Kozhukattai is a famous South Indian food, and it is made out of rice flour, coconut and jaggery. Kozhukattai can also be made in different varieties, such as sweet and salt. Kozhukattai is also called as Modakam in North India. In Tamil Nadu, this food item is related with lord Vinayaka, and it would be mostly prepared during monthly Chathurti days, and at the time of Vinayaka Chathurthi festival.
It is also prepared as a snack item by the people in India, and would be taken along with evening coffee/tea. Kozhukattai is an all-time favourite food of Lord Vinayaka, and lot of stories are associated with this. Apart from Chathurti days, Kozhukattai can also be prepared on our birthdays, wedding days and other important days, and it can be offered as a Neivedyam to Lord Vinayaka.
While preparing and offering Kozhukattai to Vinayaka, we should not count the number of Kozhukattai, since it is believed that at the time of our offering, Lord Vinayaka would take an invisible form, and would eat or smell our Kozhukattais.
As per ancient Puranas, once there lived a great devotee of Lord Vinayaka, and her name was Vallabi. Once she offered lot of Kozhukattais to Lord Vinayaka, during Vinayaka Chaturthi festival day, and she observed fasting on the whole day. The next day morning, while she was praying before the idol of Lord Vinayaka, the great Lord Vinayaka appeared before her, blessed her with his trunk, and took her to his abode, “THE WONDERFUL GANESHA LOKA”.
Similar to this incident, if we also worships Lord Vinayaka and offer Kozhukattai to him with full of devotion in our mind, we would also get a chance to permanently live in the abode of Lord Vinayaka, and can enjoy the everlasting divine pleasure permanently.
“OM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR