Some Delicious Recipes

1. Paneer Kulcha

Ingredients: Paneer (grated) 200 grams, Refined Flour ½ cup, Onion 1/2 (medium), Salt to taste, Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon, Onion seeds as required, Butter as required.

For dough: Refined flour (maida) 2 cups, Baking powder 1/2 teaspoon, Baking soda 1/4 teaspoon, Salt 1/2 teaspoon, Sugar 1 teaspoon, Milk 1/2 cup, Yogurt 1 tablespoon and Oil as required.

Method:

• In a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, milk, yogurt, sugar and knead it to form a dough.
• Apply oil on the dough, cover it with a damp cloth and set aside for about 50 to 60 minutes.
• In a bowl, add chopped onion, paneer, salt, and chilli powder and mix them well.
• Take a portion of the dough and spread it with your fingers.
• Place a portion of the stuffing in the middle, gather the edges and seal it.
•  Now roll this into pedas.
• Put a little oil on each peda and set them aside for 15 minutes.
• Next, sprinkle the onion seeds over each peda and spread the peda into a round kulcha.
• Heat a non-stick tawa and place the kulcha over it.
• Flip, cover and cook till both sides turn equally golden.
• Now serve it hot with your preferred side dish.

2. Samosa

Ingredients:

For dough: 2 cup maida / plain flour, ¼ tsp ajwain/carom seeds, ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup oil, ½ cup water

For stuffing: 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp cumin / jeera, ½ tsp coriander seeds (crushed), ½ tsp fennel, pinch of hing / asafoetida, 1 inch ginger( finely chopped), 1 chilli (finely chopped), ½ cup peas / matar, ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp cumin powder / jeera powder, ½ tsp amchur / dry mango powder, ½ tsp garam masala, ¼ tsp pepper( crushed), ¾ tsp salt, 4 potato / aloo (boiled & mashed), 5 cashew / kaju (chopped), 2 tbsp raisins / kishmish, 2 tbsp coriander ( finely chopped).

Method:

• Prepare the dough using the above-mentioned ingredients and roll it into an oval shape.
• Now using a knife, cut the dough horizontally, diving into 2 equal portions.
• Grease the dough with water and make cones.
• Prepare the stuffing by mixing the above-mentioned ingredients and stuff 2 tbsp of it into the cone.
• Now, close and seal the edges and deep-fry the samosa on a low flame.
• Once it turns golden brown, take it out and serve it hot with some ketchup or green chutney.

3. Palak Paneer

Ingredients: 500 gms spinach (pureed), 15-16 Paneer cubes, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 Bay leaf, 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped), 1 tsp garlic (finely chopped), 1 cup onion paste (boiled), grated, 1/2 cup tomato (pureed), 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red pepper (powdered), 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 2 nos black cardamom (crushed), 1 tbsp cream

Method:

• Prepare palak puree by boiling the spinach and grinding it.
• In a pan, fry the paneer cubes until they turn golden brown.
• Remove the paneer cubes and in the same pan add cumin, bay leaf, ginger, garlic, onion paste, salt, garam masala, coriander powder, and red pepper and saute for a few seconds.
• Now, to this add tomato puree and palak puree and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add paneer cubes to the mix and turn it around a few times.
• Finally, pour some cream over and serve hot.

The post Raksha Bandhan 2021 – DIY Rakhi and Home Made Recipes appeared first on ZAD Interiors.

Bored of binging on the same TV shows and web series?

Made it to the bottom of your to-do lists too?

If so, why not try your hands at cooking some incredible recipes for your wife, daughter, or the whole family? This super simple pass time can improve your culinary skills, strengthen your family bonding, keep your family healthy, and also deliver you a double dose of entertainment. Whether you are an old hand in the kitchen or an enthusiastic newcomer, we have got some super easy and super tasty ideas that you can try with your cupboard-stored ingredients and minimally accessed fresh ingredients during this time of lockdown.

1. Vegetable noodles recipe

Ingredients:

Noodles, salt, 2 to 3 tbsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. minced garlic, 2 to 3 green chillies slit, finely chopped spring onions, julienned vegetables (like cabbage, carrot, beans, bell pepper, etc.), 1/2 tsp. pepper powder, 1 tbsp. soya sauce, 1 tsp. chilli sauce, 1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice

Directions:

• Boil the noodles (with a pinch of salt) and drain the excess water; sprinkle 1 tsp. oil and toss the noodles to prevent them from turning sticky.
• Add oil to a pan and put it onto a medium flame.
• Then add garlic and green chillies and saute for a minute.
• Now, add the julienned vegetables and stir-fry them for a few minutes until they are cooked (and still crunchy).
• Add soya sauce, chilli sauce, pepper powder, and salt; mix the ingredients well and cook for a minute.
• Add the boiled noodles; Toss and stir fry until the noodles are evenly coated with sauces and vegetables.
• Now add spring onions and vinegar (or lemon juice) and mix well.
• Serve it hot with tomato sauce or manchurian.

