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Home > Temples of Kerala > Metal Images Metal ImagesMetal images in Kerala date back to fifth century AD. The Mathsya-puraana, (ascribed to 450 AD), contains vivid descriptions on the method of casting bronze images. The images kept at the Museum at Thiruvanthapuram, (particularly that of Vishnu) relate to the Pallava period (fourth to eighth century). The cire-per due process employed in the manufacturing of bell- metal products, which consists of making mould, casting and finishing the product, is generally followed in Kerala also with slight differences. The first step of this process is determinining the proportion of the image as per Silparathna or Thanthra Samucchaya. A sketch is drawn by the Silpi (artisan) himself and the figure is modelled in wax as per the measurements in wax and given a coating with a fine paste of burnt clay and allowed to dry in a shade. When the first coating has dried up a second coating is given with a mixture of a paste of burnt clay and fine clay. To ensure firmness of the mould sometimes a third coating is also given. Broken pieces of earthen pot are also fixed at weak spots of the model for firmness. The mould is then dried in the Sun and later an opening, called anthrakkal is provided at the bottom of the outer covering for draining out the wax when it is melted. The same anthrakkal is used for pouring molten metal at the time of casting the bimba. When the mould is all set it is heated and the wax melts and flows out.Bimbas are generally made up of panchaloha (an alloy of five metals), the accepted standard being 80 parts of copper, 8 parts of tin, 4 parts of silver, 1 part of gold and a small quantity of iron. Another type of alloy for making images consists of 10 parts of copper, 1 ½ parts of tin, 5 parts of silver, 2 ½ parts of gold and a small quantity of iron. The above alloy is melted in ceramic crucibles on a coke furnace and the molten liquid poured into the mould through the anthrakkal. It is a laborious process and it takes roughly 6 to 8 hours for melting the metal and heating the mould and it is done on an auspicious day. Then the mould is buried in the earth for cooling. When it is completely cooled the outer shells are carefully broken. The next step is the annealing process in which the idol is heated in a furnace and immersed in lukewarm or hotwater and allowed to cool down. This is carefully done to avoid any possible damage to the bimba. Then comes the final stage of carefully eliminating uneven surfaces and polishing. Nethra-ullekhana (marking of pupils) and Nethra-unmeelana (opening of eyes of the bimba) are done only at the time of consecration rites of the idol as laid down in verses 26 and 27 and verses 75 to 79 of Patala IV of Thanthra Samucchaya and in verses 40 and 50 to 54 of Sesha Samucchaya. Accordingly in respect of Ganapathi, Durga and Subramanya, Nethra-unmeelana is done before bimba-suddhi, while in respect ofVishnu, Sankaranarayana, Bhadrakaali, Parvathi, Lekshmi, Vysravanan,Brahma and Krishna, it is done just before brahma-kalasa. Both periods are suitable for Saastha. However this ceremony of the bimba is done before bimba-parigraha in regard to Devathas of Soorya, Saraswathi, Jeshta, Maathrkkal and Kshethrapaalan. The moulded bimba is then fixed on a peetha made up of combination of the same metals, as per specifications. The privilege of conducting this ceremony is that of the artisan who has made the bimba but there are instances wherein the ignorance of the kshethresars (builders of temples) is exploited by some high priests to suit their convenience and bimbas taken to the temple site after nethra-unmeelana. Thus very little significance is given by some to the cardinal principles laid down in saasthras. Generally the size of the metallic images is small and less than 500 yavams. However for archana-vigraha (Karma-vigraha or bahuvera-vigraha), uthsava-vigraha (Sree-bali or seeveli-vigraha), etc which are made up of bronze or bell-metal the height varies depending on the height of the moola-vigraha (principal deity). The height of archana-vigraha is generally one-fourth of the moola-vigraha. But If the moola-vigraha is very high the height of the karma-vigraha is restricted to either 3/15, 4/15,5/15,6/15 or 7/15 or 1/6 or 4/ 16,5/16 or 7/16 ofthe height of moola vigraha. In Siva temples uthsava-vigraha's size may either be equal to the height above the peetha or breadth or circumference of the Siva-linga. They are also related to the appropriate yoni and the futurity value. The shape of prabhaavali (in the form of ring of light) behind the idol is oval with number of projections some of which are in the form of jvalas (in the shape of protruding tongues of flame) along the ring. Most of the prabhaavalis are detachable from the main idol. Almost all metalic idols are excellent master-pieces of art. Pancha-loha vigrahas are very common and they include main idols,archana-vigrahas, Sree-bali-vigrahas etc. To list all temples having pancha-loha vigrahas is beyond the scope of this book. However, the idols of certain temples deserve speical mention. Among the pancha-loha vigrahas the largest is the Siva idol at Thiru Iraanikkulam or Airaanikkulam, (near Maala in Thrissur district) which was re-consecrated in 1997. It weighs 1000 kg.and in sitting pose with two hands, the right hand in Jnana-mudra pose and the left resting on the knee. The smallest idol is at the Sree Vinayaka temple at Pattathumogaru (near Manjeshwar in Kasaragod district) in sitting pose with ten hands with a height of two angulams. A special feature of this idol is that it is not fixed to the peetha. Another notable idol is that of Maha Ganapathi having ten hands installed at Vaaranam (near Cherthala in AIappuzha district). Other prominent images include those of Subramaya (Maniiyoor), Annapoorneswari (Cherukunnu, Lokanaarkaavu (Vatakara), Sree Ayyappa (Sabarimala) etc. The Bhagavathi idols are either in anthropomorphic form or in kannati forms (hand mirror types). Generally the idol and the peetha are of the same material. An exception to this is the idol of pancha-loha of Lord Poornathrayeesa at Thrippunithura which is ,seated on Aadi-Sesha made of silver. The idol of Kuttamath Bhagavathi temple (Hosdurg taluk) is made of bell metal. Of late, it is seen that when new idols are made preference is given to pancha-loha vigrahas as the idols have a golden colour and glitter in front ofbuming traditional oil-lights. There are some exquistic pancha-loha idols in some temples but their names and details are not enumerated here. However, some other aspects of metal-sculptures are discussed in Chapter 9.
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