Skip to Content
Menu
  • Home
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Lunchbox
    • South Asian Cuisine
  • Healthy Living
    • Nutrition
    • Wellness
  • Motherhood
    • Mom to Mom
    • My Life
    • Poetry
  • Culture
  • Homeschooling
    • Learning
  • Contact Me
Culture Mom to Mom

The Evolution of the Samithya Veedu or Hindu Coming of Age Ceremony

Food Recipes

Rocky Road Bars

Mom to Mom Motherhood

Traumatic Births & Postnatal PTSD

updated on January 17, 2021January 12, 2021Food Motherhood Uncategorized

Introducing Baby to Solids – Guidelines I Follow to Ensure Optimal Gut Health

In more recent years, it has been the norm to introduce baby to solids around the four month mark, however this is not something I …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021January 9, 2021Baked Goods Recipes Uncategorized

Eggless Butter Cake Recipe

When my eldest two were super little I had the perfect recipe for a moist, bouncy, eggless cake. It had taken me a couple of …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021December 28, 2020Food

Brioche Bread French Toast

If you’re looking for a decadent French Toast recipe, this is it! In this recipe I use thick slices of sweet, rich Brioche bread dipped …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021November 12, 2020Food Recipes

Shrimp & Vegetable Jambalaya (Instant Pot Recipe)

Jambalaya is a spicy one pot rice dish native to West Africa. It uses a combination of onion, celery, green pepper, thyme, in addition to …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021October 10, 2020Food Recipes

Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese

Last Autumn, I heard of pumpkin macaroni and cheese and sort of dismissed the thought of pumpkin in macaroni. A few weeks later I had …

Read More
updated on September 14, 2020September 14, 2020Food Lunchbox

5 Helpful Tips for the Lunch-Packing Parent

When my children were enrolled in school, one of my greatest joys as a mother was packing lunches and snacks for the school day. I felt …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021August 10, 2020Food South Asian Cuisine

Rava Laddu

Rava laddu is one of the first sweets that I learned to make. With minimal ingredients and minimal cooking time involved, it has always been …

Read More
updated on August 2, 2020August 2, 2020Motherhood

Women Empowerment: More Than Just a Trendy Instagram Challenge

Patriarchy has taught us to envy, judge, and even destroy other women instead of working together to reach new heights. We preach about uplifting women …

Read More
updated on August 2, 2020July 29, 2020My Life

The Fourth Trimester: A Post-partum Update

It’s been two months since I gave birth to Shree and the reality of it all is only hitting me now. Everything I passed off …

Read More
updated on January 17, 2021July 26, 2020Culture

Varalakshmi Viratham

Varalakshmi Viratham/Fast falls on the first Friday before the full moon in the Tamil Month of Aadi (mid-July to mid-August). This year, the Viratham falls …

Read More

Posts navigation

Page 1 Page 2 … Page 31 Next
October 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jul    

About Me

Hello! I'm Geerthana Uthayakumar and I reside in Toronto, Canada with my family of six. I am a homeschooling mom to four fun loving and very energetic children who constantly keep me on my toes. My passion for cooking from scratch, wellness, and culture combined with my love for writing led to the start of Modern Day Brown Mom in 2015. Through my blog I share my parenting adventures, experiences as a young mother, recipes, tips for healthy eating and more. When I'm not looking after the household, experimenting in the kitchen, blogging or writing, I work on my passion project – Devi Wellness Company.

