The ‘abhanga’ posture of this bronze ‘panchaloha’ sculptural image truly encapsulates the divine thought that Andal, as one of the most prominent Alvar (and the only female Alvar), is engaged in. Andal was part of the twelve Vaishnavite Alvars active during the seventh and ninth centuries – when an unconditional surrender to the devotion of the lord defined the fervour of Bhakti. Andal’s legend is exceedingly popular, and her becoming ‘immersed’ with Ranganatha is still celebrated with devout respect.
Andal’s life had innocent beginnings, foreshadowing her humility and reverence to her lord. Adopted by Vishnuchitha, Godai, as she was called initially, grew up in an atmosphere of loving devotion as she saw her father make the garlands that adorned the divine idol of Ranganatha. One day, however, Vishnuchitha discovered that Godai had begun to wear the garlands herself, and thus sullying the purity that was meant for the lord. Ranganatha, however, is said to have intervened in a manner befitting his benevolent grace. When Vishnuchitha serenaded the idol, the garland could not be held, and kept coming off. It was only when Godai garlanded the idol with the same flowers she had worn before that Ranganatha revealed his pleasure – a pleasure that was ultimately fated in the marriage of the two (as seen here in this Tanjore painting.
Thus, as we note in this figure, the garland stands out as an important element of the iconography of the saint. In fact, even today, for the event of Tirupati Brahmotsavam, the garlands of tulasi, sevanthi, and sampangi flowers are exchanged between the idols of Andal and Ranganatha. While Andal’s right hand hangs pendent, the left hand holds onto a parrot, that is said to bring divine luck. Her hair is styled in a distinct manner that was prevalent in Tamil Nadu. Andal’s devotion persists with much fanfare even today – for example, the verses from her famous work Thiruppavai are still sung during the month of margazhi.
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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