Nepalese Garuda

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Name: Nepalese Garuda
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: EN73
Price: 150.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$129.75

$173

25% off

Includes any tariffs and taxes

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Specifications

	EN73
	Copper Statue
	Height: 5 inch
	Width: 4.5 inch
	Depth: 3 inch
	Weight 600 gm

Delivery and Return Policies


	Returns and Exchanges accepted within 7 days
	Free Delivery

Easy Returns

Return within 7 days of
order delivery.See T&Cs

Fully Insured

All orders are fully insured
to ensure peace of mind.

100% Handmade

All products are
MADE IN INDIA.

A Powerful Addition to Your Collection Handcrafted with care, this statue, made of copper, is more than just a decorative piece; it's a tangible representation of power, protection, and overcoming adversity. Its compact size (5.0 x 4.5 x 3.0 inches) makes it perfect for any space, from your meditation altar to a bookshelf in your living room.

The Legend of the Garuda

The Garuda holds a significant place in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Often depicted as a powerful eagle-like creature or a human figure with avian features, the Garuda is known as the mount (vahana) of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. In Buddhism, the Garuda is a protector deity, frequently seen in mandalas and thangkas. The Garuda symbolizes strength, speed, and martial prowess. The Garuda's most famous tale involves its conflict with serpents (Nagas). According to legend, Garuda's mother was tricked into servitude by the wives of Kadru, the mother of serpents. Garuda, determined to free his mother, bargained with the serpents, promising them the elixir of immortality, Amrita, in exchange for her freedom. After a fierce battle with the gods guarding the Amrita, Garuda successfully acquired it. However, he returned it to Indra (the king of gods) before the serpents could drink it, thus preventing them from becoming immortal and ultimately freeing his mother. This victory cemented Garuda's role as a symbol of triumph over evil and negative forces. The statue serves as a reminder to overcome your obstacles.

Spiritual Significance and Craftsmanship

The Garuda in Tibetan Buddhism, especially, symbolizes a dismantling force, tearing away at ignorance and attachment. It is associated with dispelling negative energies and bringing clarity and wisdom. This copper statue captures the essence of the Garuda, showcasing its powerful wings, sharp beak, and commanding presence. The statue portrays the Garuda standing with hands held aloft in a symbolic gesture, possibly representing a mudra of protection or blessing. The details in the carving, from the intricate feathers to the decorative elements on its crown, reflect the rich artistic traditions of Nepal. It is made in Nepal using traditional metal casting techniques, ensuring that each piece is unique and imbued with the spiritual energy of its creation. Its copper construction adds a beautiful warmth and depth, making it a visually stunning piece that will enhance any space.

How are Nepalese copper statues made?

Nepalese statues and sculptures are best known for their unique small religious figures and ritual paraphernalia for over two thousand years. These are mainly cast in copper alloy. Nepal draws influences from the artistic styles of Buddhism and Hinduism, and therefore the sculptors of the country specialize in making the icons of both these religions. Over the years, Nepalese sculptures evolved into their own distinctive iconography. Some characteristic features of these sculptures that differ from other pieces are exaggerated physical postures, youthful and sensual features, languid eyes, wider faces having serene expressions, and ornate flourishes. The Buddhist deity icons of Nepal have tremendous demand in countries such as China and Tibet for ritual purposes in their temples and monasteries.

Nepalese statues and sculptures have a high copper content and therefore develop a slightly reddish patina on the surface as they age. However, the most unique feature of Nepalese copper statues is their decorative detailing. The pieces are heavily gilded and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones. This embellishment protects them from getting tarnished. The traditional lost-wax method for casting Nepalese copper statues remains the most practiced technique in Nepal for many centuries. This process involves many steps and requires skilled artists.

The first step in lost-wax sculpting is to make a wax replica of the desired Buddhist deity to be cast in copper. This replica is created by hand and therefore needs excellent artistic skills otherwise fine features will be lacking.

Once the wax replica is made, it is then coated with a special mixture of clay with a brush. This layer of clay is hardened when left to dry. A small hole is made on the base of the wax mould so that the wax flows away when it is heated.

At this stage, a hollow mould in the shape of the deity is obtained.

This is the time to pour liquid copper into the hollow mould which is then allowed to cool and harden inside a container of cold water. When the liquid metal has hardened, the mould is removed and the statue within is revealed.

The artist works on the details of the statue using various tools. It is then polished to get a shiny and lustrous surface.

Now comes the most important part of Nepalese art which is gold gilding. This is done by the traditional fire gilding method. A mixture of mercury and 18K gold is applied on the surface of the statue and heat is applied using a flame torch. The result is that mercury evaporates along with impurities, leaving a pure 24K gold finish.

The lost-wax method of sculpting is the most preferred technique

for artists to cast a metallic statue having intricate details. Since Nepalese copper sculptures require extraneous effort for giving a majestic look by adding special embellishments, it takes several weeks to complete one masterpiece. A 24K gold gilded copper sculpture retains its brilliant luster for many years and appears as like before. Nepalese sculptures continue to remain one of the finest specimens of the art of the East that have a strong aesthetic appeal that other sculptures cannot match.