My Small Shop

Recent Comments

  • Vaneta on Purattasi Shani & the Lighting of the Ellu Villaku (Black Sesame Lamp)
  • W on Your First Period – A Letter to My Daughter
  • LisaAnella on Natural Skincare
  • nirusha on The Evolution of the Samithya Veedu or Hindu Coming of Age Ceremony
  • Santosh on Purattasi Shani & the Lighting of the Ellu Villaku (Black Sesame Lamp)

My Amazon Shop

Click Here

moderndaybrownmom

Geerthana Uthayakumar
Birthday dinner for the man who claimed to hate pa Birthday dinner for the man who claimed to hate parripu (lentil curry) but now can't eat a meal he loves without it 🤷‍♀️ DINNER: Shrimp kuzhumbu, shrimp sothi, parripu, spicy fried shrimp, leeks varai, biryani rice, egg, red onion salad, and fish cutlet. . . . #moderndaybrownmommom #dinner #seafood #southasiancuisine #tamilfood #lunch #moderndaybrownmom #srilankancuisine #foodblogger #tamil #tamilfood #tamilculture #foodblogger #tamilcuisine #tamilblogger #tamilculture #eeeeeats #foodstagram #foodie #instayum #instafood #feedfeed #momlife #embracingculture #tamil #southasianblogger #mommyblogger
Forever grateful 🙏 Thank you to our friends @ Forever grateful 🙏 Thank you to our friends @dilipan_honestrealtors and @akandaneeka for capturing this beautiful shot of our family at @riversidefamilyfarm. . . . #moderndaybrownmommom
Vijayathasami, also known as the 10th day of Navar Vijayathasami, also known as the 10th day of Navarathri amongst Tamils, is regarded as a highly auspicious day. It is customary for children to be taught to write their first few Tamil letters in a platter of raw red rice either at home by an elder or at the temple with an iyar (priest). Traditionally this is done when a child is of an odd number age and before he/she starts formal schooling (ages 1 or 3). To prepare for this occasion, a tray is filled with red raw rice and another tray is filled with fruit/coconut, vethaillai leaves (betel leaf), paaku (areca nut), flowers, and a small monetary gift of odd value ($5, $11, $21, etc.) to be given to the elder, teacher, or priest performing the ritual. Although babygirl Shree is one now, we decided to wait until she is three to carry out her first letter ceremony/edu thodakal. Vijayathasami is also regarded as a good day to start a new form of art or new ventures like a business. I hope all of you observing Vijayathasami today have a fruitful year ahead! SNACKS: Paneer and leek cutlets, vadai, and kollukattai. . . . #navarathri #vijayathasami #education #goddessofwisdom #hinduculture #tamilfood #srilankancuisine #vegetarian #lunch #traditionalfeast #moderndaybrownmom #mommyblogger #momblogger #southasianblogger #srilankanblogger #tamilblogger
This year Canadian Thanksgiving coincided with the This year Canadian Thanksgiving coincided with the Hindu festival of Navarathri which meant a purely vegetarian meal as our harvest meal. Given that the household is now predominantly vegetarian, this wasn't too far out of the norm other than for the lack of onion and garlic which we refrain from during Navarathri. Although anything associated with gratitude and harvest such as Pongal and Thanksgiving brings me immense joy, North American Thanksgiving is rooted in colonialism. Given all the new information that has been coming to light in regards to residential schools, it was a little difficult to celebrate this year. The first Thanksgiving on land was celebrated by colonists who reaped a bountiful harvest, thanks to the farming and hunting knowledge shared with them by Indigenous tribes. A bountiful harvest was essential for the surviving European settlers to get through the winter in the new land, as nearly half had perished on the journey due to disease such as scurvy. The first harvest feast most likely consisted of fowl, corn, herbs, and possibly cranberries as the pilgrims did not have access to butter and flour. Cranberries, high in Vitamic C, were introduced to the colonists as a cure to scurvy and were eaten during every feast for good health. Athough Thanksgiving is seen as a pilgrim tradition, traditions of giving thanks long predate the arrival of European settlers in Canada. The Indigenous People of Canada had their own traditions of giving thanks for crops and game as well as surviving winter which included feasting, prayer, and ceremonial dancing. The modern concept of Thanksgiving, which involves turkey and pumpkin pie, was actually influenced by our American neighbours who introduced it to settlers in Halifax which then spread across the country, eventually becoming a national holiday. Rather than remaining a harvest festival as originally intended, especially because farmers are still working and harvesting this time of year, Thanksgiving has become more of a time to gather with loved ones, give thanks, and feast so that's what I tried to remember as I prepared our meal. Happy Harvest to all those that celebrated! #moderndaybrownmommom
