Dhokra is an ancient art form significant for making metal artifacts using the lost-wax casting technique.
It is a tribal form of art that dates back to nearly 5000 years and has effectively survived the times test by being in use till date, popular for making human or animal figurines, religious deities, lamps and measuring bowls; for a superfine quality single product, it takes approximately a month as this is a complex art form that involves multiple stages and layers of work type.
This tribal Dakshinamurti Shiva sculpture is an apt example of the bronze wax-casting technique, with every feature and accessory molded in realistic styles and designs.
Shiva sits in lalitasana on the distinctively styled deer throne under a banyan tree along with the four sages perched on all four corners near the divine feet receiving his instructions in obeisance. This form of Shiva’s iconography depicts him as being revered as Dakshinamurti Shiva- an aspect of him being the benevolent teacher (guru) who accords wisdom to seekers of salvation.
The supreme is garbed in a short length dhoti and multiple necklaces cover his bare torso. The left leg folds over right and the right suppresses the mythical demon of ignorance, Apasmara. He holds the serpent along with a damru and flames in upper hands and the front hands carry a rosary and scriptures respectively; right front hand mudra of index finger touching the thumb tip is specified as Shiva in jnana (gyan) mudra.
He is crowned decently and a five-headed Sheshnaga is topped over it in a beautiful manner. The banyan tree behind his head is formed in a large circular shape having a boundary of bunches of striated leaves, all connected by thick branches.
All the branches are flourished with grown-up leaves, small snakes coiled around in peace and a variety of birds and peacocks perched while humming soothing sounds. Each and every curve and expression of the Lord depicts him as being in his tribal form, justifying the values of Dhokra style of art.
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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