11'' Bala Murugan (karttikeya) | Madhuchista Vidhana (Lost-Wax) | Panchaloha Bronze from Swamimalai

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

The legend of the lord in his ‘bala’ or child-form is of significant interest in the mythology of Hinduism. While Bala Murugan is credited with several impressive feats – like the defeat of the demon Surapadman, the revelation of his ‘vishwaroopa darshan,’ and the punishment of Brahma for failing to realise the importance of ‘pranava mantra’ – his youthful phase is appreciated differently from other youthful gods, like Bala Krishna. Whereas with the latter, his childlike phase of mischief and wooing ‘gopis’ represents just one aspect of a larger life lived, Murugan remains an eternally youthful deity, fulfilling his fateful purpose – even marriage – while he remains young. This explains the bronze ‘panchaloha’ image’s depiction of an exuberant vigour that the youthful Murugan portrays. Even in his child-form, he raises his right hand in the ‘abhaya mudra’ to dispel fear from the hearts of the blessed. His left hand is placed on the hip, in the ‘katyavalambita mudra.’ He stands proud on an raised lotus pedestal with an ornate canopy behind him. While the sculpture captures the bare simplicity of Murugan’s devotion in the manner of inornate dressing, he is curiously not shown carrying his divine spear, vel. Our understanding of the image being that of Murugan comes more prominently from the presence of his ‘vahana’ in the background, the Indian peafowl ‘Paravani.’