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In our Native place the “Chitthirai Thiruvizha” is celebrated with much fan fare. Especially Chithra Pournami which falls in the month of Chitthirai is considered very auspicious as the “Ther” funtion is held on that day. All the four “Mada” streets around the temple volunteer in making this “Paangam” and “Kanji” on this day and serve the devotees who visit the temple on this day. 
The “Thiruvilaku” Pooja will be held in the evening after which all the devotees are served hot kovil Sarkarai pongal and Puliodharai in small “Dhonnais” and in cut plantain leaves. We kids back then used to have a field day and would be so filled up after drinking cups and cups of Paanagam and kanji in the mornings that we skip the lunch in the afternoon and the pongal that would be dripping with ghee is enough to put us off dinner.
During the night, in a big ground next to the temple the screening of old devotional tamil films will be screened giving the feel of today’s open air drive in theater. The kids would fall asleep during the course of the movies and we can see the elders carrying the sleepy kids on their shoulders heading home after the screening. The ground would be surrounded by lots of neem trees that you would never feel the heat and humidity.
Times have changed and I miss the old times like anything and feel so frustrated that I cannot turn the clock back. Anyway the memories are there, just mine to cherish for a lifetime.
Paanagam
You’ll Need:
Lemon – 2
Water – 4 cups
Grated Jaggery – 1 cup
Cardamom – 2 pods (crushed)
Edible camphor / Paccha karpooram – 1 pinch
Dry ginger powder / Sukku powder – 2 pinch
Salt – 1 pinch
Neem flowers – 1/4 tsp (optional)
Method:
In a vessel mix the jaggery with water and let it dissolve completely. Pass it through a sieve to filter any impurities. Now squeeze the lemons in this jaggery water. Add the crushed cardamoms, paccha karpooram, dry ginger powder and salt and mix well.
In a vessel mix the jaggery with water and let it dissolve completely. Pass it through a sieve to filter any impurities. Now squeeze the lemons in this jaggery water. Add the crushed cardamoms, paccha karpooram, dry ginger powder and salt and mix well.
Adjust the lemon and the jaggery according to your taste. you can also use sugar instead of jaggery when having this as a drink to quench your thirst.
Health Benefits: Using Jaggery in drinks during the summer time reduces the tiredness and refreshes you within minutes. In fact my Grandma used to make us suck on a a big chunk of jaggery whenever we return home from outside in the hot sun.
This thirst quenching Paanagam is off to my event “Fun N Sun” and to Sukanya’s Summer Coolers
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jeyashrisuresh
April 20, 2011 at 8:39 pmrefreshing thrist quencher for the summer.adding edible camphor sounds new and should be flavourful
Saraswathi Iyer
April 20, 2011 at 9:08 pmLooks refreshing. nice clicks.
Nandini
April 20, 2011 at 9:39 pmWow! I love this! Looks refreshing and yummy!
Kalpana Sareesh
April 20, 2011 at 10:58 pmhv not used camphor n lemon in paanagam thats a sure try .. its damn thirst quenching..
Vimitha Anand
April 20, 2011 at 11:06 pmRefreshing drink for the scorching heat…
Nithya
April 20, 2011 at 11:21 pmWe used to make it for Rama Navami. Love it 🙂
Reshmi Mahesh
April 20, 2011 at 11:24 pmRefreshing drink….nice write up…
Swathi
April 21, 2011 at 1:08 amPaangam looks awesome. love them.
Suman Singh
April 21, 2011 at 1:53 amWhat a refreshing drink..Perfect for hot summers and lovely presentation.
Priya
April 21, 2011 at 2:27 amQuite a refreshing drink, feel like finishing that whole sombu..
Sanyukta Gour(Bayes)
April 21, 2011 at 2:54 amLooks absolutely yummy n refreshing
Sanyukta
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/
Sanyukta Gour(Bayes)
April 21, 2011 at 2:55 amLooks absolutely yummy n refreshing
Sanyukta
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/
*The Old Geezer
April 21, 2011 at 3:32 amGreetings from Southern California
I am your newest follower.
I invite you to visit and follow my blog.
God bless and have a nice Easter 🙂
~Ron
Shobha
April 21, 2011 at 5:52 amRefreshing drink.
Radhika, plz collect FOOD MAZAA AWARD from my blog.
SravsCulinaryConcepts
April 21, 2011 at 6:29 amso refreshing and very new to me !!
Preety
April 21, 2011 at 10:23 amjust perfect
Prathibha
April 21, 2011 at 11:56 amLovely panagam…nice clicks too
Raji
April 21, 2011 at 3:46 pmI had paanagam on the day of ram navami..I can imagine that adding of camphor would have added more flavour to this.
The presentation is beautiful.
?LOVE2COOK?
April 21, 2011 at 8:13 pmHi Radhika..thanks for stopping by at love2cook! 😉
Here I am to your delicious blog…so much to explore.
Abt the lemongrass chicken dish, I made similar dish using soy made chicken for my mum as she’s a vegan too. Added some tomatoes.
Chittirai pournami is not new to me…but paanagam is. Loved it ya…thanks for sharing.
Suchi
April 21, 2011 at 8:54 pmpanagam is my all time fav- yours look gorgeous!
Sharmilee! :)
April 21, 2011 at 9:02 pmYummy and divine looking….
Swarnavalli Suresh
April 22, 2011 at 12:07 amnice presentaion …btw feel like drinking the entire panagam… glad to follow ur blog…
Prathima Rao
April 22, 2011 at 10:05 amRefreshing!!! And nice & traditional presentation 🙂
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Zareena
April 22, 2011 at 5:32 pmThanks Radhika for stooping by my blog and commenting.
I heard about panagam but never tried that before. Nice thirst quencher.
S.Menaga
April 22, 2011 at 5:40 pmஇதுவரை பானகத்தில் பச்சை கற்பூரம் சேர்த்ததில்லை…அது சேர்ப்பதால் இன்னும் சுவையாகவே இருக்கும்.நிச்சயம் செய்து பார்க்கிறேன்…தங்கள் கமெண்ட்டிற்க்கு மிக்க நன்றி!!நிறைய குறிப்புகளை தந்துருக்கீங்க,வாழ்த்துக்கள்.
Now Serving
April 22, 2011 at 6:32 pmI have never had it with neem leaves – a new and stomach healthy twist ! Loving it – pity we live in a ‘neemless’ land !!!
Reva
April 25, 2011 at 8:44 pmlovely drink:) truly authentic and lovely writeup… superb
Reva
saffronstreaks
April 29, 2011 at 12:00 pmThnks for your beautiful entry, very new to me and offcourse edible camphor??
loved your presentation with ethnic touch