The dance of Uma is Laasya, the celebration of creation, and the dance of Shiva is Taandava, the declaration of annihilation. However, the dance of Ganesha has no singular meaning. Sometimes, he dances to mirror the movements of his mother innocently and others as the expression of victory over negative forces. Whatever the origin of the story might be, his form as Nritya-Ganapati or Narthan Vinaykar seems to have allured the imagination of Panchaloha artists, who have crafted mesmerizing icons of the mammoth elephant-faced deity dancing in exhilaration, a heavenly symbol of Ganesha’s presence and the mastery of Swamimalai artists.
This superb Panchaloha bronze depicts Narthan Vinayakar, standing on an inverted lotus that symbolizes the origin of the universe and pure wisdom. The bends of his feet and thrust of his head bending backward in movement are beautifully captured in the statue, placing Ganesha in the iconic Kunchita-pada asana, balancing his gigantic body on one leg with great poise. The details of Ganesha’s attire and ornamentation are inspiring, with the fine folds of his dhoti, the back of his crown, and finer elements delineated with equal meticulousness on the reverse of the icon.
This divine image of auspicious dancing is surrounded by an ornate aureole that stands on two pillars adorned by Makara figures whose mouth sprouts the aureole, decorated with floral details. On the top of the aura is the Kirtimukha or face of glory that symbolizes the zenith of self-surrender, with Makara, the motif of divinity and royalty making a reappearance, emerging from the gaping mouth of the Kirtimukha, a beautiful example of the details and finesse that create a Panchaloha sculpture.
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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