When Lord Brahma was tasked with the creation of the Universe, his imaginative powers could not conceive the feminine form, the other half of the universe. As an answer to Brahma’s queries, Shiva and Shakti, the Adideva and Devi (first God and Goddess) took the ethereal Ardhanarishwara form, underlining the principle of Srishti, made up of male and female qualities.
The mesmerizing beauty and divinity of Ardhanarishwara has been reimagined in this Chola-style bronze statue. The form of Ardhanarsihwara takes a graceful posture, standing on a lotus which is the symbol of the origin of the world. Uma-Parvati is Shiva’s Vamangi (residing on the left side, wife), wearing lovely ornaments and a fine dhoti whose folds are beautifully captured in metal. Her hair is tied in a long Jatamukuta, which she shares with Shiva, whose tresses are adorned with Ganga, followed by a Makara-shaped earring, a dhoti of tiger hide, and a bell and anklet on his foot. This form of Shiva and Shakti is a unique three-armed one, with Uma raising her hand in a graceful gesture, and a two-armed Shiva danging one hand toward the ground and holding an Ankusha or goad in the other.
With finess in work, the details of ornamentation, flow of the graceful pose of Ardhanarishwara, and details of clothes and hair are all captured on the reverse of the idol as well, giving it an aesthetic richness. Blowing life in metal, Ardhanarishwara smiles benevolently, at Brahma’s creation which is created and sustained by their powers.
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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