How to drape a Saree on Vilakku
During auspicious functions, the lamp is worshipped as the Divine Feminine or Sridevi.
This year, during Karkidakam, we had organised a pooja, and this was how our Lamp looked.
Drapping a sari on the Lamp is easy if you know to take pleats and it is just practise; really. Ofcourse, knowing to wear a saree yourself, gives you a huge advantage!!
Please use a new sari for the draping; not an used one and get those gold ornaments out of the Safe to decorate Her.
Method:
Remove the head of the Lamp and tie a stick just underneath the neck part. Tie this tightly and in such a way that it does not move.
I have used a stick and a scale joint together to get the appropriate length on both sides.
Place this on top of a peetham or small raised stool.
Take your sari and start pleating it from the inside till you nearly reach the pallu bit.
Fold the pallu part in the way, you would pleat your sari pallu.
Meaning: Length wise pleats till you reach the pallu bit and width wise pleats at the pallu part.
Use ample safety pins to hold all the pleats in place.
If you can, please iron the pleats into place.
The sari part must now be folded into half - length wise. Tie it tightly into a knot.
Fix this centre part at the neck of the vilakku and tie it up tightly on to Her arms.
Spread the pleats.
Now we start draping the sari over the vilakku.
The pallu will be on your right side.
Take the pallu and go around the back and bring it forward and drape the pallu over the shoulder.
Bring the rest of the pallu over the other shoulder.
This is how it looks from the back.
Stretch the pleats over both the shoulders to cover the rods and use pins to hold position.
Use a 'udyanam' or chain to accentuate the waist.
Decorate the 'neck' part with a thick necklace.
And the torso with as many pieces as you like.
I checked the 'look' with different necklaces.
This was the first 'look'.
I was not very happy. So I changed it and decorated Her with a stone pendant and my 'mulla mottu' long chain.
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