With the advent of Karthikai, out come the old brass lamps, some of which are family heirlooms�. At our place, we still prefer using the clay lamps, simply �cause they look so beautiful, and we can leave them outside without any fear of them being carried away!!! However, our neighbours regularly take out their special brass lamps, and I decided to capture some of the interesting types of lamps on my camera�..
This is the typical Kerala type of lamp�. surrounded by the smaller lamps which are unique to Karthikai.
Here is an assortment of lamps, the central one being the typical Kuttu Vilakku, a lamp all of us Tamilians possess.
Around it is the Kamakshi Vilakku, which has an image of the goddess Kamakshi behind the area where the flame is lit. But the most interesting of the lot is this one��..
This is called the �Aikya Vilakku� (Aikyam � meaning attainment). The lamp is so-called since it is a representation of the trinity � the base representing Brahma, and the upright part representing a Shiva Lingam, with the Namam (the three vertical lines) representing Vishnu.
Here�s another interesting lamp from another neighbour�s house � this one is a different shape with the top bulging out � apparently, this part can be opened and filled with oil so that it trickles down to replenish the stock of oil near the flame, and the lamp burns for a much longer time!
An interesting assortment of lamps, aren�t they?? I am sure there are many more such interesting lamps from all over India
