maavilakku for perumal
Maa Vilakku (Rice Flour Lamp) is made during special occasions such as aadi velli,purattasi sani, thai month,margali masam, karthigai deepam etc.
To speak scientifically Maavilakku is made of substances that purely benefits mankind. After light is exhausted it is eaten by the people. The mixture of Rice flour and Jaggery will cool the body temperature and removes vaatha and Pittha doshas.
Maa Vilakku is a special lamp made with freshly ground rice flour and jaggery kneaded together as a dough placed on a banana leaf with a dent in the middle where we pour ghee,place the wick(thiri) and lit the lamp...we also apply kumkum on all 4 sides of maavilakku and place flowers on/near when we offer to god as shown in the pics.
Draw a kolam and place the plate containing the Maavilakku. Decorate with flower. Lit the lamp by chanting slokams of the GOD to whom it is offered. Srivaishnavites used to chant Govinda, Govinda etc. during the time of lighting the lamp and also when it is at going off stage of the lite. Shivites and others used chant VENKATRAMANA GOVINDA, SANKATA HARANA GOVINDA at the time of lighting the lamp followed by Vishnusahasranamam and Devi slokams.
When the lamp is about to go off, do offerings, neivedhyam of Milk or Fruits. Afterwards, remove the burnt wick, mix the dough properly, distribute the Maavilakku Mavu Prasadm [yummy.......]
You have now had the tasty bud of MaviLakku. Now let us see the meaning behind this practice! The entire DakshinayaNa (Mid July to Mid January) period is said to be of night time for the Devas. During these time, it is entirely devoted to prayer, offering and pooja etc. When the DakshinayaNa begin during Mid July, the Tamil month Aadi begin. From here on all the following six months known as Dakhsinaya is of festivities and celebrations and all to the Lord God. Beginning from the first Friday of Aadi, then Varalakshmi Vratham, Sri Jayanthi - Gokulashtami, Vinayakar Chathurthi, Deepavali (Diwali), Navaratri all the festivals aiming at offerings to the Lord Gods of various Status.
The Legend: During Every Saturday of the Purattasi month, it is said Lord Sri Balaji expecting his devotees to come closer to his consort hills. And for those who could not afford to travel at length, he beams himself through the light of this specific Mavilakku. Thus, a devotee getting His Lord's Darshan without climbing the seven hills of Thirumala Tirupati. Also, the carbon emanated through the mixture of rice flour and cow's ghee is said to remove all the ill radiations and negative vibrations from one's home and that too when one recites aloud the name of the Lord God when the lighted cotton soak goes off. To make it worthy, devotees used to recite the Lord Gods name several times. Govindaa, Govinda, Govindaa. Sure, the fragrance, a temple like atmosphere and the divine recitals and the devotion, all that makes one refreshed and happy.
Ingredients
Raw Rice(Pacharisi) - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom - 2
Ghee - 2 tsp
Gingelly Oil - 2 tsp
Method:
First rinse the raw rice twice, and soak it in water for 1 hour. Drain water completely and then spread the raw rice in a soft towel and allow it to dry say for 30-45mins.It will be slightly moist only.Then transfer this to a mixer.
Grind it to a fine powder in a mixie in batches.Then sieve it. If you find small balls break and sieve it.
Sieve until you get rava like mixture.Add it to the next flour batch and grind it again. Now take sieved rice flour,jaggery and cardamom in a mixer and pulse it once or twice not more than that....this is to ensure even mixing.Transfer to mixng bowl and leave it aside for 10mins for the jaggery to slightly leave water.
When you press with your hands it will hold its shape....Start kneading...the moisture in your hands and the melted jaggery will give a soft smooth dough. Add gingelly oil at this stage and mix well. Roll it like a ball and transfer it to banana leaf.Using a tumbler slightly press to get a dent in the middle.Add ghee in the dent and lit the lamp as shown and offer to god as neiveidhyam.
Soft mavillaku ready to be served! Serve it along with coconut pieces, tastes yum!!
My Notes:
Though the traditional way of making maavilakku is using freshly pound rice flour...you can use readymade riceflour too but sure will have compromise in taste.If you are using readymade rice flour then for 1 cup of rice flour use 1/2 cup powdered jaggery.
Just pulse it once or twice not more than that else jaggery will let out water making the dough sticky and watery too.
I didnt add water at all, but if you feel its too dry then drizzle few drops while kneading.
Keep on kneading till it comes together and forms a smooth dough.
The amount of jaggery depends on the jaggery variety too.I used urundai vellam, it may differ slightly if you use achu vellam / paagu vellam.
You can even replace gingelly oil with ghee itself.
This keeps well in for 3-4 days in room temperature itself. You can even keep it refrigerated but it becomes slightly hard, so bring it to room temperature and then serve it.
As its just raw rice flour......consuming more of it the same day will cause stomach ache.
- Sri Eswaran
