Editing Oil lamp (section)

=== India ===
[[Image:Diya.jpg|thumb|A basic earthen oil lamp used for [[Diwali]]]]

In [[Vedic period|Vedic times]], fire was kept alive in every household in some form and carried with oneself while migrating to new locations. Later, the presence of fire in the household or a religious building was ensured by an oil lamp. Over the years various rituals and customs were woven around an oil lamp.

For {{lang|sa-Latn|Deep Daan}}, the gift of a lamp was and still is believed to be the best {{lang|hi-Latn|daan}} ('donation'). During marriages, spinsters of the household stand behind the bride and groom, holding an oil lamp to ward off evil. The presence of an oil lamp is an important aspect of ritual worship (the {{lang|sa-Latn|Shodashopachar Puja}}) offered to a deity. Moreover, a day is kept aside for the worship of the lamp in the busy festival calendar, on one {{lang|sa-Latn|amavasya}} (moonless) day in the month of [[Shravana (month)|Shravan]]. This reverence for the deep is based on the symbolism of the journey from darkness and ignorance to light and the knowledge of the ultimate reality – "{{lang|sa-Latn|tamaso ma jyotirgamaya}}".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Olivelle |first=Patrick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9-2jV7sRuEC&pg=PR9 |title=Upaniṣads |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-283576-5 |pages=12–13 |language=en}}</ref>

Earlier lamps were made out of stone or seashells. The shape was like a circular bowl with a protruding beak. Later, they were replaced by earthen and metal lamps. In the epics ''[[Ramayana]]'' and ''[[Mahabharata]]'', there are references to gold and silver lamps as well. The simple shape evolved and the lamps were created in the shapes of the {{lang|hi-Latn|matsya}} ('fish'), {{lang|hi-Latn|kurma}} ('tortoise') and other incarnations of god [[Vishnu]]. Lamps were also created in the shape of the many emblems of gods, like [[conch]] shells or [[lotus flower|lotuses]]. Birds such as swans, peacocks, or parrots, and animals like snakes, lions, elephants and horses were also favorites when decorating a lamp. For lighting multiple lamps, wooden and stone {{lang|hi-Latn|deepastambhas}} ('towers of light') were created.

[[File:Lighting-a-lamp.jpg|thumb|Lighting of a {{lang|ta-Latn|Kuthuvilakku}}]]
Erecting a {{lang|hi-Latn|deepastambha}} in front of a temple is still a general practice in western and southern India. In some of the South Indian temples, raised brass lamp towers called {{lang|hi-Latn|Kamba Vilakku}} can be seen. To adapt the design to households and smaller spaces, the {{lang|hi-Latn|deepavriksha}} ('tree of light') was created. As the name suggests, it is a metal lamp container with curvi-linear{{Vague|reason=unknown meaning|date=August 2020}} lines branching out from the base, each holding a lamp. The {{lang|hi-Latn|Deepalakshmi}} is another common design, where the goddess Lakshmi holds the lamp in her hands. {{lang|hi-Latn|Kuthuvilakku}} is another typical lamp traditionally used for household purposes in South India.

Oil lamps also were included in [[proverbs]]. For example, a Bradj (pre-Hindi) proverb says, "{{lang|gu-Latn|Chiraag tale andhera}}", 'the [utmost] darkness is under the oil-lamp ({{lang|gu-Latn|chiraag}})', meaning that what you seek could be close but unnoticed (right under your nose or feet), in various senses (a lamp's container casts a strong shadow).