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.
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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