Kandy Dalada Maligawa brass oil lamps: elephant base counterweights and cotton wick conduits?

The traditional monumental brass standing lamps (Vada Pahana or Koth Pahana) crafted in Pilimathalawa are engineered for balance and fire safety during crowded temple rituals. The broad base is cast heavy and hollow, modeled on a stylized elephant foot or wide lotus pedestal, providing a low center of gravity to prevent toppling when brushed by crowds. The lamp tiers feature concentric circular oil reservoirs with precise radial wick notches (pin-wicks). The reservoirs are engineered with slightly raised center lips so boiling coconut oil does not spill down the turned central column during multi-hour burns.