231 # Buy a Nila vilakku, the traditional lamp of Kerala, made out of bronze. The one shown below is a very large nilavilakku at the departure enterance of the Kochi international airport
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. Courtesy - wikipedia
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