Editing Oil lamp (section)

===Hinduism===
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2015}}
{{See also | Aarti | Diwali | Rangoli }}

[[File:Paavai-vilakku8.JPG|thumb|upright=.5|left|{{lang|ta-Latn|Paavai vilakku}}: brass oil lamp from [[Tamil Nadu]] in the image of [[Andal]]]]

Oil lamps are commonly used in [[Hindu temple]]s as well as in home shrines. Generally the lamps used in temples are circular with places for five wicks. They are made of metal and either suspended on a chain or screwed onto a pedestal. There will usually be at least one lamp in each shrine, and the main shrine may contain several. Usually only one wick is lit, with all five burning only on festive occasions. The oil lamp is used in the Hindu ritual of [[Aarti]].

In the home shrine, the style of lamp is usually different, containing only one wick. There is usually a piece of metal that forms the back of the lamp, which has a picture of a [[Hindu deity]] embossed on it. In many houses, the lamp burns all day, but in other homes, it is lit at sundown. The lamp in the home shrine is supposed to be lit before any other lights are turned on at night.

A hand-held oil lamp or [[incense sticks]] (lit from the lamp) are also used during the Hindu [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] ceremony. In the North of India, a five-wick lamp is used, usually fueled with [[ghee]]. On special occasions, various other lamps may be used for puja, the most elaborate having several tiers of wicks.

In [[South India]], there are a few types of oil lamps that are common in temples and traditional rituals. Some of the smaller ones are used for offerings as well.

[[File:Deepalakshmi56.JPG|thumb|upright=.5|A {{lang|hi-Latn|Deepalakshmi}} oil lamp from [[Kumbakonam]]]]
; {{lang|hi-Latn|Deepalakshmi}}: A brass lamp with a depiction of goddess [[Sri Lakshmi]] over the back piece. They are usually small and have only one wick.
; ''[[Nilavilakku]]'': A tall brass or bronze lamp on a stand where the wicks are placed at a certain height.
; {{lang|ta-Latn|Paavai vilakku}}: A brass or bronze lamp in the form of a lady holding a vessel with her hands. This type of lamp comes in different sizes, from very small to almost life-size. There are also large stone versions of this lamp in Hindu temples and shrines of [[Karnataka]], [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Kerala]], especially at the base of columns and flanking the entrance of temples. They have only one wick.
; {{lang|ta-Latn|Thooku vilakku}}: A brass or bronze lamp hanging from a chain, often with multiple wicks.
; ''[[Nachiarkoil lamp]]'': An ornamental brass lamp made of series of [[Diya (lamp)|diya]]s, a [[handicraft]] product which is exclusively made by the Pather ([[Kammalar (caste)|Kammalar]]) community in [[Nachiyar Koil]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name=nachiar1>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/71543906.cms|title=PM Narendra Modi gifts Xi Jinping Annam lamp and Thanjavur painting|website=Times of India|date=11 October 2019}}</ref>

When the [[Brihadeeswarar Temple|Big Temple]] in [[Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu]], was built 1010 AD, there were elaborate measures taken to provide lighting for the temple. Lands were donated to or conquered for the temple for this sole objective. The income from these lands would go towards providing the oil for the lights.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O1b1N_Dx0jsC&pg=PA87|title=The Royal Temple of Rajaraja: An Instrument of Imperial Cola Power|first=Geeta|last=Vasudevan|year=2003|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=8170173833}}</ref>