Today begins the nine day Hindu festival of Navara Today begins the nine day Hindu festival of Navarathri. Navarathri marks the beginning of Autumn, usually falling in either September or October depending on the lunar calendar. The beginning of Autumn is seen as an ideal time for worship because Autumn brings with it both solar influence and climate change which can negatively affect us all as individuals. During Navarathri the Mother Goddess is thanked for keeping the universe in balance and for bestowing upon us the power to maintain our physical and mental health. The nine nights are dedicated to the Mother Goddess who represents energy, nature, fertility, and the bounty of the Earth. Amongst Tamil Hindus the various aspects of the Mother Goddess is celebrated through the worship of the three goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi, respectively. Durga is celebrated the first three nights for her strength and courage. The next three (this year two) nights are devoted to Lakshmi as devotees pray for blessings of wealth and prosperity. Saraswathi is celebrated during the final three nights as devotees pray for wisdom and knowledge. On the ninth and final day, Sarawathi Pooja, is held in homes, schools, and temples. A feast of pongal, sundal, aval, vadai (spicy doughnut), and fruit is offered to the Goddess and books and instruments are placed in front of the Saraswathi idol to invoke her blessings. In order for success, the blessings of all three Goddesses are needed, hence the celebration and worship of courage, wealth, and wisdom. During Navarathri, Hindus observe a strictly vegetarian diet, some even refrain from eating onion and garlic, and naturally eat more grains and lentils. Since our household, including the toddler, loves thosai, we'll be having a lot more of it. Thosai is a savoury crepe of sort made from a fermented batter consisting of urad dal, raw rice, and a little buy of fenugreek seeds. It's traditionally served with a variety of chutneys/sambol, sambhar (spicy and sour vegetable stew), as well as mild potato masala. LUNCH: Crispy ghee thosai with sambol and potato masala. Plate: @kiddobloom #moderndaybrownmommom #Tamilfood #thosai #dosa #Navarathri #Tamil #hinduculture
Forgot to add a line in the post above so editing Forgot to add a line in the post above so editing it into the caption. We think misogynist And think of monster, Forgetting that every misogynist Was once a little boy Often raised by a mother Both a victim and perpetrator Of patriarchal double standards Because she didn't know better. Imagine the world we can build If we took the time and made the effort to recognize and correct our own internalized misogny and raise our sons appropriately so that they grow up naturally favouring equality rather than on the belief of male superiority. When I was pregnant with my eldest, I was bitter because of what I was going through and hoped my baby would be a boy not because of the stupid South Asian preference for boys but because of how unfair and unkind the world is to women. But the child growing inside me was far greater than my bitterness; she was both powerful and lovely and every reason I needed to continue being a part of the fight for equality. When I became pregnant for the second time I hoped that the universe would bless my daughter with a little sister; one that she could grow up with together and face the challenges the world had in store for them. But the universe had different plans, perhaps greater plans, for me as it handed me a son, and a couple years later, yet another son. The opportunity to raise good men is not one I take lightly despite how many times I was told I was lucky I had two boys and not more girls on the notion that raising boys meant less work than girls. And comments like the aforementioned is why I'm so thankful for the opportunity to raise sons because it takes more work if anything to continually challenge the society that my boys are growing up in. But you better believe that I will be challenging each and every patriarchal norm as I raise and parent my sons because the change we desperately want to see in the world for our daughters (and even our sons) starts at home with our very sons. #nationalsonsday #misogyny #moderndaybrownmom
