The gentle son of Shiva-Parvati is seated in lalitasana on a gigantic lotus throne. Such a Ganesha idol is a fine example of the traditional iconography of the boy-deity. The Ganpati statue that you see on this page is made from pancaloha, a bronze made from a blend of five (‘panca’) different iron-based (‘loha’) alloys.
The pancaloha medium, and the skill required for madhuchista vidhana (the term in the shastras for lost-wax metalcasting), belong to the great sculptural tradition of South India. This Lord Ganesha statue bears the wealth of detail and the metallic colour finish with overtones of earth and green, both of which are characteristic of Swamimalai pancaloha murtis.
For example, the uniformly spaced serrations on the Ganpati statue trunk and the lifelike grip of its end around the amrtakalasha. The hyper-realistic feet and hands of the Lord as they grasp the broken tusk and the laddoo and the cosmic implements. Finally, the solemn expression on the divine elephant-face.
WHAT IS PANCHALOHA BRONZE AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT ?
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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