Embraced by serpents and a circle of fire, Lord Shiva's dancing form, Nataraja stands gracefully on a pedestal, his feet cushioned by the defeated body of a dwarf demon. His sharp features, the illusive fire that represents the cycle of birth and rebirth, and his elegant limbs are all carved carefully by sthapathis into wax, forming a mold for this idol. It's filled with panchaloha (five alloys) bronze that will shine divinely when finished.
As the wax pools away and the mold is opened, the perfect form of Nataraja performing the Tandava (dance of the destruction of the cosmos) emerges. In this form, Lord Shiva offers an end to the relentless cycle of life and it's miseries as represented by the halo around him. He is the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer himself. In this idol, like many others, he holds a damru in one of his hands, creating his own music to dance to. It is the same damru that created the first noise when the universe was first created. Another one of his hands is in an abhaya mudra, a blessing and a reassurance wrapped all in one. He is always there for all of his devotees, offering protection and whatever else they need from him.
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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