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).
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