Why do we light a lamp ?

Dear Chitra,

Happy to note that you are back. How is your DIL doing?
By starting this culture thread, you have already lit lamp in our dark minds and by every weeks post it is more and more brightening. Thanks for this week post. Your vilakku looks so beautiful. I have kamakshi vilakku and thamarai vilakku. What this kind of vilakku is called?

regards,
surya.

Dear Chithra,
I hope Chithru is better now. I have undergone the same surgery a few years back. The nose being blocked, the throat and mouth becomes dry with the breathing. And the nose causes much irritation and pain.
I know that you will take care of her and also Ruby and the girls are there. We also pray for her speedy recovery.

Now, this was a great post on lighting lamps. In temples in Kerala, only lamps are lighted inside the sanctum sanctorum. This gives a very divine feeling when we have a darshanof the God in the lamp light. Yesterday I had been praying at the Vadakkumnathan temple (Shiva) at Trichur the same time. The darshan of the Lord adorned with many chandra prabhas in golden and sarpam at he top was just out of the world.
With warm wishes,
varloo

Thanks for your post.
Traditionally it is enough to light one lamp. My Guru says, during elaborate pujas & for functions, 2 lamps are lit, so that even if one goes off, the other will be there. One lamp with one wick is OK for regular use.
All the 3 directions E, W & N are good for the deepam to face. Usually South is considered Yama Direction & is avoided.
Since I am very fond of lamps, for functions I buy different lamps for myself instead of clothes & I keep on alternating them in order regularly. I just enjoy this so very much !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Thanks for your feedback.
I learnt the keeta pathanga shlokam from Paramacharya's Deivathin Kural.
In my personal opinion, any wick is not single, but " heterogeneous". So normally, I light a " panju thiri", not a " nool thiri" because the former burns beautifully !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Chanting these shlokams gives you such a nice feeling that I never miss it.
Now, in Chennai, we get silver floating lamps to be kept in water. The beauty of those lighted lamps in water, has to be seen to be believed.
If anybody is interested, I can post a photo.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Purnima,
The shloka keeta pathanga explains the highest glory of the lamp. I am glad you liked it .
The lamp arrived in your house at the naivedyam time to indicate, perhaps, there may be a Kutti Kannan for next Janmashtami in your house !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Thankyou for the feedback.
Acharyas say, it is enough if the lamp burns for minimum 30 mts. thereafter it is your discretion. Normally, a drop of milk is kept on both sides of the deepam & then you can put it to rest by drawing the wick inside. One can also " press" a flower on the deepam to rest it. I never wait for the entire oil to burn because, then, the inside turns black.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Thankyou for the feedback.
The best time to light the lamp in the evening is " sandhya kalam" - the time when day is just leaving. Now I light at 5.45 pm in Chennai. In nov, it will be even before 5.30.. In summer it is as late as 6.
For your second query, I am sending you the reply by P M .
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Lighting a lamp does give a s[iritual mood undoubtedly.
Since deepam also signifies auspiciousness, who would like to miss doing it ?
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Thankyou for the feedback.
In my lamp - it it is the traditional vazaithandu vilakku without the centre thandu portion. My DIL was given a pair like this. I liked it very much that I got a pair made for myself !
Love & regards,
Chithra.