Aarti Dipa is the traditional lamp used by the Hindus for the ‘
aarti’ ceremony (offering of light to the lord). Usually ghee is used as a medium for burning.
Aarti Dipa is made of silver, bell metal, brass, copper and clay. These lamps, available in various shapes and sizes, must contain odd number of wicks usually more than three. Five is the standard number used during rituals. On some occasions, instead of a lamp containing five wicks, five separate lamps are used in sequence.
The priest may also use a flat metal plate as a substitute for the lamp. This plate contains wicks along one side or a lump of camphor in the center. Some lamps use a long wick made of cotton wrapped around the stalk of a grass called ‘kusha.’
