It is traditional to use sesame oil or cow ghee in clay lamps for Diwali Deeparadhana. Soaking new clay lamps in water before use prevents them from absorbing too much oil. Keep lamps away from curtains, and never leave them burning unattended near children.
As the sun sets on Diwali evening, lamps begin to glow at doorsteps all along your street. You stand holding a bag of new clay lamps from the market, wondering whether to use them straight away, whether to pour ghee or oil, and how many lamps should go where. Prepared well, the lamps burn beautifully through the evening and the house stays safe. This post walks through everything Diwali Deeparadhana, the lighting of lamps, needs.
For the full map of the five-day festival, read our Deepavali 2026 complete guide.
What You Need for Diwali Deeparadhana
- Lamps: It is customary to use new clay lamps (pramidalu) for the festival.
- Soaking: Soak the lamps in water for 2-3 hours before use.
- Oil: Traditionally, sesame oil or cow ghee is used.
- Wicks: Cotton thread wicks are the most suitable.
Diwali Deeparadhana needs just four things: new clay lamps, sesame oil or cow ghee, cotton wicks, and plates or brick pieces to set the lamps on. For timings in other cities, see the series pillar guide. Full cracker safety is covered in Part 13.
What to Do Before Using New Clay Lamps
New clay lamps should be soaked in water for at least two to three hours before use. Lamps from the market are completely dry. Pour oil in straight away and the clay drinks it up, the outside turns greasy, and the flame dies quickly.
Fill a bucket or large vessel with water and submerge all the lamps. When the tiny bubbles stop rising, the clay has absorbed all the water it can. Take them out, turn them upside down on a cloth and let them dry for at least an hour. Pour oil only once they feel dry to the touch; oil in a damp lamp makes the wick sputter.
Before use, hold each lamp up and check for cracks. Oil leaking from a small crack can carry the flame down to the floor or cloth beneath, so set cracked lamps aside.
Last year’s lamps need not be thrown away. Soak them in hot water with a little detergent, scrub off the old grease and soot, dry them well and use them again. Some rituals, such as the Yama Deepam, actually call for an old lamp.
Two hours of soaking and one hour of drying is all a new clay lamp needs.
Which Oil and Wicks to Use for Deeparadhana
In Telugu tradition, Diwali lamps are mostly lit with sesame oil or cow ghee. We did not find a single strict rule in the texts on which oil to use, so choose according to your budget.
| Type of Oil | Traditional Use |
|---|---|
| Cow Ghee | Mostly used for the main lamp in the puja room. |
| Sesame Oil | Ideal for lamps placed outside the house and near the entrance. |
| Cotton Wicks | Ensures the lamp burns longer and steadily. |
Many homes combine the two: ghee for one or two lamps at the puja place, and sesame oil for the ten or twenty lamps outside, which keeps the cost in check. Some families avoid cooking oils such as sunflower oil for lamps, while others use them. It is a matter of traditional preference; no oil comes with a promise of special results.
A small clay lamp takes about one and a half to two spoons of oil, enough to burn for roughly two to three hours. For twenty lamps, keep about a quarter litre of oil ready.
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Shop-bought cotton wicks are fine. To make your own, take clean cotton wool between your palms and twist one end into a point. A wick that is broad at the base and thin at the top stands upright in the lamp better than a long round one. Dipping the wick in oil beforehand helps it light at the first try.
Some homes use two wicks together, and in some regions wicks made from lotus stems are traditional. These are family customs, and we cannot promise any special result from them.
How Many Lamps Should You Light for Diwali
There is no fixed number of lamps for Diwali. Some families light an odd number, such as five, nine or twenty-one, while others go by the number of doors and windows in the house. It is a family custom.
Lamps in at least five places make a home look full of light: the puja place, the tulasi plant, both sides of the main door and the kitchen window. Ten to fifteen lamps are enough for an apartment. Independent houses with open space in front often line the edges of the rangoli with twenty or thirty.
Where to Place Lamps in the House
In many homes, lamps are lit starting at the puja place and moving outward. The first lamp is lit before the deity, and the rest are lit from its flame.
- First, light the main lamp in the puja room or in front of the deities.
- Place a lamp near the Tulasi plant.
- Place two lamps on either side of the main entrance door.
- Carefully line up lamps along the edges of the balcony and near the windows.
- If it is windy, shield the lamps with a small piece of cardboard or a glass chimney that is open at the top.
Set the lamps on a brass plate, clay saucer or brick piece rather than directly on the floor, so spilled oil does not stain the floor or let the flame spread downward. Lamps placed on a rangoli are fine as long as the colours are dry.
Avoid stairs, the middle of shared corridors and spots a door will hit when it opens. At the entrance, keep lamps at least a foot away from the shoe rack and doormat.
How to Keep the Lamps Burning Longer
For a steady, long-lasting flame, let the wick stand only about half a centimetre above the rim of the lamp. A longer wick throws up a big flame with black smoke and burns through the oil quickly. A small, yellow, smokeless flame means the lamp is burning right.
Fill the lamp only three-quarters full; a brim-full lamp spills in the breeze. If the lamps run low after two hours, top them up gently from the side with a small spoon, never pouring onto the burning wick.
On a windy balcony, keep lamps close to the wall and shield the windward side with cardboard. Notice in the early evening which direction the wind comes from at your home.
What Safety Precautions to Take While Lighting Lamps
The most important precaution is keeping clothes and curtains away from the flame. Fire departments warn every year that most household fires during Diwali start this way.
On the balcony, place lamps firmly and a little away from the wall so the wind cannot knock them down. When lighting lamps, women should tuck in the ends of silk sarees and any loose clothing. In homes with small children, an adult should stay close so the children do not run up and touch the lamps. Never place lamps near curtains or where clothes are hung to dry.
Keep a bucket of water or sand near the lamps. In homes with dogs or cats, keep them in an inner room that evening so a wagging tail does not reach a flame. Before going to bed, check every lamp in the house and make sure those outside have gone out.
For a minor burn, hold the area under cool running water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Do not apply toothpaste, oil or ice. If the burn is large or on the face or hands, see a doctor at once. Write the emergency numbers near the phone: 112 for emergencies, 101 for fire and 108 for an ambulance.
When decorating with lamps, put the family’s safety ahead of beauty.
One Thing to Do Today
Soak your new clay lamps in a bucket of water for two hours today, turn them upside down on a cloth to dry, and set aside any with cracks.
In the Next Part
Once the lamps are lit, naivedyam is offered to the Goddess. Which offerings are made for Diwali, how are Paramannam and Pulihora prepared, and what can be made a day ahead to ease the festival rush? The next part answers these questions.
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Frequently asked questions
Why should new clay lamps be soaked in water?
New clay lamps are dry and absorb a lot of oil. Soaking them in water first and drying them prevents oil absorption, allowing the lamp to burn longer.
Which oil is best for Deeparadhana?
It is traditional to use cow ghee for the lamps inside the puja room, and sesame oil for the lamps placed outside and on balconies.
Why should we avoid wearing loose clothes while lighting lamps?
Loose clothes, especially the ends of silk or synthetic sarees, can easily fly in the wind and catch fire from the lamps. Therefore, they should be tucked in carefully.
Can we place lamps in an apartment balcony?
Yes, but they must be placed on a stable surface away from curtains and where the wind will not blow them down. Keep them away from children's play areas.
Where should the first lamp be lit on Diwali?
The very first lamp on Diwali should be lit in the puja room or in front of the deities. After that, other lamps are placed around the house.
Sources
Information checked: 21 October 2026. Dates and times follow Drik Panchang; final check on 5 November.
