6" Uma Maheshwara (Shiva Parvati) | Madhuchista Vidhana (Lost-Wax) | Panchaloha Bronze from Swamimalai
Step into the Panchaloha world of Chola-style art, where divine grace and artistic finesse merge seamlessly. The exquisite portrayal of Uma Maheshwara in Chola style brings to life the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva and Devi Uma (Parvati). In the enchanting pose of Tribhanga, the celestial couplet embodies the essence of love, harmony, and spiritual union. As you immerse yourself in the grace and elegance of this divine depiction, may you be inspired to seek the balance of masculine and feminine energies within yourself.
The cosmic union of Shiva and Parvati – or Maheshwara and Uma, here – represents the coming together of celestial energies, or Shakta and Shakti, in making the universe, and the Swamimalai ‘sthapati’ has beautifully presented that imagery in this lost wax ‘madhuchista vidhana’ image. Shiva and Parvati have been presented in various visual iterations for generations – from their marriage as the ‘Kalyana Sundara murti’ to the ‘Ardhanrishwara’ image, which fuses the masculine and feminine energies of both Shiva and Parvati into one body. Uma Maheshwara carries this tradition forward and presents the ornately clad couple in an amorous manner.
With both images composed in the self-assured ‘abhanga’ manner, posturing the deities deep in thought, Maheshwara’s graceful figure is elegantly and delicately caressing Uma. Our supreme lord of the universe and celestial destroyer is presented as a gentle family man, poised with four hands and a ‘mukuta’ with a ‘prabhamandala.’ While two hands are around Uma, the other two at the back carry his usual attributes: the ‘parashu’ axe that Shiva bestowed to Parashurama, and the ‘mriga,’ identifying his lordship over the animal kingdom. Uma, meanwhile, in presented with two hands: the left one hanging pendent, while the right hand projecting the ‘katakamukha mudra,’ or the hand gesture of holding a flower, which would have been a lotus.
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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