A huge 30 kg kozhukattai offering is made on Vinayaka Chaturthi to Mukkuruni Vinayagar worshiped in the Madurai Meenakshi temple. Mukkuruni Vinayagar is a 7-feet tall, four-armed, black stone murti worshipped on the pathway between Sundareswarar and Meenakshi Amman shrines.
Reason For Offering 30 Kg Kozhukattai
Legend has it that once Ganapathi appeared as a young boy and worked for a devotee on earth. As wage, Ganesha asked for three kurunis of rice. As Ganesha had asked for moonu (three) kuruni of rice he came to be known as Mukkuruni Vinayagar. Kuruni is an ancient Tamil measurement and one kuruni is roughly 10 kilograms.
The special kozhukattai or modak is offered at around 7:15 AM on Vinayaka Chaturthi day.
A huge single ball of steaming modak made from thirty kilograms of rice is tied in a cloth and slung between poles and is carried on shoulders to the shrine. After offering it to Ganesha, the huge modak is shared as prasadam.
Mukkuruni Vinayagar Kozhukattai Ingredients
The kozhukattai is cooked on firewood. The ingredients used are 30 kg rice grounded to powder, 30 kg jaggery melted and boiled to syrup, 25 coconuts grated, 4 kg roasted Bengal gram, 4 kg white sesame seeds, 4.5 kg ghee, 250 gram cardamom and 50 gm nutmeg.
The mixed ingredients are put in a white cloth and suspended over a large brass vessel half-filled with water. The mixture is steamed for 24 hours. The bundle is then carried to the temple without opening.