Lord Ganesh: The Grace Incarnate

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Item Code: RJ69
Specifications:
South Indian Temple Wood Carving
Height: 47.8 inch
Width: 14.8 inch
Depth: 4.7 inch
Weight: 14.50 kg
Handmade
Handmade
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Free delivery
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Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
A great work of art, the wood-carving, conceived as an arch with parallel columns and semi-circular apex, represents Lord Ganesha with his left leg tilting a little as in dance. A pair of mythical lions supporting arch-ends and holding oil-lit torches in forehands endows to the structure great regalia and splendour. With upwards raised heads, wide open mouths, jaws and dreadful canine teeth bursting out, well-trimmed mane and perfect rings’ like rounded tails invest this otherwise dull monotonous part of the arch a curious look. Beautifully designed and aesthetically crafted, the lotus-base on which the lion-pair stands, affords to the monarchs of the forest a befitting setting. A half column, with a beautiful floral medallion in its centre and beautifully hewn base and bracket, supporting the lintel which comprises the terrace that the image of Lord Ganesha enshrines, is yet another gorgeous component of the structure giving it a palace-architecture like appearance.

Lest it dragged away the viewing eye, the middle part of arch that Lord Ganesha pervades with his image has been conceived, barring a few design-motifs, largely as plain. Its arched apex is, however, one of its most beautiful parts in the statue. It consists of strange foliage; a stump of a tree with space for a bird – a blend of peacock and parrot, to perch, and a hole for its offspring to hide, highly stylised plant forms having banana bud like flower-pattern but mangos-like fruits, and leaves, like some plant of divine origin. Finer than any calligraphic contours are its curves ringing in full circles, and thicker than any, its leaves. On its top perches another bird, the same blend of two species : parrot and peacock.

The image of Lord Ganesha that enshrines the central part of the arch, that is, the ‘shikhara’ above and the plinth below, symbolically the sanctum, is four-armed. The elephant-faced god is carrying a pair of goads in his upper hands, broken tusk in the normal right and a ‘laddu’ in the normal left. This form is essentially the Ekadanta manifestation of Lord Ganesha. Ekadanta Ganapati, is invariably a four-armed form carrying as a rule his broken tusk in his normal right hand and is pot-bellied, as here in this wood-carving. The belly is contained by an ‘udara-patta’ – belly-band. The cheerful mood of Lord Ekadanta manifests in many things, as here in the movement of his left foot revealing the beauty of dance, and in extending his trunk to the ‘laddu’ in his hand.

Under Ganapati cult Ekadanta form of Lord Ganesha is one of his main and initial eight classical manifestations enumerated in early texts like the Mudgala Purana. Mudgala Purana is primarily devoted to Ganesha-cult. As contend these texts, these eight manifestations of Lord Ganesha prevail over eight human weaknesses, namely, ‘moda’ – arrogance, ‘abhimana’ – pride, ‘matsarya’ – jealousy, ‘moha’ – infatuation, ‘lobha’ – greed, ‘krodha’ – anger, ‘kama’ – lust, and ‘mamata’ – possessiveness as also ego. It is said that Ganapati as Ekadanta prevails primarily over ‘moda’, the arrogance and thereby over other weaknesses. Arrogance breeds non-acceptance of the world, one is destined to live in, and hence it becomes main instrument of breeding disharmony – the root of most of the ills in life. Ekadanta Ganapati vanquishes this arrogance and makes life harmonious.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.


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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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How to care for Wood Statues?


Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.

 

  • Wood tends to expand and contract even after it has been processed, thus it is always recommended to keep the wooden sculptures in rooms with little humidity. Excess moisture can harm your masterpiece.

 

  • Periodical dusting of the finished piece is necessary to maintain its beauty as dust accumulation on the surface takes away the shine of the sculpture. You can use a clean and soft cloth or a hairbrush for this purpose.

 

  • You must avoid applying any chemical-based solutions that may damage the wood from the inside. Instead, you can apply lemon oil or coconut oil using a cotton rag to the sculpture to bring out its natural shine. Lemon oil also helps to clean any stains on the sculpture.

 

  • Applying a layer of beeswax protects the wood from sun damage and hides even the smallest imperfections on the wood.

 

It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster. 

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