The amorous couple, Radha-Krishna, standing on discrete plinths. It is a twin-murti composition in brass. Lord Krishna in the tribhanga stance (the body jutting out laterally at three different junctures, namely the shoulders, the hips, and the ankle) plays on His flute, while His Radha raises a hand in blessing over devotees. The finish is a deep, lustrous gold, characteristic of the pure brass medium. The Lord and His Vrindavan ladylove bear a composure of omnibenevolence and omniscience. His is a more ornate crown with peacock plumage at the zenith, while Hers is more in keeping with the shape of Her feminine skull.
Krishna is in a dhoti and angavastram, while Radha is also wearing a dhoti with layers upon layers of jewels on Her full-figured torso. Note the sheer level of detail introduced into the crowns and dhoties of each deity. The plinths they stand on are identical - multi-tiered, engraved with two circular rows of lotus petals of a different proportion each.
Krishna is the eighth incarnation of God Vishnu. His death marks the end of Dwaparayuga and the start of the Kaliyuga. He is one of the most popular of all Hindu deities and revered as a direct channel to God Vishnu’s celestial form. There are numerous stories sung of him and Radha, an avatar of Lakshmi, who is said to accompany him in all of his ten incarnations.
In this gleaming Panchaloha Bronze idol, Radha and Krishna, along with the other Gopis, are engrossed in Raas Lila; a celestial dance of divine love. A process of Bhakti, connecting our material spirits to the transcending vibrations of Lord Krishna, achieved through utter devotion. Raas Lila is a popular theme in many traditional dance forms of India, such as Kathak and Manipuri.
Krishna is portrayed, in this beautiful panchaloha bronze piece, playing his divine flute, Venu. The bronze Krishna is dressed in rich ornaments; a keyur (armlet) on his biceps and peacock feathers on his crown. Radha’s expressions are of rapt attention. She dances to his tunes; her scarf swirling behind her. Her hair dangles in knots below her waist.
This large wood statue carved out of Vangai wood, a fine timber from Kalakorchi region in Tamilnadu used for wood-carving now for centuries, represents Lord Shiva as seated with his left leg placed over his right thigh, and the right, placed over the back of the Apasmarapurusha lying under his feet. In Indian tradition the posture is known as Lalitasana – that which revealed ease and aesthetic beauty.
The form of Shiva that this statue represents is identified in Shaivite iconography as his Dakshinamurti manifestation. The term Dakshinamurti combines two Sanskrit terms, one 'Dakshin', meaning the supreme master or expert in any of the disciplines, and the other, 'Murti', meaning form, that is, Dakshinamurti is the form of one who is at the top of any skill or discipline and is its supreme master.
Scriptural tradition perceives the origin and accomplishment of dance, music, entire knowledge, rhetoric, Yoga, aesthetics and various other disciplines in Shiva alone. Hence, Dakshinamurti is an epithet used exclusively for Shiva. In immensely diversified Shaivite iconography the term Dakshinamurti denotes one of the Shiva’s many forms, that is, the form that represents him as the master of one skill or discipline, or of the other.
Surrender to the divine power and cosmic energy of "Mahashaktimaya Shiva," portrayed with reverence and awe in this captivating artwork. As the embodiment of supreme consciousness and cosmic balance, Shiva emanates a transcendent aura that transcends earthly bounds. Through nuances and forms, this painting invites you to contemplate the eternal dance of creation and destruction, where every gesture of the divine reveals the interconnectedness of all existence.
A larger-than-life bronze to grace the home or office of the truly devoted. Fashioned from panchaloha, a mix of five (‘pancha’) different alloys of iron (loha), it depicts the Nataraja roopa (form) of the great Lord Shiva. Caught amidst His powerful, all-annihilating tandava, the stance is one of enchanting grace and harmony. Needless to say, this Shiva iconography has been popular with artisans since the beginning of India’s sculptural tradition.
Speaking of sculptural tradition, the South is where bronze really flourished as a medium. Panchaloha, of which this murti is made, is one of the finest homegrown bronzes and accounts for the deep, rich brown and the sublime shimmer of the Lord’s naked skin. Replete with remarkable detail - the flaying locks and snakes that frame the tandava figure, the gorgeous prabhavali or aureole - this work is a fine example of the merits of the lost-wax method of bronze sculpting.
Known as madhuchista vidhana in the Agamas, it is a demanding technique that involves the skilled artisan to work with his hands. It accounts for the finesse in each aspect of the figure, such as the digits of the hands and feet, the lifelike undulations of form, and the expressive mukhamandala.
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