Varaha or the boar incarnation of Sri Vishnu is associated with salvaging the Earth, manifested as Bhudevi, from the all-engulfing floods or Pralaya.
Keeping his vow of protecting the earth when it is burdened by the misdeeds of wrongdoers, Bhagawan Vishnu approached the depths of the cosmic ocean and carried Bhudevi to the surface.
Hindu textual traditions describe the majesty of Sri Varaha, whose divine aura as the savior of Earth mesmerized all.
Following the iconography of Sri Varaha murti as mentioned in the ancient Vaishnava text Vaikhanasagama, this Panchaloha Varaha statue is a representation of Sri Vishnu’s boar incarnation as “Bhu-Varaha”.
According to Vaikhanasagama, the statue of Bhu-Varaha should depict Sri Varaha in his chaturbhuja (four-armed) form, with the head of a boar and the body of a celestial man. Three of his hands carry Vishnu’s attributes- Shankha (conch), chakra (discus), and Abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness), while on his primary left hand sits Bhudevi.
The mother goddess has her hands held in the Anjali mudra, a gesture of showing gratitude, and pleasingly gazes at her all-powerful protector. Sri Varaha is adorned with a royal crown, necklaces, Makara-kundala (earrings shaped like Makara, a mythical animal that signifies royalty and beauty), a two-stringed Yajnopavita (sacred thread) on his torso, and a waistbelt.
His fine dhoti is stunningly delineated in this bronze statue, with intricate incised lines all over his legs to mark the softened folds of the garment and the fringes of the garment hanging from his sides gracefully. On the reverse of the statue, details of Sri Bhu-Varaha’s luscious hair and work on his dhoti can be observed to understand the dedication of the attention-oriented makers of this bronze icon.
Bhagwan Varaha dynamically raises his left leg, which is placed on the head of a five-hooded Adi-shesha, who in his zoo-anthropomorphic form, pays adulations to his Lord. The inverted lotus pedestal of which this Panchaloha Bhu-Varaha statue is crafted is delineated exquisitely- each petal marked individually to give the great god a fitting, regal 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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