This four-inch-tall figure of Varahi is the sculptural ‘madhuchista vidhana’ lost wax image of one of the Matrikas or Mother Goddess of Hinduism, specifically, channelling the female energy or ‘shakti’ of Vishnu’s third avatar, Varaha. Outside Vaishnavism, Varahi is also worshipped as the Buddhist goddess Vajravarahi and Marichi, and Tantra worship envision her with their secretive Vamamarga Tantra. Varahi’s legend is derived from several texts (like the Markandeya Purana, Vamana Purana, Devi Bhagata Purana) that detail the coming of the Matrikas as a manifestation of Durga. The Varaha Purana describes the coming of Varahi, seated on Shaeshanaga, from the posterior of Vaishnavi, the Shakti of Vishnu.
While the Purana describes her as the representation of ‘asuya,’ the vice of envy, her iconography, which spans over the Matsya Purana, Purva-Karnagama, and the Rupamandana, present her in the dual forms of benevolent and fearsome. In this four-armed depiction, we see her carrying the Vaishnavite attributes of the Sudarshana Chakra and the conch, and her other two hands are in the ‘abhayamudra’ or fear-dispelling gesture and the ‘varadamudra’ or the boon-granting gesture. The Shakta tradition is presented here, for it describes her seating on a circular raised lotus pedestal (in place of her ‘vahana’ buffalo, called Mahisha) in the ‘lalitasana,’ with her one leg pendent over the pedestal.
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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