Description:

           Here we have a real antique perpetual lamp called ‘Thoondamani vilakku’ from Tamizhnadu, south of India. It is a  hanging votive lamp in a chain with a swan (Annaparavai) at the top and the wick at the bottom. The large ball shape seen in-between the swan and the wick  was originally an oil well used to function as an reservoir in which the ghee was poured. This ‘Thoondamani vilakku’ is a non functioning lamp and it is a show piece to decorate your beautiful home as it has great significance in the history of South Indians from the Sangam period (300 BCE to 300CE).

Mentions about this lamp in Ancient literatures:

           “NandhA Vilakku” (நந்தா விளக்கு) has been mentioned multiple times in Sangam literatures ( 300 BCE to 300 CE). References are from Aga-Naanooru, Seevagasindhamani, Pattinapalai, Paripaadal and so on.

What is a  "Thoondamani Vilakku"?

        "Thoondamani Vilakku" is a type of votive hanging lamp commonly found in Hindu temples. Votive offerings are nothing but the voluntary dedications to the gods, like a Vows or a prayer or promises of individuals or communities to God.  If the prayer is been answered they would complete their promise.

     For example:  A promise would be to light a candle or to light a particular number of candles or it could be anything.  Likewise in India, in particular towards the South, instead of lighting candles people promise to light Thoondamani vilakku / Nandhaa Vilakku in the temples throughout the year or for a particular period.

Etymology of this Lamp:

         Thoondudhal (தூண்டுதல்) in Tamil meaning, touching something. So to not to touch something is called Thoonda (தூண்டா ). Since this  lamp works by the Capillary action and auto feds oil or ghee from the reservoir in to the lamp to burn continuously without the necessity of adjusting the wick it has got it’s name “Thoondamani Vilakku” (Tamil: தூண்டாமணி விளக்கு).

        In ancient days, to burn these lamps in temple they needed loads of ghee. Therefore, cows and goats were donated for the daily supply of milk to obtain loads of ghee. One ‘Uzhaakku’ of ghee which is aprox 330 ml of ghee every day to light up  one Thoondamani vilakku a day. People either offered gold coins otherwise they offered 90/ 96 goats along with one male goat or 32 cows along with a bull as offerings to the temples to fulfill their thoondamani vilakku vows. Also to burn the light only half a day they offered half the quantity of the above said goats or cows. This became a common practice among the Chola people when their king, Raja Raja Chozhan worked out a plan for them which he called “ Sava Moova peraadugal thittam” (Tamil: சாவா மூவா பேராடுகள் திட்டம்). 

Check out the following link to know more history about this lamp.

Thoondamani Vilakku

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Product Details:

SKU ID: PVBL001

Product Name:

Brass perpetual lamp/ Thoondamani Vilakku

Made of : Brass

Dimensions : 22” H x 5.5” x 7” (with Chain); 11” H x 5.5” x 7” (without the Chain)

Weight : 2.3 kgs

Age : 80+ years

Provenance : Tamil Nadu

P. S. The products we sell are vintage and antiques and hence may have visible scratches and chip offs. We cherish them as they are reminders of the story they have been part of and hence we display them in the product pictures too.

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Please do check the dimensions before you buy.