Diyas: Exploring Their Types and Timeless Designs

The joy associated with a festive occasion is like none other. The togetherness, joyfulness, and traditions make festivals the most anticipated events of the year, and their overall aura is always cheerful. 

Festivals are integral to our lives as they play a cultural and religious role. The sense of community and relations is heightened during any festive occasion, and when they finally end, you are filled with sadness and longing. 

Additionally, what makes festivals stand out are the aesthetics they offer and the distinct objects and instruments they symbolize. Diyas are an object wholeheartedly associated with festivals, general worship, and devotion. 

 

What’s the significance of diyas?

A diya, which acts as a symbolic lamp, has been used for religious affairs for centuries. It’s used not only for devotion or worship but also for illuminating a specific surrounding. 

What makes diyas so appealing is how they lit up an area. The light is vibrant and devoid of any technical or mechanical means. 

Moreover, they provide an aura that’s vintage and spans the course of time and history. Various cultures use diyas differently and for varied purposes. You’ll find the usage of diyas across religions, communities, and cultures. Diyas are lit not only in temples but also inside Gurudwaras and Buddhist monasteries!

Given their prevalence for such a long time, many kinds of Diyas come with different specifications and uses. We’ll discuss them elaborately below.

Types of Diyas

Brass Diyas

One of the most common diyas that are primarily available in every household, brass diyas come in various shapes and sizes with diverse purposes. 

Depending on their shape and size, they can fit anywhere and illuminate any room they are in. 

Given their popularity, they can be used for spiritual and decorative purposes. They can also be infused with other elements like crystals for added beauty. Brass Crystal diyas look divine when they are appropriately lit. 

Additionally, Brass Samay diyas are the perfect products for temples as their length and structure match the aesthetics of the situated place. During festivals, a large assortment of brass diyas can make any site look majestic and enchant guests like no other.

When it comes to structure, they are far lighter than other diyas, hence their broad applicability. You don’t have to be a spiritual or religious person to enjoy the overall beauty of the lamps; you can just be a collector who appreciates the refined art and history that diyas possess.

Clay Diyas

Compared to the heavy and sturdy nature of brass diyas, clay diyas are temporary and more prone to breakage and wear-off. However, what they lack in substance, they make up in elegance. Clay diyas have long existed before metal diyas came into being. There are excavations that date clay diyas to the 1st Century AD.

What makes clay diyas so unique is that everyone can afford them, and until brass and other metal diyas came along, the festival of Diwali has always been synonymous with clay diyas. 

The composition of clay diyas is such that they are highly sustainable, cheap, and provide a vintage and unique aura. Additionally, you can mold a clay diya according to your interest and include different colors and art designs to beautify them. Some of the most common types of clay diyas are:

• Multicolor decorative clay diyas
• Terracotta Diyas
• Hand-painted Clay Diya 
• Golden clay diya

Antique Diyas

As mentioned above, diyas are used not only for religious and spiritual reasons but also for decorative purposes. Antique Diyas are used explicitly for that fact. A vast and diverse marketplace deals in the sale and purchase of antique diyas. And like every other art form, the collection of antique diyas is a very sought-after and profitable venture.

Home decor also plays a crucial role in the business of antique diyas as they enhance the aesthetics of every surrounding they inhabit. Overall, antique diyas are a glorious combination of religiosity, spirituality, and decoration.

The range of antique diyas is such that they can be classified in many ways, such as an antique brass Ganesha hanging diya or the antique peacock brass diya. The range is unlimited! 

Depending on your requirements and necessity, you can purchase an appropriate diya reasonably priced to beautify your home!

Oil Diyas

If you ask anyone about diyas, they’ll tell you it is synonymous with oil. The critical ingredient lights up a diya and provides a majestic illumination.

Oil diyas aren’t a holistic product; they come in various shapes and sizes. Multiple oils and ointments can also be used to light them up.

Unlike other forms of diyas, they consume less energy and are considerably sustainable for the environment. 

 

Given the consumption of less energy, they become affordable to people of all social strata, and they get to celebrate festivals with the same decorations and intensity as everyone else. Some of the most common oils that are used to light up diyas are:

• Neem 
• Mahua
• Castor 
• Jasmine oil 

Oil has been the key ingredient in diyas and lamps for centuries. However, with the advent of technology and the usage of other elements like electricity and LED diyas, the trend has somewhat been upended.

Electric Diyas 

What makes electric diyas so convenient is the fact that a large number of diyas can be lit up with a single source of energy. 

This convenience has resulted in new designs attuning to the user's needs. E-devices like Bluetooth are also used to operate a single diya and a large number of diyas interconnectedly. 

However, electric and LED diyas consume a lot of energy even if they light up a large section of the house. 

Their applicability depends on the needs of the user and the size of the area where the diyas are to be placed. The most common electric diyas are:

• LED Diyas
• Water Sensor Diyas
• Reflective Diyas 
• Decorative Diyas 

Conclusion

Diyas have lit up homes for centuries, and they will continue doing so in the future. Regardless of the nature of the festival or occasion, diyas are commonplace in every such setting. There are also many choices that people can avail of according to their requirements to find that perfect lighting combination!