As the bronze in the mould cools down and the wax surrounding it is melted away in the traditional style of the lost wax art form, what remains is an elaborate statuette of Lord Shiva in his dancing form as Nataraja. Body twisted in a graceful pose that came straight out of the pages of the Natyashastra, Nataraja dances away divinely, feet trampling a demon. From the two aspects of Natraja’s personality, here he is performing the Tandav, associated with the destruction of the cosmos.
Lord Shiva’s primary role in the trinity of the gods is to destroy the universe when the right time comes. However, his dancing is simultaneously associated with a gentler form, Lasya, which happens during the creation of the universe. Within himself, Lord Shiva as Nataraja holds these extreme dichotomies—offering an end to the chaos of life and creating a new life as well. In this beautiful idol, he holds his damaru in one hand, the booming noise of which sparks when the universe is first created. His open palm facing the devotees is a reassurance and a blessing all in one. The giant halo around him is the fire of illusion that burns through the realisation of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
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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