Tomorrow is Onam.A festival of great significance to Malayalis.A festival that symbolizes fervour &enthusiasm.A festival about dancing,feasting,merry-making.A festival that signifies happiness,prosperity &togetherness.A festival I look forward to celebrating every year.
Onam,like I have mentioned in my earlier post,falls in Chingam,the first month of the Malayalam calendar.More information about the festival is available here
If you have read my earlier mentioned post,you would also have read about the virtual ona sadya that many of us offered to serve you all today.
A sadya comprises of Rice, Sambhar, Erisseri, Kalan, Olan, Aviyal, Thoran, Koottukari, Pachadi, Inji-puli, Pickles, Upperi/chips & Payasam(dessert).And it is particularly lip-smacking when devoured in a banana-leaf! I’m sharing recipes of two dishes here,which I’ll surely be making tomorrow.For the rest of the recipes ,do visit my mother’s page,‘AMBROSIA’.
SAMBHAR
Ingredients:
a)Vegetables(Drumstick,Ladies Finger,Brinjals cleaned&sliced into long pieces) – 1 cup
b)Sambhar Dal(Red Gram Dal) – 1 cup
c)Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
d)Tamarind juice – 3 tablespoons
e)Coriander Powder – 1 tablespoon
f)Grated Coconut – 2 tablespoons
g)Fenugreek seeds -1 teaspoon
h)Asafoetida powder – 1 tea spoon
i)Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tea spoon
j)Whole Red chillies – 3-4 for masala and 2-3 for seasoning
k)Curry Leaves – 2-3 sprigs
l)Salt -2 teaspoons/as per taste
m)Vegetale oil – 1tablespoon for the masala and 2 teaspoon for seasoning
Method:
1. Wash the dal.
2. Pressure cook it with 3cups of water,turmeric powder & salt,till tender.
3. Boil & cook separately all the vegetables except ladies-finger
4. For masala,
* heat oil in a frying pan.
* splutter fenugreek seeds
* add red chillies&coriander powder
* when turned brown,add grated coconut and fry till the raw smell is replaced by an aroma.
* add asafoetida powder,sauté for a few seconds and turn off the heat.
* once the mix cools down,grind it to a smooth paste.
5. Add the vegetables(including ladies finger) to the dal and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the tamarind juice and stir all the mix together
7. Now add the ground paste and keep boiling for another minute.
8. Turn off the heat.
9. For seasoning
* heat oil in a pan
* splutter mustard seeds
* add red chillies & curry leaves
* saute for a second
10.Season it onto the curry.
The Sambhar is ready to be served!
ERISSERI with Pumpkin
Ingredients:
a)Ripe Pumpkin(cut into cubes) – 1cup
b)Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
c)Grated coconut – 1 cup
d)Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
e)Chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon
f)Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
g)Whole red chillies – 3-4
h)Curry leaves – 2-3 sprigs
i)Coconut Oil – 2 tablespoons for the paste and 2teaspoons for seasoning
j)Salt – 2teaspoons/as per taste
Method:
1. Cook pumpkin after adding just about enough water(the water-level should be at par with the pumpkin),with turmeric powder & salt
2. For the paste
* Heat oil in a pan
* Splutter cumin seeds
*Add grated coconut & chilli powder
* Fry till brown.
* Once the mix cools down,grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Add the paste to the vegetable and boil and mix well.
4. For seasoning
* Heat oil in a pan
* Splutter mustard seeds
* Add red chillies & curry leaves
* Add a few coconut-scrapes
* Saute for a second
5. Season it over the Erisseri and serve!
This is how an authentic Ona-sadya** looks like
Hope you enjoyed the spread(especially you,Hitchy! 🙂 )
And yes,if and when any of you post recipes on the occasion of Ona-sadya,please do let me know so that I can hop by and book a place for my share and drool!
On that note,to all my fellow Malayalis “എന്റെ ഹൃദയം നിറഞ്ഞ ഓണം ആശംസകള്”!
