Vaishnavite textual histories – stretching from the Agni Purana, Vishnudharmottara Purana, Matsya Purana, and other texts –present the boar colossus Varaha, as the powerful third avatar of Vishnu. The ‘sthapati’ from Swamimalai has presented Vishnu’s mythology in a graceful and stylistic manner that evokes the fierce as well as benevolent sides of Varaha. As the half boar half man form of the great preserver of the universe, Varaha’s legend is associated with the defeat of Hiranyaksha and the rescue of the Earth goddess Bhudevi.
Poised on a raised plinth, the figure of Varaha stands proud with one leg on the hood of Shesha, his eternal and primordial devotee (whose coiled body represents the circularity of time). Varaha, wearing a multi-layered conical ‘mukuta,’ holds the Vaishnavite attributes of the ‘Sudarshana Chakra’ and conch, and gestures in the ‘abhaya mudra’ to dispel fear from the devout’s minds and hearts. His lower left hand embraces the seated figure of Bhudevi, who has clasped her hands in the ‘anjali mudra,’ performing a namaskaram.
Varaha’s presentation is simple, and the god wears an inornate ‘dhoti’ and jewellery, but the artisan has gracefully captured the important episode from Vaishnavite tradition that makes this image religiously and aesthetically iconic.
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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