Antique Brass Kuber Kachua Diya - 1.8 Inch Tortoise Lamp

• 1.8 in and 106 g — the smallest of our three Kuber Kachua lamps, light enough for a travel puja kit and small enough for a bedside altar
• Antique finish — the metal is chemically aged so the recesses are already dark, unlike a bright lamp that darkens unevenly with use
• Tortoise and diya in one form — the shell hollows into the oil well, so the Vastu figure and the lamp are the same object
• Takes a single small wick, which suits a short evening lighting rather than an all-night burn
• Fits where a larger lamp cannot — a locker shelf, an office drawer, or a mandir already holding bigger pieces

• Head facing into the room, never towards the main door — the tortoise should read as coming in, not going out
• North or north-east of the mandir, desk or locker shelf
• Small enough for a bedside altar or a desk at table height; keep it on a metal or stone coaster, as the base warms while lit
• Keep the space around it clear while burning — a small lamp on a crowded shelf is the easiest kind to knock over
• Not in the bathroom, not in the kitchen, and not facing outward from a windowsill

1. 1. Wash it in warm water with a little tamarind or lemon and salt before first use, rinse well and dry it fully; the antique finish lightens slightly with the first wash, which is normal
2. 2. Install on a Friday or on Dhanteras evening, with the head pointing into the room
3. 3. Fill the shell well with ghee, or with gingelly (sesame) oil for daily use; a small well holds very little, so do not fill it to the brim
4. 4. Set one thin twisted cotton wick with the tip resting over the lip, and light it at dusk 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. Once cool, wipe the soot from the lip with a soft cloth; use tamarind or lemon and salt sparingly, since heavy scrubbing will strip the antique finish back to bright brass

The tortoise is placed in the north of a home because Vastu reads it as the animal of patience and self-sufficiency — it carries its shelter, moves slowly, and withdraws rather than fights. The north is also Kubera's quarter, which is how the tortoise and the yaksha treasurer came to be linked in household practice. Casting the two together as a lamp adds a third element, since in Hindu ritual the lit diya is itself the offering, and the flame is what turns an ornament into part of the evening puja.

• MaterialBrass
• Size1.8 in height, approximately 46 mm
• Weight106 g
• FinishAntique, chemically aged
• TypeTortoise-form oil lamp (Kuber Kachua diya)
• Suitable forSmall mandirs, bedside altars, desks, lockers, travel puja kits, gifting
• FuelGhee or gingelly (sesame) oil with a single thin 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.