And to others,here’s wishing a very happy & prosperous Onam 🙂
PS: **Image courtesy Google Images
EDITED TO ADD:Thank you once again for the loving wishes and making this day even more special.I’m sorry I’ve not had the time to visit many of you.I intend to make it up by resuming my blog-hopping soon 🙂
We had a wonderful Onam today.I made Erisseri and Sambhar proof of which I’ve uploaded above 😀 ! Namnam & I had the perfect company in our good friends,another mom-daughter duo,J & O to decorate a pookalam.Here are two images of our creation 🙂
I’m hungry Deeps….the spread looks divine…I love southern food…and the dal could not have come at a better time. I was getting tired of my dal recipes and dying to try something new :). this will be made this week 🙂
your blog is at a new height altogether :). love the whole feel of it.
D: Hey,thank you,A!Do let know when you do make it.And glad to see you again after that loooong hiatus 🙂
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Me first?!! 😀
D: Nope,sweetie!A is 😀 !For some reason,WP only knows what,her comment went into moderation.
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I know .. it happens so many times .. some comments go into spam/moderation all of a sudden!
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Na swaram WP ka tho bahaana hai…I am telling you it’s a plot hatched to make sure you don’t get to comment first. Hitchy ki kasam I am telling you the truth.
D: LOL@ Hitchy ki kasam !
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👿 So many ppl plotting against one innocent, sweet girl 😈
Sakshi is the only one who is as sweet in the blog samaj 🙂
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Meri kasam !!!!
Hey…. !!!!!
do you hate me so much !!!!!
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Ohh why does my comment go to spam :(.
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The food look delicious! 🙂
Will try the pumpkin dish at home as well! 🙂 🙂
Wish you a very Happy Onam Deeps! 🙂 🙂
D: Thank you,Pix 🙂
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Wish you all a ‘Happy and prosperous Onam’!
D: Thank you so much,Sandhya 🙂
The sadya looks delicious, Deepu!
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Me wants wants to eat that nw! Pls Deeps 😦 Send karo! Ayyo! Droooooollllllllllll 😛
Oops sorry first of all Happy Onam to u n Nammu kutty n Mr.Deeps too 🙂 I mean to the whole family 😛
D: LOL @ Mr Deeps!I feel so liberated,Swaram with that one reference 😀
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I can say R today Deeps 😛 but I really dint know 😦 Happy u felt liberated though 😉 😉
ONAM AASHAMSAKAL to Nammukutty, Deepu n R 🙂
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Oh yes. Happy Onam.
Saambhar and Raasaam ‘aplenty.
Aaviel and Eericheeree too.
D: Thank you & Welcome here 🙂
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DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
geeeeeez…. all the sheets of acerage data of various crops i m preparing are suddenly all soiled… !!!!!!
what a pic… !!!!!!
Ona Sadya.. !!!!
havent read the post yet…
you know I have eaten this what people call Saapad in Comibatore in a famous restaurant there.. AnnaPurna.. !!!
it was awesome !!!!
oh god this looks really finger licking good !!! geez… !!
😛 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛 😛
D: I can still hear your hiccups,Hitchy 😀 😀
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I seriously and honestly tell you I really have my mouth watering… !!!!
SERIOUSLY !!!
😛 😛 😛 😛 😛
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Yup we all can see Jughead and his drool all over…
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Not fair…me fasting and you putting up all these delicious recipes and pics….
😉
D: I realize that Masood,and I’ve immense respect for people like you who fast and follow a disciplined regime during this time of the year
May God bless you always 🙂
now quickly courier some across to me by sunset!!!
😀
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Onamaashamsakal to you too, Deeps!
Sambhar and erisseri look yum!!! I would have gatecrashed into your house for a taste if we lived anywhere near 😦 Am drooling over it!!
Erisseri is one of my favourites! I just love the taste! I did not get pumpkin here 😦 so will be substituting with butternut squash.
