37" The Pristine Lord Panchamukha Hanuman (Superfine) | White Marble | Handmade | Made In India

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North is the face of Laxmi Varaha, the celestial hog. South is Karala Ugraveera Narasimha, the lion-face. East is Anjaneya, with serene compassion on his divine glowing face. West is Mahaveera Garuda, with a moustache and a third-eye tilak on his forehead. The fifth and the final one - capable of turning skyward - is Hayagriva, the horse-face. A composite red-gold halo frames the five faces of the god representing his transcendental yogic prowess.

This pristine sculpture of glacial white marble is crafted with consummate care to skillfully represent the life-like details upon the five divine faces of Lord Pancamukha. Each face holds a different expression. Observe the carefully proportioned musculature of the shoulders, torso and legs. Five jewel-studded crowns, crimson and turquoise, brocaded silk dhoti adorn his body. Right hand raised in blessing, left holding his signature mace. This classy and exquisite depiction is made complete by Lord Hanuman’s legendary tail - the same one that burned down Ravana’s city of gold. The long thick tail curls delicately behind him finally coming to rest upon the same pedestal where the rest of the statue stands.

The tale of Panchamukha Hanuman is a little-recounted episode of the Ramayana. The Rama-devotee had sprouted these five (‘panca’) faces (‘mukha’) in order to vanquish the King Ahiravana of patala-loka (netherworldly realm of existence). This was because the King was hidden in the flames of five different lamps located in each of the five directions. The five faces of Lord Pancamukha are - from left to right - in the images of Lakshmi Varaha (North), Mahaveera Garuda (west), Anjaneya (east), Karala Ugraveera Narasimha (south), and Hayagriva (skywards). In the fine marble Hanuman-roopa that you see on this page, each of these have been carved in glimmering, lifelike detail.

The complexion, a glacial white. Set off by the diamond-studded crowns of gold on each of the five sacred heads. A composite halo of solid golden color, fashioned from the same medium. The rest of the form of Lord Panchamukha is a work of beauty and transcendental yogic prowess. Superior musculature of a fair complexion, set off by the crimson and turquoise silks of a short, brocaded dhoti. Right hand raised in generous blessing, the signature gada (mace) in the left. The long, thick tail lying gently against a simplistic plinth embossed with miniscule gold petals. There is wisdom on the brow of each of Hanuman’s five faces, divine compassion swimming in all five pairs of eyes.

Marble Mastery Unveiled: The Artisan's Symphony in Sculpting Timeless Beauty

Marble is a soft and delicate metamorphic rock derived from limestone. It is composed mainly of recrystallized carbonate minerals. The appealing appearance of marble gives rise to the making of beautiful sculptures and statues. Jaipur city of Rajasthan, India, is considered the capital of marble carving where various marble idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are made. These magnificent statues are carved by skilled sculptors out of the purest white marble. The slight softness of white marble makes it easier to be carved and chiseled into any desirable form or shape. Another impressive feature of marble is that the calcite has a low refractive index that allows light to penetrate the stone before getting scattered out. This results in bringing a translucent appearance and luster to the marble sculpture. This is the reason why most sculptors prefer to work with marble for sculpting life-size statues that require intricate details, evoking a certain realism to the work.

There is a detailed or step-by-step process of developing the desired structure of a sculpture from marble stone. These steps are:

1. Clay mould

Most sculptors prefer to sculpt a preliminary model out of clay or wax to translate its complex and intricate details into the final stone sculpture with the use of calipers or a pointing machine. The plasticity of the clay mould helps sculptors capture the success of the final sculpture before carving the stone. The clay is moulded into the desired shape or form and this acts as a rough

2. Roughing out

The second step of carving or sculpting is to remove large portions of unwanted marble stone. This task is done by using a special tool known as a point chisel. The pointed end of this tool is useful for splitting the large stone and removing big chunks that are not wanted. Usually, a mallet (a tool similar to a hammer) is used to transfer energy through the chisel to shatter the stone evenly and accurately.

3. Refining the figure

Once the sculptors have determined the general shape of the sculpture, a toothed chisel or claw chisel is used to refine the stone. These tools create parallel lines in the stone to add texture to the figure. During this stage, the rough block of stone has now changed into the general shape of the sculpture.

4. Adding the details

The sculptor is now ready to carry out detailed work to develop a more refined form of the sculpture. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are then used to enhance the shape into its final form. These tools finely create details such as frills or folds of clothing or locks of hair.

5. Polishing

This is the last step in marble sculpting in which the sculptor uses materials such as sandpaper to bring out a natural sheen to the sculpture. The sandpaper is rubbed against the surface to make it smoother and flawless. Sometimes, tin oxide is also used to make the sculpture appear glossy and more translucent.

Marble sculptures are highly durable and can last for many decades if maintained and taken care of properly. They are also extremely weather-resistant and therefore, can be kept outdoors or indoors. The exquisite beauty of marble statues elevates the aura of the space and emanates positivity all around.