The Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Lighting Lamps

Vaishnavi Gurusankar

At the time of the sunset, there is an unexceptional ritual followed everywhere in India. The Ladies in the house light a match. There is a familiar smell of cotton wicks burning that wraps the household. This is followed by the warm glow of the lamps and sounds of prayers being offered to their favorite Gods. This little practice of lamps being lit at households across India during dusk is an alluring tradition associated with Goddess Lakshmi. It is supposed to bring good luck, wealth, and prosperity into life.

Light, in general, is the symbol of prosperity, well-being, and abundance. It has the quality to make us see things clearly. Light also represents knowledge. Darkness, on the other hand, represents ignorance. The presence of knowledge removes ignorance, like how the presence of light removes the darkness around us. Hence, lighting up a lamp denotes the removal of ignorance in a person.

Now, one may ask, “Even the lights that run on electricity does pretty much the same function of driving away darkness, so why light lamps?”

The lamps are lit with pure devotion and contemplation on the Gods and Goddesses. The mantra-s uttered when lighting a lamp spread positive vibrations inside a home. Also, the wick denotes the ego. The oil or ghee represents the various negative thoughts and tendencies of a person. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the ego gets perished. The flame always burns upwards. Similarly, when we acquire knowledge, it will take us towards higher spiritual ideas. 

Lighting up lamps, deepam-s or diya-s everyday has been a regular practice in Indian households and temples since time immemorial. This little significant practice is interwoven into the lives of Indians, so much so that, not a day passes by without lighting a lamp. It is also a customary practice to light lamps before starting any auspicious ceremony or festival. It is believed to spread positive vibrations around. 

We need a lamp, oil or ghee and cotton wicks to light it up. First, oil or ghee is added to the lamp, and then a cotton wick is placed on it before lighting it up in front of the Gods and Goddess (In the pooja) at home.

Materials Used for Making Lamps 

Diya-s or lamps can be lit by using different materials present in a home. Many homes and occasions demand the use of rice flour or wheat flour mixed with jaggery to form the lamps. Once the flames have died, the lamps are distributed as prasada or sometimes thrown in wells and rivers. This lamp becomes food for the fishes and many insects. 

Various metals also are used to make lamps. One can find many lamps made from gold, silver, bronze and brass. One of the most common lamps is the earthen one. This is found in almost every household due to the cost, maintenance, and ease of use. On special occasions like the Karthikai deepam and Diwali, people decorate their homes and light earthen lamps in their homes.  

Apart from these materials, lamps are made from vegetables and leaves as well. People use the lemon skin (juiced and the skin turned upside down) to light lamps. 

Oils Used in Lamps 

Just like different materials used for making lamps, there are several oils used to light a lamp. Oils form the heart of a lamp and hold a significant place. Desi ghee is one of the most common and extensively used mediums to light lamps. Apart from ghee, other oils such as sesame oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, neem oil, jasmine oil etc., are also used to light up lamps. Another popularly used oil by many people is the pancha deepam. This is a blend of 5 oils (Ghee, coconut oil, mahua oil, castor oil and neem oil), and it is supposed to bring health, happiness and wealth into the family. 

Oils such as groundnut oil, sunflower oil, palm oil or other vegetable oils are not used for lighting lamps. 

Types of Lamps 

There are different types of lamps used for different occasions. Kamatchi Vilakku is used extensively during housewarming ceremonies and other auspicious ceremonies. There is Kuthu Vilakku, which is used during special functions like weddings in households. The lamp here stands tall and vertical. It usually has 5 Mukam-s (Faces). Five wicks facing different directions are set on fire in this type of lamp. There is a particular lamp called the Paavai Vilakku. A woman seems to be carrying a lamp. Apart from this, there is also Addukku Vilakku, which is a traditional lamp used while performing special poojas at temples. It has many steps with a handle and particular places for wicks or camphor. There is also Akanda Vilakku, which comes with a glass casing and people prefer this type of lamp outdoors where there is wind around. In Kerala, Nila Villakku is very famous and can be found in all places of worship and homes.

No matter what type of lamps are used, they are adorned and decorated with tilak, sandalwood paste and flowers.

The Science behind Lighting Lamps at Dusk 

Have you ever noticed what happens at dusk? The treetops would be overflowing with chirping birds returning to their home to rest for the day. One miracle is that the sunset time is not the same every day yet, there is some intelligence that steers these birds back home. The same intelligence that guides the birds is within every one of us. Just that we are not tuned to follow its guidance. 

The period of twilight is called Sandhyakalam. During the sunset time, there is a dip in the positive vibrations in the atmosphere. These vibrations affect humans. When one lights a lamp and utters mantra-s or shloka-s, it acts as a protective shield against the negative vibrations. This is one of the primary reasons the elders in the family always insist that the young children return home before dusk or never leave one’s home after dusk.

Prayers While Lighting A Lamp 

While lighting lamps, shloka-s can be uttered to spread positive vibrations. Here are some shloka-s that one can sing while lighting a lamp at home. 

Subham Karothi Kalyanam

Arogyam Dhana Samdha

Shatru Buddhi Vinashaya

Deepa Jyotir Namosthute

Meaning: Salutations to the light that brings auspiciousness, health, and prosperity, which destroys one’s hostile intellect (qualities such as kama, krodha, etc.). Salutations to the light of the lamp. 

One could also chant the following shloka after lighting the lamp to bring positive vibrations.

 Deepa Jyothir Parambrahma,

Deepa Jyothir Janardhana,

Deepo Me Hara Tu Paapam,

Deepa Jyothir Namosthute

Meaning: I salute the Brahma, the sustainer of creation, who is in this form of light. I salute this light which destroys all the pains resulting from my action. 

When a single lamp is lit, it can light up a thousand lamps. No matter how many lamps are lit by a single diya, its light does not diminish. This shows that knowledge once acquired, does not decrease when you share it with others. On the other hand, it only benefits both the receiver and the giver. Hence, let us light the lamps in our homes and guide our children towards higher spiritual experiences.  

I am Vaishnavi Gurusankar, a passionate educator, a wife and a mother. I have over a decade of experience as an educator and have been closely working with teachers and children of all ages. I am also an active parenting blogger and founder of Magical Unicorn, an exclusive parenting blog founded on Indian ethos, values and stories at its core.