Terracotta Diya Set of 4: Hand-Painted Swastik Clay Diyas

A diya is a small open lamp made of clay that holds oil or ghee (clarified butter) and a cotton wick, and it is the lamp lit throughout Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated in autumn by Hindu, Jain, and Sikh communities. This set contains four terracotta diyas in a swastik design, with four leaf-shaped petals turning around a round central bowl.

Every petal is outlined in white and filled with yellow dots, with red strokes along the edges, and the rim of the bowl is ringed with fine red beading. Inside the bowl, thin lines radiate from the centre like the spokes of a wheel, and a small gold bead sits in the middle surrounded by a circle of white dots. A pointed spout on one side holds the wick, so the flame sits at the edge of the bowl instead of in the centre. All of the painting is done by hand with a brush, which is why the dots and lines are not perfectly uniform across the four.

The swastik is an ancient Hindu symbol of good fortune, prosperity, and well-being. It is drawn at doorways and on puja altars during Diwali, Lakshmi puja, and Griha Pravesh (housewarming). The painted detailing also looks bright when the flames are lit, which suits placing the set on a marble platter, on a doorstep, or inside a rangoli, the floor pattern of flower petals or coloured powder that families lay out during the festival.

Beyond Diwali, the set works for daily prayer, housewarmings, weddings, and tabletop decoration, and it makes a ready gift because the four come together as a matched group. Light them with a cotton wick and oil or ghee, and set them on a flat, heat-resistant surface such as a stone or metal plate.

Each diya is shaped and painted by Rajasthan artisans one at a time, so petal shapes, bead spacing, and brush strokes differ slightly from piece to piece.

• Set includes: 4 hand-painted terracotta swastik diyas
• Material: Natural terracotta clay with hand-painted decoration
• Craft: Hand-shaped swastik form, hand-painted petals, beading, and centre detail
• Origin: Handcrafted by artisan potters in Rajasthan, India
• Best for: Diwali, daily puja, rangoli, housewarmings, gifting

A set of four swastik-shaped terracotta diyas, painted by hand.