Bhu-Varaha- the Panchaloha bronze that we see here, of the boar-faced incarnation of Vishnu carrying the goddess earth or “Bhudevi” is a powerful icon, that perfectly brings to light Vishnu’s persona as the Hindu preserver god, who time and again fulfill his promise of taking different forms to restore balance and ensure the prevalence of “Dharma”.
Sri Varaha is the Roopa (form) taken by Vishnu when the Bhudevi was captured by the menacing demon Hiranyaksha, who took the goddess to the netherworld. The benevolent Vishnu transformed himself into an enormous Varaha or boar- whose stature and the sound he produced caused the evil heart to shudder. It is a powerful and ferocious avatar- as conveyed by his aggressive “Alidha” posture- where the extended leg is placed on the hood of a Naga (serpent), a resident of the netherworld. The aura of Varaha avatar is presented in this mighty bronze statue, which shows him in his celestial four-armed form, accompanied by Bhudevi, who gracefully sits on his robust arm.
Even the sow face of Vishnu is sculpted with such delicateness in this Varaha bronze, with his eyes enlivened and his tusks toned down, that he emanates benevolence and fatherly love. The sturdiness of the arms and chests of Sri Varaha turns into evident elegance in the fingers and gestures of the hands of the lord. The heavenly body of Sri Varaha in this bronze icon is adorned with stately ornaments and a triangular motif on his right chest- the “Srivatasa”, a symbol of Sri-Lakshmi that resides in the heart of Vishnu. The hint of a swing in the frills of the dhoti (lower body garment) and jewelry of Sri Varaha makes it look like he is just emerging from the depths of the underworld, safely escorting Bhudevi back to her assigned position.
Fine artistic work in this bronze can be highlighted by the detailing of the facial expressions of the Naga, who appears to be in awe, venerating the divine savior whose benevolence knows no bounds.
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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