The glory of Lord Vishnu, captured in a superb panchaloha sculpture. Panchaloha is a portmanteau of ‘Pancha’, which means five, and ‘loha’, which means iron; it refers to a superior bronze made from five different iron-based alloys. The color of thick molten gold, herein symbolic of the cosmic glamour of Vishnu, is characteristic of the same.
The Lord stands on a traditional-style pedestal - upturned lotus on a plinth engraved with lotus petals. He is chaturbhujadhari, the one possessed of (‘dhari’) four (‘chatur’) arms (‘bhuja’), the signature conch and discus in the posterior hands. A tall, finely sculpted crown with a miniature Kirtimukham motif down the frontal midline, setting of the handsome features of His face.
Note how the multiple fishtail-hems of the Lord’s angavastram form a consistent silhouette. From the undulations of His bare anatomy to the intricate adornments layered upon them, each aspect of His iconography has been brought to life by the skill of the Swamimalai artisan.
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