Over the last few days, I've seen many posts in ho Over the last few days, I've seen many posts in honour of #internationaldaughtersday. National Daughter's Day, a day to celebrate daughters, actually originated in India as the country has been consistently celebrating daughters every fourth Sunday of September for a few years now, in an effort to equalize the imbalance of gender disparity. In India, as well as other many other countries, giving birth to a girl child is a social stigma as sons are desired. This preference for sons probably originated back when society was primarily agricultural and sons were needed for labour and thus valued whereas daughters were seen as a financial burden and thus married off early with a dowry. However in today's society, regardless of socioeconomic status, women are still being ridiculed for not giving birth to sons, fathers are still rejecting their newborn daughters, and female infanticide is still occurring. Infact in the last decade approximately 8 million female fetuses were aborted. If you think gender disparity is an Eastern, cultural, or religious issue, you are greatly misinformed as gender segregation has always been a part of patriarchal society regardless of geographic location. For instance women had to fight in order to gain the right to vote in elections, to own property, to earn a fair wage, to hold political office and to be recognized as “persons” under the law even here in Canada. It was only about 60 years ago that wage discrimination based on sex was made illegal. And currently, in the very developed country of the United States, politicians in Texas are fighting to illegalize abortions and criminalize those who have them with the death penalty. It's not difficult to see that between attempts at controlling the autonomy of a woman's body, the exponential rise in domestic violence since the pandemic hit, and the continual rise in sexual assault and rape, that there has always been a war on women. Our daughters will eventually grow up to be women who will have to navigate this society, one that is still heavily misogynistic, unless we continue fighting to empower not only them but their brothers because change begins at home. #moderndaybrownmom
Fall has officially begun and the cooler, crisper Fall has officially begun and the cooler, crisper air is slowly creeping upon us which means it's the perfect time for soups, stews, and this chowder. I omitted the seafood and made a vegetarian version this time around and even babygirl Shree, who is 16 months old today, devoured it. This recipe, along with a variety of delectable soup recipes can be found on my blog. On that note, as I homeschool, raise four kids, and work on my small business, I'll be taking an official break from posting recipes. I haven't actually been posting recipes on my blog due to a lack of time and also a lack of interest on my part. A lot of time goes into developing a recipe, testing it, photographing it, and publishing it on a blog and sometimes I feel that only a fellow food blogger can truly appreciate the effort behind a recipe. A lot of people request recipes, remind you that you haven't posted said recipe, but seldom interact once that recipe has been published. With that being said please remember to support your favourite food bloggers by liking, commenting on, and sharing their content, especially their branded content, and tagging them in your recreations of their recipes because a little motivation goes a long way and brings forth opportunities their way! #cornchowder #fall #soupseason creamsoup #creamofcornsoup #soupweather #soup #healthylunch #lunch #vegetarian #snack #kidmeal #familymeal #vegetariankids #eattherainbow #vegetarian #foodpics #feedfeed #foodshare #whatifeedmykids #instayum #instagood #foodstagram #eeeeeats #momlife #motherhoodthroughinstagram #mommyblogger #foodblogger #tamilblogger #southasianblogger #mothersofig #moderndaybrownmom #moderndaybrownmom
