As an ode to the time-honoured tradition of lighting lamps, Bengaluru's boutique design and décor firm, The Purple Turtles has curated an exclusive Diwali exhibition, Deepotsav, Tale of Lights.
The Ravana Vilakku on display at Deepostav. (Rashmi Gopal Rao)
Lighting oil lamps is intrinsic to Indian culture and synonymous with auspiciousness and invoking positivity. A symbol of divine energy, it is a ritual in most houses to pay obeisance to the force of the universe by lighting oil lamps.
And come Diwali, it is time to celebrate the victory of good over evil by lighting oil deepas or diyas all over. As an ode to this time-honoured tradition of lighting lamps, Bengaluru’s boutique design and décor firm, The Purple Turtles has curated an exclusive Diwali exhibition, Deepotsav, Tale of Lights. A must visit if you are a lover of heritage, antiquity and vintage craftsmanship, Deepotsav has close to 400 lamps from all over India and Sri Lanka.
The Deepotsav exhibition showcases a large number of lamps from Kerala and other states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and even Chhattisgarh.
Crafted mostly in brass, bronze and iron, most of these lamps are aged between 60 and 250 years. The inspiration for Deepotsav comes from founder and director of The Purple Turtles, Radeesh Shetty’s own astute interest in vintage oil lamps, which began in his early twenties.
Crafted mostly in brass, bronze and iron, most of these lamps are aged between 60 and 250 years. (Rashmi Gopal Rao)
His travels to diverse ethnic destinations within the country and abroad, have given him ample opportunities to curate lamps and build his own select collection over the years. What began as a personal assortment of rare souvenirs, each with a history and heritage of its own, subsequently developed into a riveting connoisseur collection.
“This showcase is the result of a collection that spans close to two decades. I am someone who is passionate about lamps and hence, I have been interested in sourcing and collecting them. Most of them have been procured from various sources like antique dealers, direct sellers as well as during my travels,” says Shetty. A part of the display also includes his private collection.
Symbolic of varying traditions and rituals, the exhibition features an eclectic range right from the dhokra lamps native to east India to the quintessential Kuthu Vilakku of Kerala, traditional lamps of Tanjore and the classical deepas of Mysuru.
The female acrobat suspension lamp features a lotus-shaped oil receptacle and a figurine at the apex. (Rashmi Gopal Rao)
Some are few inches in height, while others scale up to over 7 feet and feature a variety of intricate details. From deity reliefs like the Garuda, Nandi and even a rooster or a lion at the apex to ornately crafted receptacles that hold the oil and unique shapes like that of a boat (Vanchi Vilakku), you can find them all here. The latter are mainly used in temple procession, and shaped like the snake boats of Kerala.
“Many of them hold a special place of significance in temples; others are specifically used in weddings. Many temples in Kerala have step lamps like the 9-tier Garuda Deepastambha,” shares Shetty. Most lamps in temples were donations from devotees who gave them as a token of thanksgiving, he adds.
Most of the lamps displayed are works of art like the suspension lamps of Kerala. These include the gaja or elephant-shaped ones as well as the vimana vilakku or temple model shaped lamps.
The female acrobat suspension lamp features a lotus-shaped oil receptacle and a figurine at the apex. It has been crafted with impeccable attention to even the minutest of details, he informs.
The popular Kavara Vilakku has a central stem with branching arms supporting a round or floral plate. (Rashmi Gopal Rao)
The Lion Vriksha Vilakku is a piece of spectacular craftsmanship and represents the sacred banyan tree. There are 108 leaves as oil cups, the apex has a lion and it is as tall as 6 feet.
There are a variety of stationery lamps (Nila Vilakku) including the popular Kavara Vilakku that has a central stem with branching arms supporting a round or floral plate. An elaborate version of the Kavara Vilakku is the magnificent Ravana Vilakku that has ten branches and is truly impressive.
The Rukha Dipa is yet another exclusive piece that is native to Chhattisgarh. This one features a central stambha (staff). The top has peacocks perched on the rim of the oil reservoir. The Dokra Damar tribe of the state use the lost wax process to make these lamps.
The Rooster Pahana is yet another rare lamp native to Sri Lanka. Integral to Sinhalese culture, the rooster at the apex represents the dawn’s light conquering darkness. It symbolises the triumph of knowledge over ignorance.
Other antique lamps on display at the exhibition. (Rashmi Gopal Rao)
The Ramayan lamps, and lamps with keys to adjust the height as well as the Bhajana Chettu lamp of Andhra Pradesh are other unusual pieces on display.
“This event aims to bring together a sense of community rooted in tradition,” he signs off. Shetty plans to take the exhibition to Chennai and Hyderabad, next.
Exhibition is open from 11-19 November, 2023
Venue: The Purple Turtles Store, 128, 1st Main Rd, Paramahansa Yogananda Rd, Stage 2, Bengaluru
Timings: 10.30 am- 8 pm
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