Nataraja sculpture at Bharat Mandapam during G20 Summit in Delhi

Nataraja sculpture at Bharat Mandapam during G20 Summit in Delhi

Subject: HISTORY

Section: Art and culture

Context: A 27-foot Nataraja sculpture installed outside the Bharat Mandapam ahead of the G20 Summit weighs around 20 tonnes and took around 3.25-lakh man hours to take shape, the government said.

• The sculpture was created by the traditional Sthapatis of Swamimalai, who specialise in Hindu temple architecture, using the lost wax-casting process as per the measurements mentioned in the Silpa Shastra.
• The statue hails from Swamimalai, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district known for its bronze sculptures. (GI Tag)
• The Silpa Shastra refers to the ancient Hindu texts that are considered as manuals for sculpture and Hindu iconography, prescribing the proportions of a sculptured figure, its composition, principles and meaning.
• The sculpture has been crafted using eight metals or ‘ashtadhatu’ (copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and iron), and has been created in the style of Chila tradition, which was prevalent in the southern part of India, 9th century onwards.
• Nataraja, or the Lord of Dance, symbolises the omnipresent and the infinite. This form of Lord Shiva is a synthesis of religion, philosophy, art, craft and science
• Nataraja’s idol also has two invisible triangles interlocked representing both Shiva and Shakti.
• The Nataraja statue symbolizes Lord Shiva’s dance and is an iconic representation of Tamil culture.
• The design draws inspiration from three revered Nataraja idols — the Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, the Uma Maheswarar Temple in Konerirajapuram, and the Brihadeeswara (Big) Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Thanjavur.

Crafting Tools:

• Traditional tools like leaf strips for measurements, spatula for wax shaping, and knife for carving.
• Scraper refines relief, soldering iron smooths wax, hammer-chisel removes excess metal.
• Engraving tools, files, and forceps for intricate carving.

Casting Process:

• Sculptors utilized the ‘lost-wax’ casting method, a time-tested technique since the Chola era.
• Beeswax-resin-groundnut oil mixture is used to create a wax model based on Agama Shastra.
• The process involves creating a wax model encased in clay; the clay is sourced from the alluvial soil near the Cauvery River in Swamimalai.
• Model covered in loam, holes drilled for metal pouring, then cooled to harden.
• Molten bronze is poured into the hot mold, breaking it after cooling, and details are carved, with emery paper polish.

Lost-Wax Method:

• The lost-wax method can be dated back to at least 6,000 years back — a copper amulet crafted using this method at a neolithic site in Mehrgarh, Balochistan (present day Pakistan) is dated to circa 4,000 BC.
• For millennia, the lost wax method was the foremost technique to produce elaborate metallic sculptures, and the Cholas took this skill to its zenith.
• In this method, first, a detailed wax model is made. This is then covered with a paste made of alluvial soil found on the banks of the Cauvery river that runs through the heart of what was Chola country.
• After this coating, applied multiple times, has dried, the figure is exposed to high heat, causing the wax to burn away, leaving a hollow, intricately carved mould. This is ultimately filled by molten metal to produce the sculpture.

Evolution:

• The Chola dynasty’s temple construction attracted artisans to Swamimalai.
• Sthapatis continued the bronze statue-making tradition over centuries.

More about Nataraja:

• Nataraja, also known as the Lord of the Dance, is represented in metal or stone in many Shaivite temples, particularly in South India.
• It is an important piece of Chola sculpture.

The Nataraja sculpture is characterized by various features:

• The drum, symbolizing the sound of creation, is held in the upper right hand. It is signified that all creations originate from the great sound of the damru.
• The eternal fire, representing destruction, is held in the upper left hand, emphasizing that destruction precedes and complements creation.
• The lower right hand is raised in the Abhay mudra, which signifies benediction and the assurance to devotees not to be afraid.
• The lower left hand points towards the upraised foot, indicating the path of salvation.
• The figure of a small dwarf serves as the base upon which Shiva is depicted dancing, symbolizing ignorance and individual ego.
• Shiva’s matted and flowing locks symbolize the flow of the Ganges River.
• In terms of ornamentation, one ear of Shiva is adorned with a male earring, while the other features a female earring. This represents the fusion of male and female energies and is often referred to as
• A snake is elegantly twisted around Shiva’s arm, symbolizing the kundalini power, which resides in the dormant stage within the human spine and, when awakened, leads to true consciousness.

The Nataraja is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing lights, symbolizing the vast unending cycles of time, reminding observers of the eternal nature of the universe and the perpetual dance within it.