This is a stunning heavyweight antique hanging Diya oil lamp in the form of a Hamsa bird holding a snake in its mouth, dating from the 18th or 19th century and likely from Deccan, India. A particularly large example. the lamp is designed to hold 5 wicks.
Hanging lamps like this are commonly found in temple sanctuaries and used during religious ceremonies.
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The hamsa is a mythical aquatic bird, often associated with a goose or a swan, which represents perfect union and balance in life. "Its name is derived from the exhalation of the Sanskrit sound 'ham' and the inhalation of 'sa', together constituting the return of the life force to brahman, its cosmic source." Oppi Untracht, Traditional Jewellery of India, London, 2008, p. 266.
Hanging lamps like this are commonly found in temple sanctuaries and used during religious ceremonies.
//
The hamsa is a mythical aquatic bird, often associated with a goose or a swan, which represents perfect union and balance in life. "Its name is derived from the exhalation of the Sanskrit sound 'ham' and the inhalation of 'sa', together constituting the return of the life force to brahman, its cosmic source." Oppi Untracht, Traditional Jewellery of India, London, 2008, p. 266.