2. Dosa recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup idli-dosa rice (for 4 servings), 3/4 cup regular rice, 1/2 cup urad dal, 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds, water, salt, and oil or ghee.

Directions:

• Rinse and soak idli-dosa rice, regular rice, urad dal and Fenugreek Seeds for 4-5 hours.
• Grind them in a mixer grinder or blender by adding water as needed.
• Transfer it to a large container when the batter gets a smooth texture (not very thick).
• Add salt and leave the batter at room temperature for 8-10 hours or overnight for fermentation.
• After fermentation, you can prepare the dosa by pouring the batter over the surface of a hot tawa and swirling it as thin as possible.
• Apply 1-teaspoon oil (or ghee) around the edges of the dosa and also spread it evenly.
• Once the bottom surface turns light brown, flip it and cook for 30 seconds.
• Prepare a side-dish of your choice like chutney or sambar and serve it hot.

3. Upma Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. oil or ghee, 1/2 tsp. mustard, 1 tsp. urad dal, 1 tsp. chana dal, curry leaves, one sliced onion, 3 green chillies slit, 1/2 tsp. finely chopped ginger, 2 cups water, coriander leaves, (cashew and carrot, beans are optional)

Directions:

• On a low flame, dry roast the rava until it turns crispy and crunchy and keep it aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp. oil or ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, onion, green chillies, ginger (you can also add cashew and carrot, beans) and sauté for a minute.
• Then add 2 cups of water and salt as needed; bring the water to a rolling boil.
• Add the roasted rava to the boiling water as you stir the mixture.
• Cook on a low flame until the water evaporates.
• Finally, add finely chopped coriander leaves and allow the upma to rest for 5 minutes.
• Serve the upma with chutney or pickle.

4. Dimer Devil Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Potatoes, 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, 1/2 tbsp. grated ginger, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. chopped green chillies, 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, t tsp. cumin powder, 1/3 tsp. garam masala powder, salt, finely chopped coriander leaves, 1 dry red chilli, oil, 6 boiled eggs, 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour (Maida), 200 grams whole wheat bread crumbs, 2 whole eggs (whisked), 3 tbsp. corn flour, 1/2 tsp. pepper powder.

Directions:

• Pressure cook the potatoes and mash them.
• In a pan, dry roast the red chilli and cumin powder; grind them to make a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and turmeric powder. Fry for a few seconds and remove from heat.
• Add this mixture, cumin-red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander leaves and salt to the mashed potato and mix well.
• Hard boil the eggs, shell them and cut them in halves along lengthwise.
• In a bowl beat 2 eggs, and add corn flour, salt, black pepper powder and water to make a smooth batter.
• Cover each half egg with the potato mixture and shape it to a full egg.
• Now roll this fully shaped egg on the All Purpose Flour, then dip into the batter, and finally coat it with bread crumbs.
• Keep the bread crumb coated eggs in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Now remove the egg devils from the refrigerator and deep fry it.
• Serve with tomato sauce and chopped cucumber and onion.

5. Chole recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas, 1-inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamom, 1 small bay leaf, 2 tbsp. oil, finely chopped onion, 1 green chilli slit, 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste, 1 cup finely chopped tomato, salt, 1 tsp. red chilli powder, 1 tbsp. chole masala, 3/4 tsp. garam masala, 1 tsp. coriander powder, 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder, 1 tsp. kasuri methi

Directions:

• Soak the chickpeas in water overnight or 8 hours and pressure cook them (for 5 to 6 whistles).
• Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf.
• When they start crackling, add ginger garlic paste, onions, green chilli, tomatoes, turmeric, and salt. Cook until the mixture turns mushy.
• Now add chole masala powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and stir fry for 2 minutes.
• To this, add the pressure cooked chole and 1 cup water.
• Allow it to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes on a low flame.
• Finally, add kasuri methi (optional) and garnish the gravy with coriander leaves.
• Serve it with rice or poori.

6. Poha recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups poha, 1 finely chopped onion, 3 green chillies slit, curry leaves, 2 tbsp. oil, 3 tbsp. peanuts or cashews, 3/4 tsp. mustard, 3/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. turmeric, salt, lemon juice, finely chopped coriander leaves.

