53" Large Superfine Lord Krishna Showing Vishvarupa to Arjun During Mahabharata (Gita Upadesha) | White Wood Statue

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Separated from the world around him by the hood of Adi Shesha, who represents eternal time, the eleven-headed Vishwarupa emanates divinity from every inch of the statue. Every face is animated, ornamented exquisitely, and carved so that it looks like a natural extension of the central figure of Krishna. Attired beautifully, Sri Krishna has his hands in the mudras of giving boons and fearlessness. From his torso which is wreathed in ornaments and floral garland, a lotus sprouts with the figure of Lord Brahma enthroned on it. 

Beneath the imposing image of Krishna's Vishwarupa, the chariot of Arjuna is carved, with Arjuna bowing in front of Krishna, who is engaged in the Gita-Upadesha, with his finger pointing at his amazing form as if highlighting the ultimate truth of life- Krishna is the supreme Brahma. The pedestal of this wooden sculpture has icons of Dashavatara carved in individual arched frames, each ornately decorated. 

The enchantment of this statue does not end on the obverse As one moves to the reverse of the sculpture, heavenly imagery awaits the eyes. On the topmost level, Veda Vyasa and Ganesha, Mahabharata's authors, are seated. Below that is the figure of Sri Vishnu lying on the coils of Shesha, surrounded by Garuda, Hanuman, and sages, accompanied by the ever-auspicious Lakshmi, all praying to the great preserver for his benevolence. In the statue's central section, Mahabharata's epic drama is delineated with superb masterfulness. Krishna stands in the center of these scenes, blowing his Panchajanya. 

One can observe the episode of Bhima's meeting with Hanuman, the fight between Duhshasana and Bhima, Bheeshma Pitamaha's face-off with Arjuna as Shikhandi stands in front of him on the chariot, and the battle between Arjuna and Karna, where the later is on the ground trying to get the wheel of his chariot out of the mud. 

The sheer amount of detailing on this wooden masterpiece is mind-blowing, but when one is reminded of the epic saga of Mahabharata, it only seems fitting that it gets such a grand artistic treatment. Crafted as if to visually narrate the entire epic, this wooden statue of Vishwarupa is a one-of-a-kind aesthetic gem from the treasure trove of Indian art tradition. 

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.