Tinted in a beautiful combination of bronze and seafoam, the idol of Lord Ganesha sits regally in his Panchamukhi (five heads) form. At his feet stands the supplicant body of Mushak, his vahan (vehicle). In this form, he becomes the bringer of joy and peace. All his heads are crowned beautifully and his head is framed by a gleaming halo.
His five heads represent the five sheaths (Pancha koshas) that build up the human physique—Annamaya (food), Pranamaya (vital energy), Manomaya (mental), Vijnanamaya (wisdom), and Anandamaya (cosmic). The sthapathi, who creates these beautiful idols of gods in the style that hails from the town of Swamimalai, has carved him in his potbellied, childish form with four hands. In his hands, he holds a battle-ax, a noose, and a modak, which is his favorite sweet. His remaining hand is facing towards the devotees, blessing them with wisdom and good luck. He is the one who destroys any obstacles that cross his devotees’ paths. The ones who devote the time of the day to him and pray with a clear heart and conscience are able to control the five sheaths that make up their bodies. He is truly celestial in this form.
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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