29" Goddess Rajarajeshwari (Tripura Sundari) | Hoysala Art

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

In the famous Lalita-Sahastranama, goddess Rajarajeshwari or Lalita-Tripurasundari is described as “seated on a royal throne, adorned with beautiful jewels and fortunate signs of a married woman, possessing a youthful form, a crescent moon on her head and a smile that allures Shiva himself.” In this Hoyasal bronze goddess Rajarajeshwari statue, all these elements are masterfully included by the craftsman. The lotus that forms the throne of the queen-mother Lalita-Tripurasundari, is believed to be emerging from the naval of Lord Shiva.

The ornamentation of the bronze icon is amazing, with a grand Kirtimukha aureole surrounding the goddess, decorated with yali (composite animal figures, mostly horse and lion) pillars that represent the royal prowess of the sovereign goddess and peacocks joining the aura with the pillars, symbolizing the celestial beauty of Tripurasundari. As seen in this awe-inspiring bronze goddess Rajarajeshwari statue, the mother-goddess is the presiding deity of the realm of richness, royalty, and spirituality. In her four hands, the goddess holds a goad, a noose, a lotus, and a beautifully depicted sugarcane piece or “Ikshu-Khanda”. Filled with nourishing sweet juice, the sugarcane represents the nectar of wisdom that the goddess provides.

On her pitha (shrine), stands goddess Lakshmi- who rules over wealth and Lord Ganesha- the remover of all obstacles. Goddess Lakshmi as Sri is closely related to Devi Rajarajeshwari- both of them important deities in the Lakshmi Tantra and Sri Chakra. As the central goddess in the Matrika (mother-goddess) cluster, Devi is also connected to Ganesha, who is often mentioned as assisting the Matrikas in goddess Durga’s battles with the forces of the demon-kings.

Embodying the great mother’s powers in this bronze Rajarajeshwari icon composite, are two couchant lions, an extension of her unparalleled powers. Beautiful detailing has gone into the making of this bronze icon, made clear from the symmetry of the images, and the treatment of minor elements. The platform on which goddess Rajarajeshwari is enthroned is in itself an inspired work of art, decorated with flowing vines that sprout from the entirety of the stand.

Making Process of Hoysala Bronze

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Due to its durability, corrosion resistance, and versatility, bronze is the most preferred metal for artisans to create sculptures. Other qualities that make it the ideal choice for creating statues is its ability to be cast easily. Aside from that, this metal allows the most intricate details to be captured by the artist.
The art of making bronze statues has been practiced in India for centuries, and evidence of it can be found in magnificent Hoysala bronze ornaments and bronze statues in South India. Of the many bronze idols produced in the country, Hoysala art statues are very famous. The hoysala style includes a depiction of embellishments and ornaments and an abundance of jewelry while making statues. It grew from the 10th to 14th centuries in the Hoysala dynasty that ruled the region, falling in present day Karnataka, hence the name of this craft. It involves intricate work, deep carving, and undercutting by artisans to create elaborate and decorative motifs.
Much time and effort goes into bringing these timeless pieces to life. It takes months to finish a single sculpture, and they are always created by casting. The most common casting type for bronze idols is the lost-wax casting technique. This is a 4000-year-old art form and requires a lot of concentration, patience, and finesse.

The first step of making bronze statues is making a model of the sculpture in clay. The artist creates an exact clay version of what he envisions to be made in bronze. He captures every little detail.

The second step involves making a mold of plasticine or silicon rubber around the clay statue. Once the mold hardens, it is separated from the clay sculpture.

After that, molten wax is poured into the mold so that a thick layer of coating is created inside the mold. This is done so that every detail of the sculpture is captured.

Once the wax hardens, the plasticine or silicon mold is removed, and a ceramic shell is created around the wax structure by dipping it in liquid slurry and silica sand.

This ceramic shell is heated upon solidification, and the wax is melted out. After that, molten bronze is poured into the mold through tubes.

Once the liquid bronze has hardened and taken the shape of the mold, the ceramic shell is removed, and the final product is checked for any imperfections.

The final step involves the application of patina onto the sculpture. This prevents corrosion and adds color to the statue. A final coat of wax is applied to preserve this and add luster.