The image, history, and symbolic identity of Mariamman rests with the pre-Vedic tribalism that defined early Dravidian traditions. In this regard, Mariamman (or Marika, as she is known in the Puranas) is a ‘gramadevata,’ a village deity that creates and protects the village and its people. She is the bringer of rain, and the dispelling force removing diseases from the community (one of her legends dictate her overcoming smallpox with the help of ‘neem’ leaves, and today as a goddess of medicine people worship her mythology by putting such leaves above the doors of their houses). Mariamman is the primordial mother goddess, goddess of fertility, and one of the earliest embodiments of Shakti. She rides her mount, a lion, in a fiery blaze (notice the stylisation of her ‘mukuta’) and carries the ‘damru,’ the ‘pasha’ or noose, a trident or ‘trishula,’ and a cup for alms. Mariamman therefore is benign and benevolent while also fierce and devotedly protective. Mariamman also has a North Indian equivalent in Hinduism, Mahamaya, who is the sister of Sriranganathar. This ‘panchaloha’ bronze image presents the ancient tribal protector of the natural world in the heroic ‘virasana’ posture over a raised pedestal which symbolises her mount.
Witness another beautiful form of this goddess – splendidly created with an elaborate ‘prabhamandala,’ here.
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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