Mañjarī Table Lamp

Mañjarī — a spray of blossoms, a cluster of flowers in full bloom, the Sanskrit word for that moment in spring when a branch suddenly opens into abundance. The Mañjarī Table Lamp is, among the four February drop lamps, the most openly joyful — a lamp that does not reach for metaphor but instead presents the world's most direct symbol of beauty at the height of its life.

The ceramic base by Rakesh Rana is a bell-form cylinder in unglazed cream stoneware — a deliberately restrained, architectural form whose surface is left in the quiet warmth of natural fired clay. The restraint is essential, because what the base carries is the opposite of restrained: a cascade of individually hand-sculpted flowers in coral-pink, rose, and deep blush, each petal formed separately and applied to the base with hand-pressure that leaves the trace of the maker's touch in the clay.

Yellow-centred, five-petalled, these blooms cluster around the neck of the lamp where base meets fitting — arranged as if a flowering vine has discovered the lamp and decided to make it its own. Each flower is slightly different from the next in the manner of flowers in a real garden, because Sarada Rout makes each one by hand and makes no two alike.

Against the cream ceramic body, the coral-pink flowers glow with a warmth that the bamboo shade above amplifies — Ekadasi Barik's globe shade casting its amber light downward into the flower cluster, picking up the rose and blush tones and sending them across a room in a warmth that is inseparable from the word the lamp is named for. The Mañjarī is a lamp for rooms that need joy in them — a bedside table piece for the person who believes a lamp should do more than provide light, a desk companion for long evenings, a statement of the philosophy that craftsmanship and beauty are not separate from daily life.

Released for February, Mañjarī is the lamp that does not need explanation. It blooms.

Abhijeet Kaushal, Rakesh Rana, Ekadasi Barik, Prakriti Bala

Dust ceramic base gently with a soft, dry microfiber cloth, taking particular care around hand-applied floral elements. Do not use wet cloth or chemical cleaners on the ceramic surface. Handle individual flower elements with care — they are securely fired but fine petal tips require gentle handling. The cream unglazed body will patinate slightly over time, adding warmth and character. Clean bamboo shade with a soft brush, following the direction of the weave. Clean copper-brass fitting with dry microfiber cloth; use brass polish occasionally to maintain shine. Ensure ventilation gaps in bamboo remain free from dust. Avoid exposure to excessive moisture. Recommended bulb: LED warm white, maximum 30 watts. Unplug before cleaning.