Dates Vilakku For Guru Poornima

For the last few years as a way of offering to our guru I have been lighting maa vilakku / lamp made with some flour or various ingredients. Though the general version is made using some grain and jaggery, this guru poornima I wanted to offer a vilakku/deepam made with dates to light lamp in. Guru is a person who shows as the light at the end of the tunnel, so I offered my lamp to all my gurus who have done that for me.Here is the way I made the date lamp.

Gadgets:

Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring Spoon

Ingredients:

For making two lamps:

Seedless dates - 12
Ghee - enough to fill the dates lamp plus 1 tsp
Cotton Wick - 4

Preparation:

1. Take 6 dates and cut slice and cut the slices into small bits.

2. Spreading a little ghee in your hand collect the bits and make a tight ball. This is make the dates to mush together.

3. Insert your thumb into the ball and slowly shape the dates into a lamp.

4. Once the lamp is formed add some ghee, solidified ghee works well.

5. Place in a silver or brass plate and light the lamp.