Brass Peacock Standing Diya, 2.8 kg

Name: Brass Peacock Standing Diya, 2.8 kg
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-POO-PEA-047
Price: 6799.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A brass standing diya with a cast peacock over a pan pulled into six points.

Rs. 6,799.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 2,800g

Material: Brass, unlacquered, cast peacock on a turned stem
Finish: Polished bright over the whole lamp, no darkening left in the recesses
Spouts: Six points pulled out of the pan rim, one wick resting in each
Base: Fluted bell foot with a beaded band, standing on a broad round pad
Use: Lit with oil and cotton wicks for daily pooja, aarti and festival evenings
In the box: 1 brass standing diya with a peacock top

Check delivery to your PIN code

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 peacock stands on the collar with its tail thrown up and back in a beaded fan, and the head turns to one side so the crest breaks the outline of the lamp rather than sitting square on it. Under it the pan is pulled out into six sharp points, each one a rest for a wick, and the metal thins visibly toward the tips. The stem is turned in stages, a fluted collar, a beaded ring, a long taper and another ring, before it flares into a bell foot cut with radiating flutes. Polished bright, with no darkening worked into the recesses anywhere on it, so the whole lamp reads as one colour under a flame.

What is it?

A standing diya is a tall oil lamp on its own weighted base. The pan sits high on the stem, so the flame reaches chest height on a mandir shelf instead of sitting on the floor beside it, and the wicks lie in the rim.

Also known as a mor diya, mayur deep, kuthu vilakku, pital samai or peacock standing lamp.

What is in the box?

1 brass standing diya with a peacock top

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 lamp weighs 2,800 g and most of that is in the stem and the foot, which is why it stands steady. Plated sheet of the same height would weigh a fraction of it.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No. The peacock is cast and then cleaned up by hand, so the beading on the tail and the set of the crest shift a little from one bird to the next.

Is this the same as a samai?

It is the same object. Samai is the Marathi name for a standing oil lamp and kuthu vilakku the Tamil one. All three describe a lamp that stands on its own foot instead of being carried.

How do I clean it after pooja?

Tip the cold oil out, wipe the pan with a dry cloth and go along the points with a corner of it. On the turned stem a dry cloth is enough, and polish only when the shine has really gone.

Can I use ghee instead of oil?

Yes. Ghee sets solid in the pan as it cools, so warm the pan slightly before you wipe it, or the residue stays in the points where the wicks sit.

How many wicks can I light at once?

Six, one at each point of the pan. The pan is a single well, so the oil runs between them and one filling serves all six on a festival evening.

Will it stand steady on a shelf?

The foot is a broad round pad and the mass sits low in the base, so it holds firm on a flat shelf. On an uneven surface the wide pan shows the tilt before the base does.