To the Dravidians, Perumal is the same deity that in the North of the subcontinent is widely known as Vishnu. He is the presiding deity over preservation, and is complemented by His two wives, Shreedevi and Bhoodevi (divine vectors of Devi Lakshmi). The Perumal murti that you see on this page depicts the Lord standing between His two beautiful wives.
This ensemble is made of panchaloha, a kind of bronze made from five (‘pancha’) different iron-based (‘loha’) alloys. Lord Perumal and His two wives are standing on upturned-lotus pedestals. A pair of high, engraved pillars rise behind the central figure, which support a perfectly circular prabhavali featuring Kirtimukham at the zenith. This structure conforms to the unique aesthetic of traditional South Indian temple architecture.
Note the resplendent metallic colour finish of this Perumal murti with His wives. It comes from the medium of panchaloha, which is cast using madhuchista vidhana, a complex lost-wax metalcasting technique expounded in the Agamas.
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