Directions:

• Rinse the poha in water and drain the water thoroughly. Keep them aside to soften.
• Then add some salt and allow it to rest.
• Dry roast the peanuts in a pan and remove them from heat.
• In the same pan, heat the oil and add mustard and cumin seeds.
• Once they start spluttering, add onions, curry leaves, green chillies and saute it.
• Add turmeric powder followed by poha (and salt if needed) and mix the contents well.
• Switch off the flame and sprinkle some lemon juice.
• Garnish the poha with coriander leaves and roasted peanuts.
• Serve it with chutney or pickle.

7. Aloo Gobi Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup potato, 2 cups cauliflower, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste, 1 green chilli slit or chopped, finely chopped coriander leaves, salt, 2 tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder, 1 tsp. garam masala, 3/4 tsp. coriander powder, 1 tsp. red chilli powder

Directions:

• Chop cauliflower florets, soak them in hot water for 3 to 4 min. Drain the water thoroughly and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, onions, green chillies and stir fry them.
• Add cubed potatoes and cook on a low flame until they are half done.
• Then add cauliflower and stir fry for about 3 minutes.
• Add salt and all spice powders and mix well.
• Continue to cook on a low flame until the potatoes and cauliflower are fully done.
• Finally, garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips and Variations:

1. Adjust the quantity of the ingredients according to your family strength and eating habits of your family members.
2. You can also vary the side-dishes and prepare the choice of your family members for each recipe.
3. As few of the above-mentioned recipes involve a lot of ingredients, it is important to have all the items close to your hands for making the cooking process easy and convenient. If your traditional kitchen fails to offer such easy accessibility to ingredients, it’s high time you shift to the modern modular kitchen. Besides providing easy access to ingredients, the modular kitchen also offers ample space for storage, helps with easy organisation of groceries, utensils and crockeries and also makes cleaning and maintenance simple and smooth.
4. Instead of sesame oil, you can also use olive oil (for selected recipes) for the best flavour.
5. To better satisfy your taste buds, serve the above-mentioned recipes hot.

The post 7 Easy to Cook Recipes for Men to Impress Your Loved Ones appeared first on ZAD Interiors.

Here we bring it, the 9 ideas to celebrate Poila Baisakh at home during Coronavirus Lockdown.

1. Make Your Poila Baisakh Delicious with Home Kitchen Recipes

Poila Baisakh celebrations call for the preparation of a variety of authentic Bengali dishes that are consumed through the course of the day. Despite the closure of stores and steady hunt for essentials, you can prepare some tummy-filling recipes like Basanti Pulao and Homemade-Paneer Dishes in your own kitchen with the possible supplies available during this lockdown. Also, try your hands at Doi Chicken, the most important non- vegetarian dish that steals the limelight in the Poila Baisakh platter. Another recipe that cannot be definitely missed on this festive day is Fish curry, especially Rui Macher Kalia, so don’t forget to add it to the list. If you are not a great cook with the best cooking secrets, you can still have these dishes on your table by checking out the videos on Youtube. As this lockdown has opened up more pockets of free time to your partner and other family members, involving them in the preparation of these recipes can make the feast more memorable and more interesting.

2. Do Karaoke of Old Bengali songs with family

This New Year day is perhaps a day of craziness for all. Why not make it even crazier by doing karaoke of old Bengali songs with family?! It is also a great way to bring the family together, have fun and encourage one and another. You can get the list of some famous songs like Coffee Houser Sei Adda Ta Aaj Aar Nei, Ogo Nirupoma, E Ki Holo, Mone Pore Rubi Roy, Ei To JibonMor Swapneri Saathi, etc. and unleash the inner rock star in everyone. To make the family karaoke time extra special, transform your hall/terrace or any other room into an exciting karaoke club by using stuff that you find around your home.

3. Clean and dust the house

In our land, every festive occasion calls for cleaning and dusting of the house as untidy homes are said to attract negative energy. So, start the year with a clean and sparkling home. Do a good thorough cleaning a few days before the New Year day to get rid of all the clutter and items that were weighing you down in the past year. Before rolling up your sleeves, get the cleaning tools ready: Sweepers, broom sticks, ladders, glass cleansers, duster, non-abrasive cloth, water, and your preferred cleaning agent. Clean every room by paying deep attention to furnishings, furniture, doors, windows, curtains, floor, wardrobe, bed, home appliances and especially your modular kitchen cabinets.

