Fabric Painting - cloth preparation

1. First starch should be removed otherwise the paint will not be absorbed properly. 
2. Hence Wash the cloth and dry it.
3. The Iron it.
4. Fix the embroidery ring
5. Trace the design 
6. Colour using fabric paint (after you dip the brush in water, dry it completely then dip in paint otherwise the work will uneven)
7. Let it dry for 24 hours
8. Iron on the reverse side

Padi kolams / Maakolam/Naalu moolai Kolam designs - friday special

Design-19

To know about why maavilaku is offered, please click here :- 


To make maavilaku, you may need :-

1. Rice - 1  cup
2. Jaggery - 3/4 cup
3. Elachi powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Cotton wick
5. Ghee (fuel for lamp)

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes. Drain. Then in a clean cloth spread it under fan to dry. In a mixer, powder it nicely.

Take a plate, put the rice flour, elachi powder and 1/2 jaggery and mix it well with hands. Till you get the dough firm, keep kneading. The remaining jaggery add as per requirement as while kneading it will melt and the dough should be firm to hold the ghee when we light the lamp.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. Shape them into smooth balls and press it slightly flat. Place them on a plaintain leaf or on a clean greased plate.  Make a hollow in the centre, place a cotton wick, pour melted ghee and grease the tip of the wick. Make very little vermillion dots on both sides of the lamp (As an auspicious sign) where the wick is placed.  Place it before the pooja shelf or in pooja room before the deities and light it.

While distributing the prashad, Offer some betel leaves with betel nuts, whole turmeric, flowers, banana, coconut slices and a small portion of the vilakku dough.

When eaten with coconut, it tastes very delicious.

(ps : Maavilakku is a traditional light offered to the goddess in the tamizh month of Aadi on Fridays and Tuesdays)

Jai Ma Ambe!

Maa Villakku / மா விளக்கு

மா விளக்கு(Maa Vilakku) is a lamp that is made out of flour into which the cotton wick is placed and ghee is poured and the lamp is lit and offered to Devi followed by chanting of slokas and prayers to Devi (goddesss).

This maa vilakku is offered to the Goddess on any Friday in the Tamizh month  (falling between july & august) of "Aadi" (Ashada in sanskrit) at homes and at temples, along with Coconuts, beetel leaves, betel nut, whole Turmeric and Flowers.

 श्रीमह्मकाली महालक्ष्मी महासरस्वत्यो देवताः

How to make Maavilakku :Click on the link for the procedure.

After the lamp calms down, the portions from it is distributed along with coconut slices as prashad (picture shown below).

Aadi month is dedicated to the goddess and in the state of Tamizh Naadu, devotees offer Ragi Porridge (Raagi Koozh) is prepared, offered to the Goddess "Amman" and then distributed to devotees as "Prashad" (as a blessing from God). Aadi month falls in Summer time hence the porridge that is made of Raagi acts as a coolant too and reduces body heat and a very healthy drink.

During the first Friday of this year, i offered maa vilakku to Devi. Presenting it for you as a virtual prashad.

Jai Ma Ambe!