Maavilakku / Vilakku Maavu / Rice Flour Lamp Recipe

            I am Feeling blessed and Grateful to share this Recipe to all my Readers !!!

The importance of Maavilakku:

Why is the Maavilakku so important for the Goddess Mariamman?
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.
The Maavilakku is made out of ground white rice, honey, butter and elachi which is mixed together and molded into a lamp. In the center of the lamp ghee is poured with a cotton wool wick which is lit. 
The Maavilakku is carried around the temple 3 times and then offered at the feet of Mariamman.
Devotees who suffer from some disease of the eye, mouth, 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. 

Samayapuram Mariamman Temple:

In the famous Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in South India a very special ritual concerning the Maavilakku finds importance.
The cured person lies on his/her back in front of the Amma a leave is placed on the affected part of the person’s body.
The Maavilakku is placed on the leave and lit. After a while is taken off and offered as prasadam.

Please remember that this Maavilakku does not have to only be made in the month of Aadhi but it can be made at any time and offered to Amma. 

Festive Season:

Every year at the time of festival for Mariamman we carry these Rice Flour lamps along with family members and worship the Goddess to get her blessings. So I wish to include this maavilakku recipe in my recipe list. Eventhough it is traditionally made for long years and everybody knows it very well, I would like to share this recipe for newly married women which will be very useful for them to prepare this recipe from scratch. Let's see how to prepare.

Ingredients:

Raw white Rice / Pacharisi - 1 Cup equals 250 gms
Uraundai Vellam / Powdered Jaggery - 1 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Directions to Make Mavillaku:

First wash the rice thoroughly and soak it for about 1 hour and drain it completely. Then dry it in a white cloth under the fan for about 1 hour. Do not dry it in Hot sun.


Click the Image and zoom you will get clear enlarged stepwise pictures

After 1 hour slightly the moisture still remains in the rice. Add it to the mixer and grind it to a fine powder. After that Sieve it for separating solid particles from the fine powder. 

Powder the jaggery to a fine powder. Add the grounded rice powder and the powdered jaggery again to a mixer grinder and grind it once for the rice and jaggery to mix together nicely. Grind it for just few seconds. 

1. Transfer it to a wide big plate or any wide Vessel of your choice for conveniently making the maavilakku. 
2. Now the rice and jaggery has mixed well and you can shape it just with your hands. 
3. If your rice mix powder is too dry you can sprinkle some hot water and make shape out of it shown in the below pictures.
4. After you get some shape add ghee and knead the rice flour mix like a chappathi batter. 
5. Add some ghee to get a moulded shape of vilakku or lamp. 
6. Roll it with your hands to get the desired shape.
7. Finally place a small glass on it and give a slight pressure to make a dent on the Maavilakku for pouring the ghee. Ensure you are not breaking the maavilakku mould while making the dent. 

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear enlarged stepwise pictures

Finally place the Maavilakku in a Banana Leaf spreading some ghee on the leaf before you are placing. Even you are placing in a plate or vessel spread some ghee to the exact place of maavilakku and keep on it. (If you are placing without ghee, the maavilakku will stick to the surface and there is a chance of breaking it). Pour Ghee on the dent and lit the lamp.

This Maavilakku holds good in refrigerator for about 1 week and in room temperature for 2 days. You can have it along with coconut pieces, it tastes Yummy!

Now our devotional Maavilakku is ready to carry for Mariamman Temple along with the other Pooja items for Worshipping. I feel delighted to Post this Recipe to Everyone :). 

Notes:

• Adjust the Jagerry according to your Sweetness. 
• Maavilakku can also be made by preparing jaggery syrup and kneading the Batter to get the desired shape. 
• As it is a raw rice recipe, it must be taken in limited quantity. Cosumption of more quantity may cause stomach aches.