Nilavilakku
Encyclopedia
Nilavilakku is a lighted bell metal
traditional lamp
used commonly in Kerala
, South India
. Nilam in the Malayalam language means ground and Vilakku means lamp. Nilam and vilakku have exactly the same meaning in the older cognate Tamil language. Nilavilakku is the symbol of Shiva Linga
The Nilavilakku is integral to all the rituals and ceremonies in a Keralite's life. As dusk creeps in, young girls of the family bring the lighted lamps (nilavilakku) to the verandah of the house. In the flickering light of the nilavilakku she is joined by the children and elders of the family, especially the grandparents, in chanting hymns and evening prayers.
Lighting the nilavilakku on any occasion is believed to be auspicious. Nilavilakku play an important role at the presentation of various art forms. The art forms are performed after lighting the nilavilakku.
Bell metal
Bell metal is a hard alloy used for making bells. It is a form of bronze, usually approximately 4:1 ratio of copper to tin...
traditional lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
used commonly in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, South India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Nilam in the Malayalam language means ground and Vilakku means lamp. Nilam and vilakku have exactly the same meaning in the older cognate Tamil language. Nilavilakku is the symbol of Shiva Linga
The Nilavilakku is integral to all the rituals and ceremonies in a Keralite's life. As dusk creeps in, young girls of the family bring the lighted lamps (nilavilakku) to the verandah of the house. In the flickering light of the nilavilakku she is joined by the children and elders of the family, especially the grandparents, in chanting hymns and evening prayers.
Lighting the nilavilakku on any occasion is believed to be auspicious. Nilavilakku play an important role at the presentation of various art forms. The art forms are performed after lighting the nilavilakku.