7" Standing Navagrahas with Their Respective Vahanas | Panchaloha Bronze | Made In South India

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Most of the deities are chaturbhujadhari or the one possessed of (‘dhari’) four (‘chatur’) arms (‘bhuja’), but for Lord Rahu, the snake-headed navagraha. The hands bear either weapons or the mudra of aashirvada (blessing). Each navagraha is accompanied by their divine mount or vahana standing on a thin strip of bronze attached to their respective plinths.

The iconographies of the respective navagrahas have been distinguished with great skill as well as textual precision. The embroidery on the dhoties around their legs, the finesse of the crowns on their heads and the adornments on their bodies. In its aesthetic flawlessness, such a sculpture would be a powerful addition to the home decor of any Hindu devotee.

The combined study of astrology and astronomy by ancient Indian scholars explained that how the movement of Navagraha (The Nine Planets) influenced the lives of humans. The Navagraha deities are Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangal (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu.

These deities are placed in a single square with Sun in the center and none of the deities face each other on a small pavilion (mandapa). Exotic India presents exquisitely poised and supple nine bronze deities crafted with care, precision, and perfection. Surya (Sun) is a prime deity and the most revered one standing in the middle of all the deities.

He is holding a lotus flower in both hands and the aureole around his crown makes him look powerful than the other deities. Then comes Chandra (Moon) placed onto Surya’s east. The lunar deity symbolizes the qualities of waxing and waning. His crown is distinct as it has a moon behind his crown.

Next is Budha (Mercury) stands in the south. He holds a wielding weapon in his right hand and his left hand is in Abhay Mudra that blesses whosoever comes in his grace. Guru (Jupiter) is placed in the west, the sage Brihaspati represents this graha. He’s one of the hands is holding a book while his other hand is in the gesture of blessing his devotees with immense wisdom.

Shukra is onto the North of Surya, the sage Shukracharya is associated with this graha. He is a mentor of asuras and has the power to revive anyone from the dead. He holds Kamandalu in his left hand while rosary in his right hand. Mangla is placed in the south-east of the Surya. The deity represents battlefield, war, weaponry, and strength. Here he is holding a lotus and mace (gada) in his hand.

Shani is located in his South-west direction. He is a powerful deity that has an immense influence on the destiny of humans. His vahan is vulture that is depicted behind the sculpture. Rahu is positioned in the north-west and Ketu is positioned towards the north-east.

Both these planets are considered shadow planets, they are the ones that are responsible for causing eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. Rahu has the face of the serpent while Ketu has the tail of the serpent. They both stand here with folded hands recognizing the divinity of the primary planets.

Sculpting Dreams in Metal: The Enigmatic Alchemy of Panchaloha Bronze Masterpieces

Bronze statues and sculptures are known for their exquisite beauty and the divinity that they emit all around the space. Bronze is considered an excellent metal alloy, composed primarily of copper and tin. Many properties make it suitable for sculpting even the most intricate and complex structures. There was a period in history, known as the “Bronze Age'', in which most sculptors preferred to work with Bronze as it was considered the hardest metal. Bronze is especially appreciated for its durability, ductility, and corrosion-resistance properties. India is especially known for its elegant workmanship of skills working with Bronze. The artisans of a town named Swamimalai in South India have been following a tradition of bronze murti making for ages. They use a special material known as Panchaloha bronze to make fascinating icons of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. All of us are allured by the beauty of bronze statues and sculptures but there goes a tough hand in casting those masterpieces with little or no imperfections. Since it is an extremely elaborate process, a sculptor needs to be highly skilled in making bronze antiques. The most common technique for casting bronze sculptures that has been followed since ancient times is the “Lost-wax” process which involves many steps:

1. Clay model making

The making of a bronze statue or sculpture starts with preparing a full-sized clay (usually Plasticine) model of the sculpture. This allows the artist to have an idea about the overall shape and form of the desired sculpture before working with bronze, a much more expensive and difficult-to-work-with material.

2. Mould making

Once the clay model is ready, a mould of the original sculpture is made. This is done by carefully covering the clay model with plaster strips. This step is carried out in such a way that no air bubbles are formed. It takes up to 24 hours for the plaster to dry. Once dried, the plaster is then gently removed from the clay model. The removal happens easily because the inner mould is usually made of materials such as polyurethane rubber or silicone.

3. Wax filling and removal

In this step, molten bronze or wax is poured or filled into the mould in such a way that it gets even into the finest details. The mould is then turned upside down and left to cool and harden. When the wax has hardened, it is removed from the mould.

4. Chasing

Chasing is the process in which the artist refines the surface of the bronze statue using various tools to achieve fine details. This smoothens the surface and gives the statue a finished look. If some parts of the statue were moulded separately, they are now heated and attached.

5. Applying a patina

Bronze sculptures are known for their unique look or sheen on the surface. This may take several years to achieve naturally. Applying patina to bronze sculptures is an important step to make them appear attractive. Working with clay, plaster mould, and molten wax can be messy and therefore sculptors wear old clothes and remain careful. The entire process of making a bronze statue takes several months to complete. Bronze sculptures last for many centuries because of the high durability of the material. Many centuries down the line, these sculptures continue to be appreciated for their majestic beauty.