Cast brass oil lamp with a pinched bowl on a splayed lotus foot under a pierced scroll plate - Peetal Parampara

Brass Diya with Cut-Out Back Panel, 700 g

Rs. 2,699.00

Rs. 2,699.00 Rs. 3,799.00

Brass Diya with Cut-Out Back Panel, 700 g

Name: Brass Diya with Cut-Out Back Panel, 700 g
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-POO-DIY-061
Price: 2699.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A cast brass diya on a lotus foot, with a cut-out panel standing behind the wick.

Rs. 2,699.00

Rs. 2,699.00 Rs. 3,799.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 700g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Finish: Polished, with the punched detail darker in the recesses
Wicks: One, resting in the lip pinched out at the front of the bowl
Base: A foot of splayed lotus petals, each one veined with punched lines
Use: Filled with oil and lit at the mandir, or set on a pooja thali
In the box: 1 brass diya with pierced back panel

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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 bowl is pinched to a point at the front so the wick has somewhere to rest, and it is deep enough to take a real pour of oil rather than a smear. Behind it a pierced plate rises to a leaf-shaped point, worked in scrolls that leave three openings cut clean through, with a rosette at each shoulder. The whole thing stands on a foot of splayed petals, each petal veined with punched lines that stop short of the tip.

What is it?

A diya is the shallow cup that holds oil and a cotton wick and is lit during pooja. Where a plate is cast behind the bowl it shields the flame from a draught and throws the light forward into the room.

Also known as a deepam, deepak, agal vilakku, pooja oil lamp or pital diya.

What is in the box?

1 brass diya with pierced back panel

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: a paste of lemon juice and salt, or tamarind pulp, or a proprietary brass cleaner. Rub, rinse, dry. Two minutes.
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.

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 bowl walls, the back panel and the petal foot together weigh 700 g, and the back panel alone is thick enough to stay rigid when you pick the lamp up by it. Weigh it if you want proof.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

The scroll pattern will read the same. The three openings in the plate are cleaned out by hand after casting, so their edges are slightly different on every lamp, and so is the depth of the veining.

Is this the same as a plain deepam cup?

No. A plain cup is only the oil bowl. Here the bowl is raised on a petal foot and carries a pierced plate at the back, so the flame is sheltered on one side and the light is thrown forward.

How do I clean it after pooja?

Wipe the bowl out warm before the oil goes tacky. The scrollwork holds soot, so warm water and a soft brush through the openings, then dry it properly or the punched lines hold the water.

Can I use ghee instead of oil?

Yes. The bowl is deep, so a spoon of ghee lasts a long aarti. It sets solid as it cools, so clear it out while the metal is warm rather than chipping at it the next morning.