Brass Parrot Standing Diya with Chain

Name: Brass Parrot Standing Diya with Chain
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-POO-PAR-054
Price: 4199.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A brass standing diya with a cast parrot holding a hanging oil pan on a chain.

Rs. 4,199.00

Rs. 4,199.00 Rs. 4,899.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,450g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Finish: Antique, with darkened recesses
Base: Fluted dome on a low pierced platform with cast feet
Use: Lit with oil and a cotton wick beside a murti
In the box: 1 brass standing diya with a chain-hung oil pan

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Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The parrot perches at the top of a turned column with its tail swept down one side in engraved feather lines, and the chain runs from its beak. At the end of the chain hangs a small shallow pan, with points pulled out of its rim and a short post standing in the middle. Because it hangs, the pan swings when the lamp is carried and settles level again on its own. The base is a fluted dome on a low pierced platform.

Technique

Antique

What is it?

A hanging diya is an oil lamp whose pan swings free on a chain instead of sitting fixed on a stem, so the flame moves with the air in the room and the pan can be lifted down to be filled.

Also known as a parrot diya, hanging diya, pital deepam, chain lamp or bird oil lamp.

What is in the box?

1 brass standing diya with a chain-hung oil pan

How do I look after it?

Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge. Dry fully with a cloth before putting it away — water left standing is what causes spotting.
Brass darkens. It reacts with air and with the oils on your hands, and a piece in daily use will dull within weeks. That is the metal telling you it is not plated.
To bring the shine back on the raised surfaces: a soft dry cloth, and nothing more. The dark in the recesses is the finish, not dirt — lemon, salt and tamarind will strip it out and the pattern will flatten.
Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
If you would rather it stayed dark, leave it alone — a settled patina protects the surface.

How was it made?

Antique

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is this brass solid or plated?

Solid. The column, the bird and the pan are cast brass and the chain is linked brass, coming to 1,450 g together. Plated sheet at this height would not hold the pan steady on the chain.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No. The feather lines on the tail are cut by hand and the chain length is set by hand, so the pan hangs at a slightly different height on each lamp.

Is this the same as a samai?

No. A samai is a plain standing lamp with the pan fixed on top of the stem. Here the pan hangs on a chain from the bird's beak, so it swings free and lifts off the ring to be filled.

How do I clean it after pooja?

Lift the pan off the ring and wipe it out on its own, which is easier than reaching into it on the chain. A dry cloth on the column, and nothing wet in the pierced platform.

Can I use ghee instead of oil?

Yes. The hanging pan is shallow, so ghee fills it faster than oil and sets as it cools. Lift the pan down and wipe it while the metal is still warm.

Is the bird a parrot or a peacock?

It reads as a parrot, with a hooked beak, a small crest and a long tail worked in engraved feather lines rather than the fan of a peacock. The maker's own name for the motif is being confirmed.