Vilakku

Vilakku means lamp in Thamizh and Malayalam. It is a traditional oil lamp that is commonly found in South India. These beautifully crafted lamps mostly made out of expensive coinage metals like gold, silver and bronze, symbolize prosperity and joy.

Year

Motion | Posters

2025

There are many different varieties of lamps, categorized based on size, shape, orientation and how it is installed. kuthu vilakku, agal vilakku, thooku vilakku etc. A kuthuvilakku is generally placed on the floor and can be displaced easily. Thooku vilakku illuminates certain parts of the structure in which its installed, it is usually suspended from the ceiling.

Kuthu Vilakku

Kuthu vilakku is basically a floor lamp that can be easily moved or displaced. It is mainly used to illuminate certain parts of the establishment or buildings it is housed in. It has a little reservoir on top which can hold oil. There are different varieties of the floor lamp available.

Thooku Vilakku

Thooku vilakku is a ceiling lamp that is permanently fixed in hall ways or rooms. It is suspended from the ceiling and is commonly found in high raised structures such as mandapams and temples.