D: Its one of my favourites too.And Koottukari also.Amma makes it a point to cook these two whenever I’m visiting her,you know 🙂
Hugs and wishes to Namnam! Is she looking forward to Onam?
D: Namnam had real fun while making pookalam.She & Olivia were quite enthusiastic about filling flowers in the design.Will send you the pics 🙂
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What? Am I invited??? mouth watering plate… err. leaf!
D: Oh yes,you are,Rakesh.Doha is just an hour from Dubai,so hop over,but make sure Yuvaan is with you else ‘no entry’ 😀
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I’ve noticed… Whenever Yuvaan is with me, the prettiest (and hottest) women stop and smile at me 🙂
coz. I whisper to him when he’s in my lap, say ‘hi’ and he flashes a wide smile and says HIIIII to the ladies 🙂
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Ennai onam sadhyaki villekhumo?..Onnam onam aashamshagal……
Aryan’s mom
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Hridayam niranja onam ashamsakal! 🙂
D: നന്ദി 🙂 🙂
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Oh what a platter,now i will go to a hotel where they serve ona-sadya,mouthwatering sambar.I love it.
Wish u were some where here in UAE,would have come to ur house without a invitation 😉
D: Arre,like I told Rakesh,Doha is just an hour away from you,Sari.Hop over with Varunavi & Pinkuda and we’ll have sadya hi sadya 🙂
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Yum yum yum…onam wishes to you .. my inlaws r from palakkad ,so i will get to hog tommorrow 😉 .. i looovvve ada pradaman ..gosh ,u made me hungry ..!!
D: :D! Hope you had a sumptuous sadya 🙂
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Thank you all,for coming here and joining me in my celebration. Sorry,I’m not able to respond to each one of you as I’m a bit tied up at home.Will be doing as soon as I get to take a breather! Till then keep drooling and have a great day! 🙂
And Aryan,you’re most welcome to join Namnam for a sadya..odi varu 🙂
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Deeps did the tag
D: will be there soon to pull you leg,Sari 😀
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Wow! The spread looks delicious and sooo reminds me of India and being served food on banana leaves! 😦
Anyway, wish you a Very Happy Onam!
D: Thank you 🙂
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Onaashamsakal!
Now that is a yum spread. Did you already make it or is that Auntie’s? In any case I am drooling and my laptop flooded. 😀
Here’s Solilo family wishing Nammu chakkara, Deeps and R a very Happy and prosperous Onam.
I am making sadya this weekend. We cancelled our trip as it is turning out to be hectic here.
D: Have a great spread in the weekend,Sols 🙂
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Deeps, I saw your spread here without credit
D: Oh ende Solilo!the images have all been taken out from Google Images.I skipped to mentioned it.Have done it now.Planning to make the sadya tomorrow.will try and put up my creations here on my page then 🙂
http://malayalamsms.blogspot.com/2008/09/onam-greetings-onam-wishes-onam.html
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Happy onam to you and Namnam kutty..
I am telling you we should start a blog fund raising program (I am thankful to you all for nominating me as the treasurer and humbly accept the post) where we can select a few bloggers at a time and sponsor their trip to one bloggers place and all of us can have a blast. Hitchy will take us to trek waterfalls, Swaram will give a tour of munnar (yeah she will only use mallu words throughout the tour), Smitha can definitely show us the Big Ben and SJ will show us all the knitting wonders that she has collected. As I am the treasurer I will have to be a part of every tour 😦
D:Ok,now Saks’s buddhi is at work now and she has given a cracker of an idea barring the treasury part of course! 😀
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Jokes apart…
Seriously all need to think and decide about a gathering in May…
next year… and all you Non Resident Indians will need pre-planning…
we really net to get the ball rolling now…
they say i m a dreamer… 🙂 they are right 😀
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Oh you’re not at all day-dreaming,Hitchy!I’m wholeheartedly with you on the blogger’s-meet proposal 🙂
Lets get the ball rolling.I’m sure others too will be as excited as us 🙂
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OG my Guru, did u hear that???? Am supposed to use wonly Mallu words 😛 No Aliyaa again 😉 😉
Thanks Sakshi for making me a part of the team 😛
Khushi ke aansoo 😯
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Hitchy,Smits,Swaram,SJ,are you all listening..Saks’s buddhi is at work..are you all up for it?? 😀
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Wish you and your family, Happy Onam..
