Temple Rituals (Research)

Why are lamps lit in the temple?

Temple Rituals

January 2022

By: Ahana Raghavan, 13 years

For: Gurukulam- The Shloka Learning Centre

Hi everyone! Today, I am going to talk about why lamps are lit in the temple. There are multiple reasons why we light lamps, and I am going to talk about as many as possible. I will also talk about the significance of lamps in Hindu culture, etc.

Why are lamps lit?

Courtesy: Google Images

The first reason why this was done was to ease the sight of templegoers who came after sunset for rituals. This was often practiced back in the day since there was no source of artificial lighting then, so after sunset, it was difficult to see the deity of the lord. So in order to see the deities with ease, lamps were lit across the temple.

Another significant reason why lamps are lit is that they signify triumph over darkness (which is associated with evil strongly in Hindu culture). This is why lamps (commonly called diyas) are lit during Diwali, or Deepavali (the “festival of lights” that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, specifically the triumph of Rama over Ravana and the rescue of Sita).

Also, light is a symbol of knowledge, and when we light lamps, it is as if we are bowing down to knowledge as the greatest form of wealth. This is not all. We also light lamps when praying to goddesses (Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Durga, and more) and it is said that when doing this, you are going to be rewarded with prosperity.

Why are lamps so significant?

Courtesy: Google Images

Lamps often symbolize many good qualities such as purity, positivity, goodness, and the brightness of the world, and it is often said that lighting lamps drives off darkness and therefore brightens your life.

As you can see, there are many reasons why lamps are lit in the temple, and lamps are an important part of Hindu culture. Thanks for reading, and I hope you read more about the rituals of temples.