DEEPAK DIYA INDIAN OIL LAMP BRASS PUJA NAGA ALTAR INDIA HINDUISM 20TH C.

Description

GJPaw
Auctions is pleased to offer
a superb antique cast brass Indian Oil Lamp.
In India, oil lamps emerged sometime during the Vedic period (1500-500 BCE) and since then have been an integral part of Indian life.
Deepak
or
diya
is Sanskrit for ‘oil lamps,’ which are lit during festivals and also everyday worship in homes
. There are several different forms of oil lamps, from the traditional round or pear-shaped dish to ones with intricate styles and figures. Although oil lamps may be composed of stone or clay, many are cast using lost-wax methodology and composed of various metals including brass and bronze. Often, these lamps are decorated with elaborate designs, auspicious motifs or deities. The Goddess Lakshmi is particularly popular due to her connection with Diwali, the festival of light, which celebrates the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil.
Oil lamps depicting Lakshmi are called
Deepalakshmi
; however, other auspicious deities such as Ganesh, and Garuda are also traditionally portrayed.
In Hinduism, the Goddess Rajarajeshwari is often associated with the oil lamp. Some devotees believe she resides within the lamp. This goddess is the combined form of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga, the goddesses of wisdom, wealth and feminine power. They are the three consorts of the gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, collectively known as the Hindu Triad, the gods of creation, preservation, and destruction. Together they comprise the circle of life. Consequently, Rajarajeshwari is attributed with the powers of creation, preservation and destruction and is considered one of the most powerful forms of Shakhti, the primordial cosmic energy. In turn, the deepak came to be treated as a sacred object and no ritual, prayer or festival can begin without it being lit.
This superb example depicts a Naga,
a member of a class of mythical semi-divine beings, half human and half cobra, used for protection. It
measures 2.25 inch in width by 5 inch in depth by 5 inches in height (5.71 cm by 12.7 cm by 12.7 cm). It dates to the early 20th century, and shows wear commensurate with age. A fine collector’s piece for anyone interested in Hinduism, Vedic mythology, or Far Eastern art and religion in general. It is guaranteed authentic.
GJPaw
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A1108-023