Brass Peacock Standing Diya, Set of 2

Name: Brass Peacock Standing Diya, Set of 2
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-POO-SAM-050
Price: 5599.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A pair of brass standing diyas, each with a cast peacock over a spouted oil pan.

Rs. 5,599.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,000g

Material: Brass, unlacquered, cast tops on turned stems
Finish: Polished to a bright yellow, with the beading on the tops left crisp
Quantity: 2 lamps, cast from the same pattern and finished one at a time
Use: Lit as a pair beside a murti, at a doorway, or on either side of an aarti thali

In the box

1 brass standing diya with a peacock top
1 matching brass standing diya

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.

Each peacock holds a ribbed strap in its beak that curves down and loops back to its own feet, so the bird reads as a closed shape rather than an outline with a gap in it. Both tails go up behind in beaded fans. The stems repeat the same turned sequence, a fluted band over a beaded ring over a long taper. The pans are pulled into sharp spouts at the rim, and each bell foot sits on a wide flat disc turned with fine concentric lines, which catches the oil that creeps down the stem. The two are not identical twins. Set them side by side and the tails and the fluting on the bases give the hand away.

What is it?

A standing diya is an oil lamp raised on a turned stem and a weighted foot. Lamps like these are lit in pairs, one on each side of a murti or a doorway, so the light falls evenly on whatever sits between them.

Also known as a samai, kuthu vilakku, nilavilakku, pital standing lamp or peacock oil lamp pair.

What is in the box?

1 brass standing diya with a peacock top
1 matching brass standing diya

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. Cast and turned brass rather than pressed sheet, all the way through. The pair weighs 1,000 g together, so put one lamp on a kitchen scale and the number tells you what you have.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No, and the two lamps in the set are not identical to each other either. Each peacock is cast and finished by hand, so the tails and the crests differ a little.

Is this the same as a kuthu vilakku?

It is the same object. Kuthu vilakku is the Tamil name for a standing oil lamp and samai the Marathi one. Both 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 and wipe the pan with a dry cloth, taking the corner of it into each spout. The flat disc under the foot catches the runs, so wipe that at the same time.

Can I use ghee instead of oil?

Yes. Ghee sets hard in the spouts as it cools, so wipe both pans the same evening rather than leaving the residue to harden overnight.

How many do I need?

Two is the usual count, one on each side of the murti, and that is what the set gives. A household lighting a doorway as well would keep a second pair by the entrance.

How many wicks does each pan take?

We have not printed a count yet. The spouts are being counted from the pans in hand, because the rear spouts sit behind the stem in this photograph and cannot be counted from it.