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Brass Oil Lamps (Deepak, Samai and Kerala Lamps)

deepak · samai · nilavilakku · Kerala lamp · pital ka diya · latkan diya

From£6
Sizes4–16 inch
Dispatch2 days
About these pieces

An oil lamp is a diya with a body: a stem, a figure or a chain that lifts the flame off the floor. 107 are pure brass, 8 are iron and 2 are aluminium. It splits into three groups: Kerala lamps, peacock, hanging and figure lamps, and table and samai lamps.

Pick the type by where it will burn. A Kerala lamp or samai stands on the floor or on a low table beside the mandir. A hanging lamp needs a hook and enough chain to keep the flame well clear of the ceiling. Peacock and figure lamps are as much a showpiece as a light. After that, look at the oil cup. A deeper, wider cup burns longer between refills, and a lamp with several wick slots gives more light. Weights run from about 100 g to 3.7 kg.

Trim the wick short and keep it just above the oil. A long wick smokes and blackens the brass above the flame.

Peacock, Hanging and Figure Lamps64 piecesTable and Samai Lamps30 piecesKerala Lamps23 pieces

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About these pieces

An oil lamp is a diya with a body: a stem, a figure or a chain that lifts the flame off the floor. 107 are pure brass, 8 are iron and 2 are aluminium. It splits into three groups: Kerala lamps, peacock, hanging and figure lamps, and table and samai lamps.

Pick the type by where it will burn. A Kerala lamp or samai stands on the floor or on a low table beside the mandir. A hanging lamp needs a hook and enough chain to keep the flame well clear of the ceiling. Peacock and figure lamps are as much a showpiece as a light. After that, look at the oil cup. A deeper, wider cup burns longer between refills, and a lamp with several wick slots gives more light. Weights run from about 100 g to 3.7 kg.

Trim the wick short and keep it just above the oil. A long wick smokes and blackens the brass above the flame.

Good to know

What are the parts of an oil lamp called?
The base, the stem or dandi, the oil cup or bowl with its wick spouts, and the finial on top, which is often a peacock, a hamsa or a plain kalash.
What is the difference between a samai and a Kerala lamp?
Both are standing lamps with a stem. Samai is the western and southern Indian name for a tall lamp, often with a bird finial. The Kerala nilavilakku has a wide round bowl with wicks laid around the rim.
Are brass lamps worth buying over cheaper metal ones?
Brass does not rust from oil and water and can be cleaned back to a shine. The iron and aluminium lamps here cost less; the metal is stated on each title.
Which oil should I use?
Ghee or sesame oil are the usual choices for the mandir. Fill the cup about three quarters so it does not spill when the lamp is moved.