While small, what makes this bronze sculptural image evocatively powerful is the fact that it manifests the idea that the divine does not only rest with our gods and goddesses, but also in the spirit of mortal humans – like Swami Ramanuja. As one of the most acclaimed and distinguished theologists of Hindu philosophy, his teachings laid the ground realities of not only the Shri Vaishnavism tradition, but also the Bhakti movement. The iconic image of Narayana, or Vishnu, is placed over Ramanuja’s lap which he embraces in loving devotion. Narayana’s four arms are carrying the ’sudarshana chakra,’ the conch, the ‘kaumodaki’ mace, and raised in the ‘abhaya mudra’ fear dispelling gesture.
Ramanuja’s teachings of the Vishishitadvaita, or the qualified non-dualism, along with the Dvaita and Advaita traditions constitute the most important Vaishnavite philosophies, and his disciples have also said to have authored the Shatyayaniya Upanishada. The one thing missing from this image is the ‘Tridandam’ flag that the ascetic Swami carries – which can be seen in this bronze image of the theologian.
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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