• This forum contains old posts that have been closed. New threads and replies may not be made here. Please navigate to the relevant forum to create a new thread or post a reply.
  • Welcome to Tamil Brahmins forums.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our Free Brahmin Community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

Query w.r.t oil lamp in puja room or space

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kannanpadmanabhan

Guest
I request to know what are the different practices that are followed by families of TB forum members regarding oil lamp in Puja room of one's house. Some of the questions are:

Which direction should the vilakku face?
What should a person who is lighting the vilakku do before that-both in the morning and evening?
Is it OK to have the vilakku burning as long as it can, eg. whole day and maybe whole night?
If not, When and how should the vilakku be "extinguished"?
What are the rules for the person before extinguishing?

I would be grateful to know the practices that are followed by traditions in the members' families and also if member can explain basis of his understanding
Thanks
 
Dear kannanpadmanabhan,

1. The Kuthuvilakku can be lit east facing.
2. It's best lit after a bath being pure of mind & body in the morning and after proper ablutions(like wasing one's feet, hands etc) in the evening
3. Namaskaram after lighting the lamp
4. The lamp can be left burning as long as it can and normally not extinguished

Regds,
Ravi
 
HELLO MR K.P , YOUR QUESTION IS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD BUT ITS VERY WORTHFUL . 1.THE LAMP HAS TO BE LIT IN EAST DIRECTION ONLY ,BUT CAN ALSO BE A LAMP WITH 5 FACES NO PROBLEM TO LIT ALL 5 SIDES DURING FESTIVALS ,FRIDAY ,SPECIAL OCCASION . 2.IN GENERAL ,HAVE THE BATH OR AT LEAST WASH THE FACE ,HANDS ,LEGS. AND THERE IS A TAMIL SLOGAN SPECIALLY AFTER LIT THE LAMP(thiru villakku slogan..its available in giri or other books stores.) 3.IN general ,the lamp has to be lit by 5.00--6.30AM and the same IN EVENING ,BETWEEN 5.00--6.30.WHILE YOU LIT IN MORNING ONE HAS OPEN THE BACK DOOR OF THE HOUSE FIRST ,THEN OPEN THE FRONT DOOR ,THEN CLEANSE YOURSELF ,THEN YOU LIT .WHILE YOU LIT IN EVENING ,YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE BACK DOOR(if no door at least your window.)FIRST THEN LIT LAMP AND FOR FEW MINUTES LET YOUR TUBE LIGHT OR BULBS TO GLOW FROM FRONT DOOR TO LAST ROOM ,THEN AFTER SOME MINUTES SWITCH OFF EXTRA LIGHTS . 4.ONE SHOULD NEVER BLOW OFF TO PUT OFF THE LAMP. IT SHOULD NEVER GET OFF BY ITSELF .ONE HAS TO KEEP FEW DROPS OF MILK IN SIDE OF LAMP ,AND PUT OFF BY MEANS OF A FLOWER OVER THE FLAME OR CAN PULL OFF THE WICK INSIDE THE LAMP. 5.ANY GOD CAN BE WORSHIP IN THE FORM OF LAMP FLAME,SO YOU CAN THANK GOD FOR BEING ,OR YOUR REGULAR PRAYERS. 6.ONE CAN USE GINGELLY OIL( NALLANAI) GENERALLY , GHEE (if known of no adultration) COCONUT OIL ,NOWADAYS 5 IN 1 OILS ALSO.AS EACH ONE HAS ITS EFFECT. BE SURE ONE LIT LAMP DURING PRADOSHAM TIME AND NOT BEYOND THAT (daily evening ,neitaya pradosham 4.30--6.30) IF DONE WITH FAITH ONE CAN SEE WONDERS IN THEIR LIFE. GUD LUCK.
 
The lamp is lit facing any direction, EXCEPT facing the South. Different oils and ghee give different palans. The lamp or the light is lit to dispel darkness basically. Again oil lamp is lit because the bulb may fuse off or the electricity will cut off. One should place the lamp safely avoiding the wind direction particularly on seasons. The slokam to recite after lighting the lamp is "subham karothi kalyaanam arogyam dhana sampatham, shatrubuddhi vinasaaya deepa jyoti namosthuthe." In my opinion if the light goes off, the place is engulfed in darkness. And dispel that darkness.
 
