Earthen lamps that reflect age-old Punjabi culture

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 2

The names of traditional clay or earthen lamps used during Diwali puja reflect age-old Punjabi culture.

Hatri looks like a one-room house, in which one finds walls on three sides and one side is left open. On the top, lamps are visible on all its four corners and another in the middle, besides provision for three more lamps to place wicks around it are also made.

Chandol on the other hand has four sides to place wicks and is bigger than the normal diva (earthen lamp).

Another form of clay lamp is called Diwali, which is a tower kind of a structure. It has four places to light the wicks around it in the middle and another on its top.

A female figurine called Pari with two wicks placing diyas on both palms is another kind of earthen lamp.

Rajesh Kumar, a trader and potter, said a Diwali prayer remains incomplete without placing terracotta haathi, ghoda, idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi. He said being earthen, these were considered pure. After performing the prayer on Diwali night, all these need to be released in a running water stream.

Deep Davinder, a Punjabi short storywriter, said different forms of clay lamps were specimen of ancient Punjabi culture, when lamps used to be the only source of light after sunset. He said expert artisans had displayed their skills and creativity by moulding different forms of lamps. A clay lamp with spaces for multiple wicks might be a symbol to show wealthy status in society. He said many of these words find mention in the pre-Partition Punjabi literature.

Baljit Kaur Riar, Assistant Professor of Punjabi at the Guru Nanak Dev University, said in Punjabi culture, Chandol used to be a group of earthen lamps lit together on a frame and Hatri used to be a one-room like structure over which clay lamps used to be placed for proper lighting.