Yesterday was the first out of four Purattasi Shan Yesterday was the first out of four Purattasi Shani Saturdays. The Tamil month of Purattasi, equivalent to mid-September – mid-October in the Gregorian calender, is a highly auspicious month for Hindus. Navarathri, Vijayathasami, and Purattassi Sani are all observed during this month. Purattasi Shani is very auspicious as Lord Shaniswaran, the personified form of Planet Saturn, is said to reduce the ill effects of his power and bless those that are suffering from illness, financial difficulties, and losses in general. He grants good health, wisdom, wealth, and longevity to his devotees and those that worship Lord Vishnu. On one of the four Purattasi Shanis worshippers seeking Shani’s blessings fast or maintain a strictly vegetarian diet and visit the temple during the evening to light an Ellu Villaku, which is essentially a lamp made with a wick (containing black sesame wrapped in black cloth) and pure gingerly oil. The black colour of the wick symbolizes the darkness and ignorance in one’s life and by burning the lamp, we rid ourselves of that darkness and ignorance with the divine blessing of Lord Shaniswaran. An Ellu Villaku must be lit for each member of the family and left at the temple at a designated area to finish burning. On Purattasi Shani, temple-goers are not to expect Prashadam (food that has been accepted and blessed by God) as lighting the lamp on Purattasi Shani symbolizes leaving all your troubles and sorrows behind and starting anew. The Ellu Villaku is typically not lit on the Saturday(s) that coincide with Navarathri, although traditions are now somewhat changing in foreign land due to convenience. Since the pandemic we have not gone to a temple to light ellu villakus for Purattasi Shani. Instead we light a villaku with pure sesame seed oil at home. Full post, Purattasi Shani & the Lighting of the Ellu Villaku (Black Sesame Lamp), on the blog. #moderndaybrownmom #purattasishani
. We grew up as children of First generation immig . We grew up as children of First generation immigrants Apologizing for our long names And accepting incorrect pronunciations We grew up embarrassed to speak our language As if knowing English meant more educated Than being fluent in our own ancient dialect We grew up embarrassed of our food Reluctantly giving up thosai for sandwiches In fear of being ridiculed at school Because our foods were far from bland They were aromatic, full of body and spice The same spices that were once stolen And traded as currency long ago in history We grew up hating the texture of our hair And the melanin in our skin Our thick eyebrows, lips, and curves Dismissing them as unruly and ugly As if Eurocentric features were The golden standard of beauty We tried to assimilate in any way that we could To fit in, in a country that wasn't ours And in that lost our ways While our parents hung on desperately As we frowned upon their heavy accents And broken English, failing to understand What it took to survive And what they'd truly lost when They were forced to leave all that they'd known Their families, careers, and land To seek asylum And start again from the bottom In a country that didn't recognize them And now a whole generation of us children Undoubtedly, feel the same longing as our parents To preserve our culture And pass it down to our children No longer blinded by colonialism We appreciate and see value In the richness, ancient knowledge, and wisdoms And that's been the catalyst we've needed To reclaim all that we've willingly given up While growing up misplaced In the midst of two very distinct cultures And now our children proudly introduce themselves With the correct pronunciation of their names The language of their ancestors Effortlessly rolling off their tongues They embrace their foods and traditional attire And look at their reflection in the mirror With pride, admiration, and appreciation And this visibility we've created together Has become the greatest gift That we will ever give our children, ourselves And our parents as we continue to build a home On our adoptive land, oceans away from Our ancestoral land. #moderndaybrownmom
A couple weeks ago, on Krishna Janmashtami hence b A couple weeks ago, on Krishna Janmashtami hence babygirl's peacock feather accesory 😅, we performed Shree's Pallu Kollukattai ceremony. A "Pallu Kollukattai Ceremony" or "Teething Ceremony" is a Tamil tradition in which the cutting of a baby's first set of teeth is celebrated, as with any milestone, in the presence of family. A maternal uncle gently drops kollukattai (steamed dumplings made of a rice flour outer layer and a sweet filling of jaggery, coconut, and lentils), atop the baby's head which is covered by a white netted cloth. During the second part of the ceremony, books, money, and pencils are placed in front of the baby and the baby is