4. Perform puja at home

On the auspicious day of Poila Baisakh, worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi by performing puja at home as this ritual is believed to grant good health, long life and prosperity. Though a grand scale puja is not possible during this lockdown, you can keep it simple by offering flowers (if available in your home garden), lighting lamps and doing aarti. For merchants, shopkeepers, traders, retailers, and businessmen, this Lakshmi Puja holds an extra significance as they open their fresh accounts of the year. So, if you or anyone of your family members runs a business, don’t miss out on this puja.

5. Rearrange your furniture

Furniture rearrangement shouldn’t only be reserved for home makeover and boredom fighting, but also for occasions like Poila Baisakh. For many, this is a daunting and overwhelming task as they are not aware of the basic principles of furniture arrangement. If you are one amongst them, just follow these common rules, you will find it easier: Measure the room and note all the outlets, don’t push your furniture against the walls, don’t group all the large or small pieces in one area as it create visual imbalance, allow for traffic flow, keep the eye lines clear, and most importantly choose function over form.

6. Use some old discarded objects to do some DIY activity at home

Why not pull out and open up the bag that you filled with no longer usable items during your home cleaning and clutter check and try some DIY activity at home?!

a. Make kites and enjoy with your children

Materials needed: Two sticks, a plastic bag, string, ribbon, tape and scissors

Directions: Tie the two sticks together, forming a “T” shape, with a piece of string. Make notches in both ends of the two wooden sticks. Wrap the string carefully along the circumference of the kite, making sure it goes right into the notches. Now the frame is done, it’s time to affix the bag. Cut the bag to fit the frame of the kite, leaving extra one inch on each side. Now, place the bag on the floor and put the frame on top of it. Fold the edges of the bag over the string and tape them down. Tie ribbon to create a tail for the kite and also to help balance it. Finally, poke holes, add strings and get the kite flying.

b. Make Utensil Bins using Tin Can To Manage Your Kitchen Stuffs

Materials needed: Tin cans, scissors, electric drill, spray paint, stickers, washi tape, or tags, and S-hooks.

Directions: Drill holes below the rim on the back side of each tin can. Coat the cans with spray paint in the colour of your choice by turning the cans upside down. Next, embellish the cans with stickers, washi tape, or tags of your choice. Hang the cans using S-hooks onto a bar. Now, your utensil bins are ready to hold your kitchen stuff!

c. Turn Plain Glass Jar Into Classy Flower Vase By Creative Drawing

Materials Needed: Clear glass jars, oil-based paint marker in the colour of your choice.

Directions: Create designs on the jar with the oil-based paint marker. Add details by trying out different motifs, flower patterns, geometric shapes, etc. Once the entire jar is covered, use it to display various items like flowers, lengthy leaves, etc. that you find in your garden. If your kids love and enjoy drawing, involve them too as it will improve their drawing skills, keep them engaged and also help them remain creative in this lockdown.

d. Create Table Runner By Your Embroidery Skill

Materials Needed: Sewing thread, washed and ironed fabric, embroidery needle, sewing pins, and scissors.

Directions: Create patterns and designs on the fabric with your embroidery skills. Customize it by adding the right personal touches. Finally, snip away the extra threads and stitch the corners. What’s next? Your table runner is ready to dress your table.

7. Homemade Mishti Doi and Sandesh

No festival is ever complete without sweets and for the same the Naba Barsha menu is also laden with unbeatable sweets for dessert. Sandesh – the ultimate delight of Bengal is one such delicious sweet not to be missed on this special day. You can prepare it in your own kitchen by kneading up just three ingredients – powdered sugar or jaggery, paneer (chenna) and cardamom powder. Another perfect sweet which melts in the mouth and makes its way to the heart forever is Mishti Doi. Prepare this festive favourite by thickening the milk, sweetening it with jaggery, and allowing the mixture to ferment overnight.

8. Design Alpana for your home puja

Beautify your home with alpana or rangoli – the traditional floor patterns. You can try your hands at some general patterns like flowers, leaves, sun, owl, fish, lotus and also a special pattern called “kolka” – on the floor in front of the idols, at the entrance by the door, veranda or hall – by using a small piece of cloth that is dipped in diluted rice paste. You can also place a small earthen pot filled with water, and capped with mango leaves in the middle of the alpana to serve as an auspicious symbol on this festive day.

9. Add some new household furnishings to decorate the home

While you deck yourselves and your family to shake off the past and welcome the future, spare a thought about your home too. Don’t you think it also deserves to appear alluring and attractive? If so, deck it up with some new and fresh household furnishings. It can be a small coffee table to enjoy some coffee time with your partner or a new bookshelf for your kids or the living room sofa that meets and greets your guests. As the furniture stores have shuttered their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic and also not everyone is fortunate enough to have stocked these furnishings in advance, execute this plan after the coronavirus crisis is controlled.

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