Brass Kuber Kachua Diya - 2.3 Inch Tortoise Oil Lamp

• 2.3 in and 130 g — the middle of our three Kuber Kachua lamps, larger than the 1.8 in antique piece and lighter than the akhand version
• Bright polished brass rather than an aged finish — it reflects lamplight, and can be polished back to a full shine whenever you choose
• Shell forms the oil well — the tortoise is the lamp, so the Vastu figure stays in place while the wick burns
• Wide flat plastron base — a low centre of gravity that suits an office desk or a cash locker shelf where things get moved about
• The well takes enough ghee for a full evening lighting without needing a top-up mid-puja

• Head pointing into the room or into the shop, never towards the main door
• North or north-west of the desk, mandir shelf or cash locker — the directions given for this remedy in Vastu
• Table or shelf height on a metal or stone coaster, since the base warms while the wick is burning
• Keep the space in front of the tortoise's head clear, so it is not looking into a wall or the back of a monitor
• Not in the bedroom, not in the kitchen, and not on a windowsill facing out

1. 1. Wash it in warm water with tamarind or lemon and salt before first use, rinse well and dry it fully
2. 2. Install on a Friday evening or on Dhanteras, placing it with the head pointing into the room
3. 3. Fill the shell well about three-quarters with ghee, or with gingelly (sesame) oil for daily lighting
4. 4. Set one twisted cotton wick with its tip resting on the lip, and light it at dusk while facing north
5. 5. Chant Om Yakshaya Kuberaya Vaishravanaya Dhanadhanyadi Pataye one hundred and eight times, or eleven times for a short daily observance
6. 6. Let the wick burn out, then clean the lip once cool; polished brass shows soot far more plainly than an antique finish, so a wipe after every lighting and a tamarind or lemon-and-salt clean each week keeps it bright

Kurma, the tortoise, is the second of Vishnu's ten avatars: when the gods and asuras churned the ocean of milk and the churning mountain began to sink, Vishnu took tortoise form and let it rest on his back. Vastu borrows the same figure for the north of a building, the quarter of Kubera, treating the animal as a symbol of a base that holds steady under load. Making the tortoise a lamp joins that symbol to the oldest offering in Hindu worship, the lit flame, so the object is used rather than only displayed.

• MaterialSolid brass
• Size2.3 in, approximately 58 mm
• Weight130 g
• FinishPolished brass
• TypeTortoise-form oil lamp (Kuber Kachua diya)
• Suitable forHome mandir, office desk, shop counter, cash locker, return gifts
• FuelGhee or gingelly (sesame) oil with a single cotton wick

Colour and texture vary slightly from piece to piece — every bead and stone is natural and one of a kind.

Keep away from water, perfume and harsh chemicals. Wipe gently with a soft dry cloth. Store in the pouch or box provided when not in use.

Presented in a sturdy gift box with protective foam, made for safe delivery and for gifting.

7-day returns. Contact us with your order number and we will guide you through it. Please keep the product in its original condition.