MAA VILAKKU

Maavilakku Mavu (Maa Vilakku Mavu) is an auspicious rice flour lamp made with rice flour and jaggery during Tamil Month Thai, Aadi and also during Karthigai Deepam festival. It is a family custom for many of to offer Maavilakku during these auspicious occasions. During mid july to mid august this maa vilakku is prepared and offered to godess Maari amman especially on Fridays, which is considered to be auspicious. Lets all prepare this maa vilakku and offer this to godess maariamman and seek her blessings.

According to legend the Maavilakku was offered to Goddess Mariamman by her brother Lord Vishnu to appease her anger as she wanted to infest the world with pearls of small pox. .
Devotees who suffer from some disease of the eye, month, ears, stomach, hand, leg, etc will make a vow to offer a Maavilakku to Mariamman should they be cured.
Once cured the devotee fulfils their vow by offering the Maavilakku to Amma.
In the famous Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in South India a very special ritual concerning the Maavilakku finds importance. 

INGREDIENTS

Rice flour                      - 1 cup

Finely grated jaggery - ¾ cup

Cardamom powder    - 2 pinches

Ghee                              - 3 to 4 tbsps

FOR LIGHTING LAMP

Ghee                           - as needed

Cotton wicks

METHOD

Take the rice flour in a mixer along with grated jaggery and cardamom .

Grind the rice and jaggery. Just give a blend  just to mix the rice and jaggery thoroughly. Leave the ground rice and jaggery powder in a bowl and leave it aside for 10-15 minutes. The jaggery leaves moisture  to the rice flour.

After 15 minutes add 3 tbsps of ghee and mix the flour mixture till the ghee incorporates nicely.

Split the rice and jaggery mixture into two portions. Knead the rice and jaggery mixture to 2 balls.

Take any mould, grease tghe mould with a tsp of ghee and gently press the rice balls into the mould.
Invert the mould gently on a plate and make a small dent with the bottle cap in the centre for pouring ghee to lit the lamp.

Divine maavilaku is ready to lit.

Pour needed ghee in the dent keep the cotton wick and lit the lamp .

May godess maariamman bless this world with her kindness, and blessings.
And enjoy the taste of maavilakku as prasadam, and share it with your dear and near.



NOTES

I didnt add water, but if you feel its too dry then drizzle few drops while kneading.The amount of jaggery depends on the jaggery variety .