Vilakku, Deepamu & Diya Pooja: Lighting the Lamp of Devotion

On Friday, July 17th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, CVHTS came together for the Vilakku ~ Deepamu ~ Diya Pooja, a sacred evening celebrating Ashaada Navaratri. Married women were invited to bring their own lamp and offer it in worship, inviting the blessings of Shakthi, the divine feminine energy, into their homes and families.

The Significance of the Lamp

In Hindu tradition, the lamp flame stands for knowledge, purity and the dispelling of darkness and ignorance. A lit lamp signifies the presence of the divine itself, which is why lighting one is considered such an auspicious act. Lamps are traditionally lit at sunrise and especially at sunset, when the transition from day to night is felt to invite divine energy most powerfully into the home.

Ashaada Navaratri and the Goddess

Ashaada Navaratri is one of the sacred nine-night observances dedicated to the Goddess, aligning devotees with the combined energies of Mahalakshmi, Saraswati and Durga. The Vilakku, in this context, becomes a representation of divine feminine energy itself — Shakthi — and the act of lighting and worshipping it is believed to invite prosperity, remove negativity and strengthen spiritual energy within the home.

Lalitha Sahasranamam

At the heart of the evening was the recitation of the Lalitha Sahasranamam, the thousand names of the Goddess Lalitha. According to tradition, the Sahasranamam was first revealed in the Brahmanda Purana, through a conversation between the sage Hayagriva and Sage Agastya at Kanchipuram. Reciting it is held to bring health, wealth, marital harmony, progeny, happiness and protection, and to fill the reciter's life with auspiciousness.

How the Pooja Was Performed

Each married woman devotee brought her own Vilakku, Deepamu or Diya and performed Kumkum archana upon it while the Lalitha Sahasranamam was recited together as a community. All other pooja supplies were provided by the temple, allowing every devotee to focus fully on her worship and offering.

At CVHTS

Our thanks to Pooja Committee Chair Pavan Panganamamula and to our President Srimathy Raghavan for organizing this beautiful evening, and to every devotee who brought a lamp and her devotion. Watch our Temple Calendar for upcoming Navaratri and lamp-lighting observances at CVHTS.