The protector of the weak and the harbinger of destruction upon the enemies of dharma – this is the sculptural image of that Tantric form of the god Ganesha, called Heramba. Literally translated as ‘Mother’s Beloved Son,’ Heramba’s worship is popularly witnessed in Nepal, and is detailed in the Mudgala Purana, Skanda Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, amongst other texts.
This ‘panchaloha’ idol perfected in the ‘madhuchista vidhana’ fashion of lost wax presents the unique iconography of a five-headed Ganesha. While four of his heads face the cardinal directions, the fifth head is placed on the top, looking upwards. Royina Grewal, writing in ‘Book of Ganesha’ mentions that the five heads are symbolic of the power absorbed from the five aspects of Shiva: Ishana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva, and Sadyojata.
Heramba’s ‘vahana’ or mount is the fearsome lion that is said to have been given to him by his mother, Parvati. The lion’s symbolism attests to the notion of divine royalty, just as what Garuda characterises for Vishnu. Gracefully sitting on its back with his right leg pendent in the ‘lalitasana,’ Heramba’s ten hands carry the usual attributes of Ganesha. These include the ‘ankusha’ or goad, the ‘pasha’ or noose, the ‘japamala,’ the ‘parashu’ or battle-axe, a ‘modak,’ a ‘mudgara’ or a three-headed mallet, his own broken tooth, and the hand gestures of ‘abhaya’ and ‘varada,’ dispelling fear and granting boons.
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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