D: Thank you 🙂
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There is an award for you. 🙂
http://mesoliloquy.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/what-would-you-do-if-you-knew-you-could-not-fail/
D: thank you,Sols,I’m honoured.Will soon be putting it up on this space 🙂
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Ona Sadya!!!!!!
😀 😀 😀
looks perfectimento!!! 😀
will u hate me if say i am not a big fan of Mallu food???
D: No not at all,sweetie,I understand everyone has a taste and no taste can be the same
but i do enjoy the huge spread mom belts out on Onam! 😛
i have no choice! or she will make me cook my own food for rest of the year!!!!!
me no likes vegetables with coconut…. but give me the uperi, sharkara vertti, sambar, pappadam and chor…and injimm pulli!!!!!!!! THAT I LOVE!!!!! and will clear all in matter of minutes!!!!!
heartiest Onaashamsakal to u and ur family and special hugs and muahs to namnam!!!!
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
D: Thank you so much Crafty,do wish your family too from my end 🙂
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Happy Onam, to you and your family, Deepu.
Now, please do the musical tag. You can do in any language. Please visit my blog.
D: Coming there soon,Sandhya..I’m sure I’ll love it 🙂
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Happy Onam yaar…I miss my kerala
Aryan’s mom
D: Thank you.Yes I miss home too 🙂
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you wouldnt believe how many times i have looked at taht platter you served up… !!!
geez… i hope you drop some food before you eat… or else your food poisoning is guaranteed !!! 😀 😛 😛 😛
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That is so so so beautiful! Look at Namnam posing! She is looking so cute! Is that her friend you were telling me about! Both of them look so adorable! This one thinks the pookalam is something to jump over. And pavade/blouse – is dressing up clothes apparently!
D: ha ha ha!yes,she is the one I told you about.N & O are just 3 months apart.They are literally growing up together 🙂
Mine is a small pitiful one 😦 Inside the house – thanks to bad UK weather 😦 Will upload it – sometime tomorrow. My cooking is still going on – we are having the sadya for dinner – as everybody except me is working 🙂
D: Have a great sadya,Smits 🙂
Am making Sambhar, erisseri, kootu curry, avial and manga pachadi – will let you know how it all came off 🙂
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I wanna know too n I wanna c Poohikutty too!
{{{{{{All the best for cooking wala hugs Smithu}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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I made Sambhar, avial n Palpayasam too 🙂
Wanted to make kootu curry too from Deepu’s mom’s blog some more but got late from office 😦
Nyways, wil celebrate next year with all that n Pookalam too 😛 or wil jump over to Smithu’s place if she is here 😉 😉
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Me made Sambar Deepu Thank u:)
D: you did!!thats great!you’re most welcome,Swaram. and thanks a ton for that call :).
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Tee hee 🙂 Welcomeooooo welcomeuuu 😛
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I so love that Pookalam 🙂 – what colour combo and those tender flowers my Nammu kutty and her friend 🙂
Wow that lehanga – she looks so sweet 🙂
I Wanna c a better pic plsssssssss – FB????
{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}} to Nammu kutty and her pyari Mamma 🙂
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Swaram ji Lehanga nahi it’s called Pattu Pavada in malayalam. Write I shall only wear Pattu Pavada for my next Onam 1000 times in your blog. That’s the punishment for not learning ur malayalam properly.
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only pattu pavada ??
nothing else ??
bhagoooooooooooooooooooo
D: le!suru iska naughty dimaag chalna.. :mrgren:
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Arre something similar na! For that matter, we say Langa only in Kannada 🙂
Pattu Pavdai must be Tamil or Malayalam na!