enouraged by family members to pick one item. Whichever item baby touches first is supposed to be indicative of the child's future. If the child picks up money he/she will be very wealthy and if the child picks up the book he/she will be very knowledgable and if the child picks up kollukattai he/she will be bountiful in harvest. My family typically doesn't do the second part of the ceremony so we skipped it for all the kids as well. The Pallu Kollukattai ceremony is usually held as soon as baby gets his/her first set of teeth which is usually prior to the baby's first birthday but due to convenience most Hindu Tamil families living in foreign lands prefer to do it along with baby's first birthday celebration. Shree's teeth cut months after her first birthday so naturally we had her ceremony just recently at 15 months old. Due to the rising numbers in Delta variant cases, we chose to do a small, simple ceremony with just the six of us. The older kids took my brother's place and happily dumped the kollukattais on their baby sister's head and since our family and friends couldn't be there, we captured these beautiful memories to share with them instead. 📸: @shotbyshiro Girls' outfit: @mangalyamcollections Boys' outfits: @rsmsilksinc My outfit: @spicedelegance . . . #pallukollukattai #kozhukattai #teethingceremony #tamilcustoms #hindutraditions #hinduceremony #hindu #hindubaby #hinduculture #blessings #momlife #motherhood #moderndaybrownmom #mothersofig #mothersofinstagram #motherhoodrising #mommyblogger
Vinayagar Chathurthi, also referred to as Aavani C Vinayagar Chathurthi, also referred to as Aavani Chathurthi amongst the Tamil population, is the annual Hindu festival that commemorates the birth of Vinayagar; more popularly known as Ganesh, Ganapathi, and in Tamil, Pillaiyar. Vinayagar Chathurthi falls on the 4th lunar day after a new moon (known as chathurthi) during the Tamil month of Aavani which coincides with mid-August to mid-September on the Gregorian calendar. Pillaiyar, depicted with the head of an elephant and body of a human, is the Hindu Lord wisdom, health, prosperity, fertility, celibacy, and happiness. The elephant-headed God is also known as the Remover of Obstacles and destroyer of pride, vanity, and selfishness. Because He is the Lord of Beginnings, all religious ceremonies and rituals begin by honouring Pillaiyar to invoke his blessings. As the Remover of Obstacles he is the first deity temple-goers acknowledge during their visit. On Vinayagar Chathurthi, devotees clean their homes, shower, observe a fast, sing devotional hymns, prepare padayal/divine food offering consisting of Pillaiyar's favourites (mothakums, fruits, and sweets such as laddu and aval) and a vegetarian feast, and visit Ganesh temples. Mothakums are sweet steamed dumplings made with a rice flour outer shell and a mixture of jaggery, coconut, and paiyaru (moong daal) and aval is a dish consisting of rice flakes sweetened with jaggery and freshly shredded coconut. While Eelam Tamils celebrate Vinayagar Chathurthi as a one-day festival, it is usually celebrated as a multi-day festival in India where on the final day a clay statue of Pillaiyar is dissolved in a nearby body of water signifying his merging into universal realization. May this Chathurthi bring you and yours good fortune, prosperity, many great successes, and most of all freedom from material and spiritual obstacles. . . . #vinayagarchathurthi #mothakum #blessing #pillaiyar #ganesh #ganesha #ganapati #lordoffortune #lordofnewbeginnings #removerofobstacles #hindu #hinduism #hindudeity #tamil #srilankan #moderndaybrownmom #mommyblogger
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

  • Healthy LivingNutrition

    The Benefits of Eating Red Fruits and Vegetables

  • Mom to MomMotherhoodPoetry

    Your First Period – A Letter to My Daughter

  • Lunchbox

    The Yumbox: REVIEW

  • Culture

    The Hindu 31st Ceremony: A Celebration of Birth

  • Baked GoodsRecipesUncategorized

    Eggless Butter Cake Recipe

Tags

baby back to school birthday party breakfast cake curry dental care dessert Earth Day fall health Hindu Culture home homeschooling learning lunchbox idea meatballs motherhood muffin nutrition ontario pancake pasta poultry reading recipe review seafood soup southasianculture spring summer superfood Tamil Celebrations Tamil Culture Thanksgiving Valentine's Day vegetarian winter
© Copyright 2021 . All Rights Reserved. Hello Fashion | Developed By Blossom Themes. Powered by WordPress.