The god balances himself with his right bent leg on a dwarf who crouches on a lotus atop a rectangular base.The bent left leg swings across the body in front, hovering in midair. The front left arm too swings across towards the left leg in the gesture known as ‘gajahasta’ or ‘karihasta’ (elephant trunk) with the hand pointing down. The corresponding right hand, positioned just above the left hand, displays the mudra of reassurance. The two other arms stretch out on each side, and hold on the right a small, two-sided drum (damaru) and on the left flames. The chignon holds a small skull and several strands of hair fly on either side. A small figure of Goddess Ganga with folded hands is placed in the right side of the flowing tresses.
The whole composition is circumscribed by an aureole with leaping tongues of flame, contributing effectively towards the dynamism of the image. Flames are a symbol of destruction and the drum symbolizes creation, indicating Shiva is the Supreme God, responsible for both Pralaya and Shrishti. The dwarf of course symbolizes ignorance, which is crushed under the knowledge of Shiva.
This sculpture was created using the ancient wax-casting process in the city of Swamimalai, near Tanjore in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
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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