Every Diwali, earthen diyas light up homes across India. But keeping them burning through the night often means checking the oil and refilling them when it runs low.
Ashok Chakradhari, a potter from Chhattisgarh, has found a way to change that. He has created an unusual earthen diya that can burn for around 24 hours without needing a refill.
What began as an experiment with traditional pottery eventually led him to create an even longer-burning version. But what makes these lamps different, and how does a simple clay diya manage to stay lit for so long?
Chakradhari's creation has an interesting story behind it.
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Who Is Ashok Chakradhari?
Ashok Chakradhari is a potter and terracotta craftsman from Kondagaon district in Chhattisgarh.
He works at the Jhitku-Mitki Terracotta Kala Kendra in Kumharpara, where he creates different earthen products. According to a 2022 report by The New Indian Express, around 12–15 people work with him throughout the year.
Chakradhari has spent years working with clay and experimenting with traditional craft techniques. He also uses online resources, including YouTube videos, to understand new methods and improve his designs.
His interest in experimenting with pottery led him to develop an unusual earthen lamp that does not need frequent refilling.
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How Did The Idea Of A Magic Diya Come About?
The idea for Chakradhari's long-burning diya dates back to 2019. Ahead of Diwali that year, he came across an online video showing a lamp with an oil reservoir above its base, allowing oil to flow automatically towards the wick.
Inspired by the design, he watched more videos and experimented with different clay structures to create his own version.
By 2020, he had developed an earthen diya that could burn continuously for 24 to 40 hours without manual refilling. It came to be known as the “magic diya”.
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What Makes This Diya Burn For So Long?
The secret lies in its automatic oil-refilling mechanism. Unlike an ordinary diya, Chakradhari's design has a separate dome-shaped oil reservoir above the lamp, connected to its base through a moulded tube.
The lamp works on the principle of a siphon. As the oil near the wick runs low, oil from the upper reservoir flows into the lower container, keeping the wick supplied.
The system needs no electricity, battery or manual refilling. Chakradhari makes the diya using soil mixed with a little river sand. He joins four separately moulded parts to create the final structure.
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From 24 Hours To More Than 100 Hours
Chakradhari continued experimenting with his design and developed an improved version of the magic diya.
Mounted on an elephant-shaped structure, the lamp featured a dome-shaped oil reservoir connected to its base through a tube-like mould. It could reportedly burn for over 100 hours without refilling.
The newer design improved on his original 24-hour diya. It weighed around 3 kg and was priced at Rs. 2,000 in 2022.
The 24-hour and 100-hour claims refer to two different versions of the lamp.
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Why Does His Work Matter?
Chakradhari's innovation makes traditional earthen diyas more convenient by reducing the need for frequent oil refills. This allows people to keep lamps burning for longer with less effort.
It also shows how traditional pottery can adapt to modern needs, giving artisans new ways to make their craft more useful while preserving its cultural roots.
Chhattisgarh: Ashok Chakradhari, a potter in Kondagaon, has designed an earthen lamp in which flow of oil is circulated automatically. He says, "I learnt making this lamp watching several techniques online. I've received a good number of orders for making more such lamps." https://t.co/oIfwmSu1qA
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2020
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TL;DR | News At A Glance
Who is Ashok Chakradhari?
Ashok Chakradhari is a terracotta craftsman from Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, who runs the Jhitku-Mitki Terracotta Kala Kendra.
What is special about his diya?
It has an automatic oil-refilling mechanism that allows it to burn continuously for around 24 hours or longer, depending on the version.
How does the diya work?
It uses a siphon-based mechanism. An elevated oil reservoir supplies oil to the lower container holding the wick.
Can his diya burn for more than 24 hours?
Yes. An improved elephant-shaped version developed by Chakradhari was reported to burn for over 100 hours without refilling.
What is the diya made of?
It is made using soil mixed with a little river sand.
Why has his work attracted attention?
His creation combines traditional terracotta craftsmanship with a practical design, while providing work for artisans at his centre.
