Devi Annapoorna is the quintessential Hindu Mother Devi. The crown jewel of all the manifestations of Lord Shiva’s wife, She is the deity of nourishment, eternally loving and giving.
Her name is a portmanteau of ‘anna’, Sanskrt for foodgrain, and ‘poorna’, which means sufficiency. Straight out of a Hoysala temple, the Annapoorna Devi murti that you see on this page captures Her in all Her nourishing maternal beauty.
Upon a wide-bottomed lotus pedestal She sits, cradling a bowl of food and a ladle in Her hands, ever ready to give out as much as a devotee needs and wants.
An embroidered dhoti of silk clothes Her long, curvaceous legs, crossed afore Her. The same is held in place by a layered girdle of gold, in keeping with the rest of Her shringar. The rest of Her shringar comprises a thick breast-band that barely conceals Her life-giving nipples, and streams of solid gold necklaces that leave nothing of Her decolletage to view. The karnakundalas and the characteristic crown on Her head frame a face that seems to look on lovingly as Her devotees draw nourishment from Her.
The main characteristics of Hoysala art are in the striking aureole behind the central figure. On a pair of densely engraved blocks are Yali brackets, the likes of which are to be found in ancient temple entrances of Karnataka. A couple of peacocks atop the same, flanking the Devi’s crown, and a flaming curve that gathers at the zenith in an ornate Kirtimukham motif.
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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