23 MAA VILAKKU

Maa Vilakku / Rice Flour Lamp / Biyyam Pindi Deepam / Akki Thambittu

 

Maa Vilakku is a lamp made with freshly pound rice flour and jaggery prepared during some months like Thai(Mid January - Mid Feb on Fridays) or Aadi( Mid July - Mid August on Fridays(or Tuesdays or Sundays) and or Purattaasi( Mid September - Mid October on Saturdays) and offered to god. The tradition varies from family to family. During the month Aadi, this is prepared and offered to goddesses like Mariamma or Amman or even to the House god or Diety especially on days like Friday which is considered to be very auspicious if not can also prepare and offer on Tuesdays or Sundays which is also considered good for Goddesses. Also it depends on the family to light one lamp or 2 lamps. It is then placed on top of a Banana Leaf.

Spread in front of the diety and the lamps are placed with some flowers below it and kumkum/vermilion applied to all four sides on the dent/hole where wick is placed. Ghee poured in the hole and wicks are litted. 

Other than preparing it on certain days, my grandparents used to prepare this and take to us to a temple( SankaranKovil), a temple near our native and offer it to the god in return to some prayings that is prayed for a cause( That is for a quick cure of something that someone has been having for a long period).

In Karnataka this is called as Akki Thambittu and prepared during Mangala Gowri Vrata and Nagar Pachami( The fifth day after Bheemana Amavasya that comes on Mid July - August)

Note, this post is just showing you how to prepare and how it looks. This has not been offered to any god, Will update the post with new pictures with the offerings.

Recipe and details from Mom:-

Raw Rice / Pacharisi / Pachi Biyyam - 1 cup
Jaggery / Vellam / Bellam - 1 cup
Ghee
Wicks
 

Wash and soak rice in water for 20 - 30 minutes. Drain water completely and spread on a cloth to dry under shade. Next when still moist, powder it in a mixie to a fine powder. Use a siever and sieve the powder over a paper. Place back the ones that does pass the siever again the mixie and run it to powder again until you are left with just few granules.
Next add the grated/shaved/powdered jaggery and mix well. Run this mixture once again in the mixie so both gets mixed. Remove and transfer to a wide container. Press it well and mix them both to form a dough consistency. The pressing itself warms the jaggery to melt and help in mixing well. Next shape as lamps like a round ball. Use the thumb to press on top to make a dent or hole to place the wick. Instead can use a lemon and just make a small push to form the hole. Pour ghee to fill it and place wick. Lit it and place and offer it to the god.

Break into pieces and distribute as prasadam to eat.