MAA VILAKKU, how to light Maa Vilakku for family deity

AADI MAASAM.................. such an auspicious  month.....
Though traditionally it is inauspicious to celebrate marriages in this month, mainly because this month marks the beginning of night time for the Gods (Dakshinayana punya kaalam)

But all the Fridays that fall during this month are so special, dedicated to the Ammans....You can see all amman temples buzzing with crowd, keeping pongal, offering milk to the snake burrows
(பாம்பு புற்று)....many wearing yellow sarees, doing angapradakshinam (rolling on the grounds)...various scenes can be seen during this special Aadi maasam....

Many women also have the custom of  making Ragi porridge and serving to others.... (கூழ் ஊற்றுவது) and making Pongal in the temple infornt of Devi and offering to Her.

It is customary for me to go our Family deity in Thanjavur and put Maa vilakku there!!! for the Ooradachi Narayani amman!

These Fridays are so auspicious, and they all glorify Goddess Shakthi, and are filled with Power, protection and it is considered auspicious to invite  Feminine Energy and good fortune. It is good to chant all Devi related Shlokas and Sahasranamas. 

This Maa Vilakku base is made with Rice flour and Jaggery, and cotton wicks (either long wick or Poothiri/பூத்திரி) is used.

Maavilakku is usually lit infront of Amman  during Thai  Fridays (Uttarayana) and Aadi Fridays (Dakshinayana)

This is our Ellai amman,Kula deivam,  Shri Ooradachi Narayani Amman in our Thandangorai Village, Tanjore. They are 2 sisters, so very  powerful.  Let's all unitedly pray to Her to bring in peace for the whole World!
And, from my home itself, I offer these Maavilakkus to Her! Because obviously I cannot go now!!!

                                                             
                                                                    Ingredients
                                                             Rice flour (fresh, soft and white ) - 1  cup
                                                                        Jaggery - 1 cup
                                                               Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
                                                                Ghee - 1 tsp, for the dough
                                                            Ghee - as required to fill the lamps

                                First, put kolam in the place where you are going to keep the maa vilakkus

Clean the plate, keep chandan and kumkum and keep ready

Rice flour, cardamom powder and 1 tsp ghee taken in a bowl

Jaggery measured and taken

added to the flour

You just have to wet your hands two or three times to knead this dough. Must not pour water. Jaggery, by itself is moist and will secrete water, when kneaded, because the heat from our palm will be passed on to that

Split and neatly roll into two balls and keep on the plate

Make a dent in both the balls

Keep chandan and kumkum for both the balls

Put the cotton wicks...don't they look like snakes???  also decorate with flowers

Fill the lamps with slightly melted ghee, make sure to dip the tip of the wick in ghee.

Praying to the Goddess, light the lamps. Then do neivedhyam, betel leaves, betel nut, coconut and bananas are mandatory. Rest is our wish.

Normally it will take an hour or so, for the lamps to go down , we dont say, lamps extinguished......infact we say, அமபாள் மலை ஏறி விட்டாள்

Notes

*I always use store bought fresh rice flour only.

*In the olden days, they used to pound fresh rice flour and use.

                                       This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Categories: Festival Delicacies