Agar Batti Table Lamp [Totem series]

Agar batti means incense stick, and once I had the height and the narrow rise of this piece worked out, the name settled itself. There is a quiet ritual quality to lighting an agar batti, a small column releasing its glow slowly upward, and I wanted this lamp to hold some of that same stillness.

The base is ceramic, thrown and glazed by hand, moving from a marbled grey-blue at the foot up through two shades of green, gloss giving way to a soft matte. Above that, a length of rosewood and maple, turned on the lathe until the grain sat exactly where I wanted it, narrows the piece back down toward the socket. A frosted glass globe sits on top as the shade, so the light itself becomes the top of the totem rather than something added on afterward.

This is a one-of-a-kind piece, part of the Totem series I design, shape, and finish entirely myself. No two pieces in this series are the same. Because it is one of a kind, once this lamp is gone, it will not be made again.

If you have a question, or would like to talk about a custom piece, reach out through our contact form or write to us directly at info@tahirmahmood.com.

Tahir Mahmood, Designer & Founder