Waise, what is this I will wear ‘Pattu Pavada’ 😯
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That is a fabulous pookalam. *clap* and gorgeous Nammu chakkara and her friend Olivia nearby.
Hope you had a great Thiruvonam, Deeps! 🙂
We had,da…will mail you some pics soon 🙂
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Those are some lovely recipes…would definitely try some!!
I have heard a lot about this festival….and i wish u all a very Happy Onam!!
take care!!
D: Thank you 🙂
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belated onam greetings!
D: Thank you 🙂
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Ooooh La La!!!
fabulous lady…u made it all and spread it so beautifully..totally in awe and ekdum J, makes me miss home!!
D: Now will you kill me if I tell I’ll be visiting home soon??there it is…I can see that J-faced expression on your face 👿
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Namnam is looking so chweet and both of them seem like they are up to some naughtiness…
D: Tankoo! The girls were a riot yesterday,Saksh 🙂
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Onaasamshakal 🙂
Cant read your mal font on this computer, at my parents’ place…
Had a great time here too… wl post the pics and the notes later, in a week or so… 🙂
Lovely lovely pookkalam and the little beauties too 🙂 Thank you for your wishes too.
Out of circulation for a while, owing to work … Wl be back soon hopefully 🙂
D: thank you so very much,Ushus.Glad you had a wonderful Onam too.Will wait to read your account of the day 🙂
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Looked absolutely yummylicious! Want to eat all of it now!! Happy Onam, Deeps.
D: Thank you,Pal 🙂
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All the dishes look so yummy, but I like the Pokalam even more:)
Happy and prosperous Onam to you and your family Deep !!
D: Thank you,Renu 🙂
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veryy happy belated onam…
goodness you are a mallu??!!
D: Yes I am 🙂
oops! thats news to me …
ok, so the celebration you told me about was i think the one me too celebrated on the same day …. for me that was the 1st in the last 11 years .. obviously very spl …
D: Thats wonderful to know!
aa sambharinte smell eppolum not gone! :-p
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Heyy the look of your blog has changed !! Anyway, not being following your blog at all and thats because I hadnt blogrolled you yet ! On my way and yes, all the best to you for that. Buhahahahhaahaha !! 😀 😀 😀
D: *Deeps bracing herself for the upcoming onslaught* 😀
Btw, belated onam wishes 😀
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The pookallam looks great…..where did u manage the flowers from??????
Wishing U too a wonderful onam…I’m not saying belated coz we usually have 2 sadya’s…one at home & one at a restaurent which by the way happens 2morow for us :-D.
p.s: ummmm….it was u right who wished me, right….there was no link leading me 😛
D: Yep!it was me,Nance,thank you…so,how were the sadyas?? 🙂
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woww!! I`m so sorry i missed wishing you on the big day. I do hope it was fantastic!
The pictures are awesome! Quite the professional cook you are Deeps 🙂
D: Oh no,Mish…I’m not at all a pro at cooking.In fact I hate cooking!There are very few dishes that I can claim to cook well and Sambar & Erisseri are two of them 🙂
And i’ve always been very curious about the rangoli. This one is with flower petals of course. But the other one, with coloured powder, that`s really difficult. I`ve tried it a couple of times. HOw do you guys do it?
Namnam`s picture with her friend is just awesome. Where did you get the outfits? Did you stitch it yourself?
D:Namnam’s outfit,known as Paavada,was bght in Kerala,Mish.The design is an authentic handwoven design,prevalent in Kerala,known as Kasavu 🙂
Too many qstns I know. BUt this is a fabulous feel-good post 🙂
Happy Belated Onam, my friend! 🙂
D: Thank you,dearie 🙂
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hey belated onam to you. Got really busy and havent visited blogs in a while. Hope things are great with you. love to namnam
D: Thank you so much,Sujata.Have been busy myself,hence missed out on quite a few good reads.So I can understand you 🙂
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