The incarnations of Sri Vishnu, the great Hindu god are the preserver’s participation in his creation, in order to ensure that the balance is retained and the passage of time continues unhindered.
The bronze sculptures of Krishna dancing on the hood of the serpent Kaliya, are one of the most awe-inspiring reproductions of the way in which Sri Vishnu in his various forms salvages his followers time and again.
Known as “Kalinga-Krishna” (Kaliya- Krishna) or “Kalinga- Nardhana Krishna” (Krishna dancing on Kaliya), these bronzes bring out the beauty of Krishna as an adolescent, expressing his divine being through the lyrical movement that is skilfully captured by the Tamil Sthapatis in striking Panchaloha bronzes.
The inspiration behind Kaliya-Krishna bronze icons is the story of Kaliya, the serpent’s occupation of the waters of the Yamuna, the river that was the lifeline of the people of Mathura. As a result of the Visha (poison) of Kaliya, Yamuna was polluted and the residents of Mathura suffered when they drank from the river. Krishna, the savior of cows and cowherds upon seeing the condition of his people, dived into the depths of the river and challenged the serpent for the dual.
In the bronze Kaliya-Krishna sculpture here, you can experience the divine Krishna holding the tail of Kaliya in one hand and raising the other in a gesture of fearlessness towards his devotees. While his lotus-feet crush the pride of Kaliya, an inward smile plays on the face of the celestial Lord that mesmerizes the onlooker. Kaliya, shown as a half-human, half-serpent folds his hands, in reverence and in acceptance of his defeat. Darshana, literally “seeing” (experiencing the presence of the divine through the five senses), of this Kaliya-Krishna bronze, is a way of self-surrender in front of the cosmic consciousness that manifests itself in the form of Sri Krishna.
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