This ‘panchaloha’ bronze image of one of the Chiranjivi of Hinduism, the divine ‘vanara’ or monkey, and companion of Lord Rama in the epic Ramayana – Hanuman’s sculpture presented here remains highly unique in the manner of its depiction, as we shall note below. Cast in the lost wax ‘madhuchista vidhana’ technique, the anthropomorphic image of the god stands erect in the ‘anjali mudra’ with a namaste towards the viewer, on top of a raised lotus plinth.
Only identifiable by his face and tail, the monkey god is draped in a long dhoti that is held by an elaborate girdle with two tassels and wears an imposing ‘mukuta’ on his head. What is of note is the fact that the ‘sthapati’ that created this image did not endow Hanuman with his usual attributes – neither is he shown in companionship with Rama and Sita, kneeling in reverence at their feet, nor is he shown carrying his infamous mace or ‘gada,’ or in some depictions, a thunderbolt or ‘vajra.’
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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