Almost always, the iconography of Lord Ganesha conveys some sort of motion. Be it as a warrior wielding His divine weapons, the cosmic musician dancing to His own song, or the baala-deva playing on the floor. The murti that you see on this page, however, depicts Him standing still on the gigantic pistil of an upturned lotus. The hips just slightly rightwards, as if unable to bear the weight of His chubby child’s pot belly. Right below it is a super-short dhoti, much like little boys in India wear at home. This goes to show that despite the calmness and equanimity that have been emphasised in this composition, the Lord remains the adorable child-deity that He is.
This murti is made from bronze. Having flourished since the Pallava and the Chola eras in South India, the region has a flourishing bronze sculptural tradition to this day. It has been handpicked from the finest studios and is now destined to grace the home or office temple of the finest devotee. Note the glistening blue undertones on the surface of the murti, which is a characteristic of bronze. In addition to the medium, the style of the plinth beneath the Lord’s feet - a minimalistic, engraved quadrilateral number - is also a hallmark of Southern workmanship. The densely engraved crown on His head is a fine example of the same.
The traditional elements of Lord Ganesha’s iconography are intact, such as the fact that is chaturbhujadhari (possessed of four arms) and ekdanta (single-tusked).
Eternal Brilliance Unveiled: The Mystique of Panchaloha Bronze and Artful Maintenance Rituals
Bronze is a metal alloy that has the primary composition of Copper and Tin. There is also an addition of other metals such as Manganese, Aluminium, Nickel, and some non-metals such as Phosphorus. This composition of several metals and non-metals makes Bronze an extremely durable and strong metal alloy. It is for this reason that Bronze is extensively used for casting sculptures and statues. Since Bronze has a low melting point, it usually tends to fill in the finest details of a mould and when it cools down, it shrinks a little that makes it easier to separate from the mould.
" If you happen to have a bronze statue, simply use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or any other natural oil to clean the statue. "
A village named Swamimalai in South India is especially known for exceptionally well-crafted Bronze icons of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The skilled artisans of this place use Panchaloha Bronze for casting the icons. Panchaloha Bronze is made of five metals; Copper, Zinc, Lead, and small quantities of Gold and Silver. Zinc gives a golden hue to the finished figure and Lead makes the alloy softer for the easy application of a chisel and hammer. The common technique for producing these statues and sculptures is the “Lost-wax” method. Because of the high durability of bronze sculptures and statues, less maintenance is required, and can still last up to many decades.
Exotic India takes great pride in its collection of hand-picked Panchaloha Statues. You will find the murtis of Gods (Krishna, Hanuman, Narasimha, Ganesha, Nataraja, and Kartikeya) and Goddesses (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga, and Parvati), and Buddha statues. You can also buy Ritual paraphernalia (Wicks lamp, Puja Kalash, Cymbals, and Puja Flag) on the website. All these statues and items have been made with a lot of care and attention, giving them a flawless finish. Their fine carving detail represents the rich tradition of India.
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