LAMP.
Dipa, . . . BENG. Lampadu, . . . Rue.
Lampe, . . . FR., GER. Dwipa, . . SANSK., TEL. Charagh, . . . HIND. Lampara, . . . SP.
Lucerna, . . . .• IT. Vallak, . . . TAM.
Lamps are formed of various materials and shapes, arranged for burning materials readily fluid at ordinary temperatures, in order to pro duce light. Muhammadans, like the Jews, light a lamp in honour of persons, and Hindus follow this custom.
A feast of lamps was held by the Egyptians in honour of the goddess of war. They held these solemn festivals in honour of Minerva at Sais. We may deduce the origin of this grand oriental festival from that common mother-country in Central Asia, whence the Dewali, or festival of lamps, radiated to remote China, the Nile, the Ganges, and the shores of the Tigris ; and the lamps and fireworks of the Shab-i-Barat of the Muhammadans of Islam is but the feast of lamps of the Hindus. In all these there is a mixture of the attributes of Ceres and Proserpine, of Plutus and Pluto. Lakshmi partakes of the attributes of both the first, while Kuvera, who is conjoined with her, is Plutus, as Yama is Pluto, the infernal judge. The consecrated lamps and the libations of oil are all dedicated to him ; and, in Rajputana, 'torches and flaming brands are likewise kindled and consecrated, to burn the bodies of kinsmen who may be dead in battle in a foreign land, and light them through the shades of death to the mansion of Yams.'
The Hindus have a feast of lamps, Dipawali, at the same period of the year as that of the Jews, in honour of Kartikeya or Skanda, the god of war ; and the Rajputs, in honour' of Lakshmi. The Parsee religionists have a feast of lamps. The Chinese have a feast of lanterns, on which occasion are many inscriptions on the lanterns ; a usual invocation is Tien-ti, San-shiai, Paulin Chin-tsai ; Oh heaven, earth, the three limits, and thousand intelligences, hail ! The Dipdan is a lamp suspended from a tree for ten days after the death of a relative, to light the spirit on its way to Yamapuri, the city of Yana, the judge of the dead.
Every Ilindu temple of any pretensions has a st'hamba, or pillar of stone or wood for lamps.— Roberts, p. 17; Faulkner ; Wilson's Gloss.