Understood to be the true divine form of Vishnu as the Para Brahma for Tamilians, Perumal, or the deity of black complexion (as is finely witnessed in this sculpture) is poised in a grand manner over his ever-faithful mount or ‘vahana,’ Garuda, the divine king of birds and the ever watchful enemy of the serpents. As his graceful zoomorphic form with two human hands clasped in the ‘anjali mudra’ performing a namaskaram shows, Garuda is perched on top of a serpent’s hood.
T A Gopinatha Rao, writing in his ‘Elements of Hindu Iconography’ identifies the zoomorphic image to be typically present with the wings slightly open, ready for flight – as is witnessed here. This makes our image highly charged and in motion.
This ‘panchaloha’ bronze image executed in the ‘madhuchista vidhana’ fashion presents a four-handed Perumal or Vishnu ns a splendid form, seated on Garuda. Perumal has raised his front right hand in the ‘abhaya mudra,’ dispelling fear from his devotee’s minds, while the other three hands carry his attributes – the ‘sudarshana chakra’ or war discus, the conch, and his mace ‘kaumodaki’ that hangs pendent to the left side. Garuda’s association with Vishnu has traditionally been iconic, one of fighting for dharma, protecting a king’s duty, and the emblematic symbol of royalty or the divine approval of stately power. This explains why the image of the Garuda is also part of the official insignias of several South Asian countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, etc.) today.
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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