A powerful chhavi (image) of Laxmi Goddess, the wife of Vishnu and the presiding deity over resources. In the murti that you see on this page, Lakshmi Devi stands on the pistil of an upturned lotus, poised on a two-tiered quadrilateral plinth. This is a fine example of the bronze sculptural tradition of South India.
The tall crown on the Devi’s head accentuates the long, slender proportions of Lakshmi Mata. A halo of lotus petals glows behind Her head. Her composure of countenance is of omniscience and solemnity. The angular features of Her handsome face accentuate the sharp curves of Her tall, slender form. Such an aesthetic is characteristic of Swamimalai’s pancaloha sculptures.
The word ‘pancaloha’ is a portmanteau of ‘panca’, which means five, and ‘loha’, which means iron. Pancaloha is a special type of bronze made from a blend of five different iron-based alloys. Its beauty lies in the lifelike finish like in this Lakshmi statue and the one-of-a-kind moss-and-metallics natural colour finish.
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