In the sculptural iconography of this ‘panchaloha’ bronze image, we see the image of Mariamman – the deity as part of one of the oldest proto-Mother Goddess cults from Tamil Nadu. This pre-Vedic goddess is said to be the bringer of rain (‘mari’ – rain, ‘am’ – water, ‘an’ – lack of; or ‘mari’ – rain and ‘amman’ – mother) during times of distress, which ties her worship during the summer festival of Mulaikottu, calling for her auspicious presence to bless the coming year’s harvest.
Mostly worshipped as a ‘gramadevatai,’ or the presiding deity of South Indian villages, Mariamman’s worship is also part of the (growing and) larger pantheon of contagion goddess – that is, her worship is performed to ward off evil spirits, and diseases like cholera, smallpox, and chicken pox (making her manifestation remarkably similar in function to that of Parvati’s form of Shitaladevi). Her emblematic duties of taking care of the rain, fighting diseases, securing familial welfare and fertility, manifest her forms in a benevolent as well as fearsome manner. We witness her pious devotion and ascetic primitivism in the manner of her hand extending the empty bowl or ‘kapala’ for alms, and the ‘damru’ from which emanates the sound of the universe (and in this case, the coming of rain). In her fierce embodiment, we see her carrying the sword and the noose, along with the iconic five-headed cobra rearing from her crown along with tongues of flame surrounding her ‘mukuta.’ She is seated in a relaxed yet royally poised ‘lalitasana’ over a lotus pedestal and is surrounded by a paisley-designed arch carrying a fearsome ‘kirtimukha.’
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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