I like Iyya's explanation. The lamp is lit to dispel darkness. Understand that lamp is not the light is worshipped. But be careful when you have lighted lamp unattended it can cause fire. So be careful. Also lamp produces soot so should be ventilated area.
 
Ground nut oil should not be used. Using thamarai thandu thiri for lighting lamp is ideal.
 
I like Iyya's explanation. The lamp is lit to dispel darkness. Understand that lamp is not the light is worshipped. But be careful when you have lighted lamp unattended it can cause fire. So be careful. Also lamp produces soot so should be ventilated area.

Dear PrasadJi,

I remember when I was young my mum used to tell me to put off the flame of the lamp of the prayer room at night.

She told me to push the wick back into the lamp slowly to extinguish the flame but somehow I never listened to her and used to sing looking at the altar "Happy Birthday to you Happy B'day to you and good night to you " and blow the flame off.

This habit stuck to me and till this day this is how I extinguish the lamp flame and still sing Happy Bday and Good nite for God.
 
Last edited:
It seems that your way of extinguishing the flame off may be liked by god. There is no hard and fast rule.
 
Dear PrasadJi,

I remember when I was young my mum used to tell me to put off the flame of the lamp of the prayer room at night.

She told me to push the wick back into the lamp slowly to extinguish the flame but somehow I never listened to her and used to sing looking at the altar "Happy Birthday to you Happy B'day to you and good night to you " and blow the flame off.

This habit stuck to me and till this day this is how I extinguish the lamp flame and still sing Happy Bday and Good nite for God.

My mother used to tell me "vallak parish pannidu". The method your mother suggested does that. You never blow it off, as that is reserved for death in the family. I still follow that practice, no other reason.
 
seems like a 'light thread'. I remember having read some rules - should have a kolam first, then light a lamp (preferably with sesame-oil or ghee stored specifically for the pooja purpose), after lighting the lamp one should wash hands and then open the altar. Make sure you do achamanam before such worship, to have clean breath and hence clear voice for chanting. One should offer atleast a small naivedhyam (few nuts or a fruit or milk or sugar). Ofcourse after the chanting (any period of time), do namaskaram and must consume prasadam. If one offers doopam, even a flower has to be offered (don't know why!). Before putting the child to sleep, the parent uses dim lights and sing a lullaby, similarly one should sing a small aarti song and pull off the thiri gently or plan accordingly and use the right amount of oil.
 
Last edited:
Kuthu vilaku should not be placed on the ground. provide one brass plate to place vilaku. clean the ground, put kolam place one brass plate or any other tray on the kolam and on the plate put the kutthu vilaku. lit the vilaku facing east will give thunbangal neenghi vaseekaram undagum, If the lit the deepam facing west graha dosham, pangali pagai undagum. If you lit the vilaku facing north kalvi marrum subha karyam erpadum. south facing perum pavam and apasakunam undagum.

kuthu vilakku must be cleaned and washed only on monday and thursday night. do not wash kuthuvilaku on fridays and in tuesdays.

If you lit one face in the kuthu vilaku madhyama phalan. if you two faces kudumba orrumai. if you lit three faces puthra sugam and kalvi abhivrithi; If you lit four faces cow,milk, bhoomi serkai; If you lit five faces in the kuthu vilakku sarva peedai nivruthi. Ieswarya lakshmi kadaksham kidaikum.

Daily lit the vilakku by5-30 am and in the evening 5-30 pm. For maha lakshmi ghee deepam; For narayanan and sarva devadaigal Gingilly oil; Ganapathy coconut oil; Rudhradhi devadaigal ieluppai oil.

GHee deepam : Veetin sugam and nalam adhikarikaradhu; miga miga sirappana palan tharugirathu; gingilly oil deepam: dukkam aghandridum;sakala peeda pariharathirku errathu; castor oil deepam: (vilakenaai) Pughal; jeevana sugam; uravinar nalam. dhambadhya sugam ,valam, viruthy tharugirathu.

Copied from thambras journal.
 
My mother used to tell me "vallak parish pannidu". The method your mother suggested does that. You never blow it off, as that is reserved for death in the family. I still follow that practice, no other reason.

Blowing the flame off (by mouth) is like spitting on it. Hence it is forbidden.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest ads

Back
Top