Chhattisgarh Potter’s Earthen Lamps Burn All Day Long, Courtesy Unique Design
A Chhattisgarh-based potter has been making magic earthen lamps that can burn all day long. Ashok Chakradhari, a resident of Kondagoan in Bastar District of Chhattisgarh, has received thousands of orders for the lamp ahead of Diwali, after his creations went viral on the internet for reviving a traditional lamp that can burn continuously for 24 to 40 hours.
The model of this lamp resembles that of a vintage hookah of ancient India. The lamps that have been called “magic lamps,” feature a diya, a dome-shaped reservoir to hold the oil, and a tube-like structure to hold the reservoir over the lamp’s base. The reservoir automatically fills oil into the lamp drop by drop, allowing it to burn longer.
Chhattisgarh potter’s magic lamps burn all day long | Image: The Better India
Chhattisgarh: Ashok Chakradhari, a potter in Kondagaon, has designed an earthen lamp in which flow of oil is circulated automatically.
He says, “I learnt making this lamp watching several techniques online. I’ve received a good number of orders for making more such lamps.” pic.twitter.com/oIfwmSu1qA
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2020
The idea of creating a lamp that can burn endlessly for hours originated when Chakradhari watched a video on YouTube. The 62-year-old potter said,
I am always on the lookout for new ideas that can challenge my pottery skills, and be a useful innovation for those around me. In 2019, before Diwali, I was looking for a new design to sculpt diyas. That is when I stumbled upon a lamp that carries a reservoir of oil over it and keeps refilling the base to ensure the diya does not stop burning. I found it interesting and decided to make that.
He watched several techniques online and attempted many times to perfect the final product. Once the design was finalised, Ashok sold about 100 pieces or more last year during Diwali. This year he made about hundred of these lamps for Durga Puja and sold them for Rs 200 each.
After sharing a video of the lamp on Facebook, he began to get calls from friends and family, who wanted to place orders for the lamps. Soon, the video went viral and Chhattisgarh potter’s Facebook page filled with queries from people across the country who wanted to buy magic lamps.
Ashok Chakradhari making the magic earthen lamps | Image: The Better India
According to him, some wanted to place orders for 1000 pieces and some wanted him to courier only five pieces or less. Unfortunately, he had to refuse all those orders as he did not has the facility to send it across the country. Moreover, the lamps are quite delicate and can get damaged during transit. However, since he has received such a positive response from customers, he is planning on a solution to deliver these lamps safely.
