Thirty -five km from Thanjavur, Swamimalai is the city of Swamimalai, on the banks of a tributary of the Kaveri River. It is here that the bronze sculpture during the Chola rule was born 2,000 years ago, 2,000 years ago. We walk in Mr. Rajan industries – the creators of brass idols Shilpa scripture – There is also a bronze casting workshop and school. Your eyes are congratulated with sculpture masterpiece and work-in-promotion sculptures of Hindu deities.
Swamimimai is also called the only place to practice this craft in South India, which originated in the seventh century. It is said that “Sembiyan Mahadevi, Gandaraditya Chola’s wife (949 CE to 957 CE) is Fala -Fula,” says Suresh Kumar, manager of Shri Rajan Industries. The workshop and school in the past were its founder-Suresh Rajan-Kerala native, who learned the art and metal bronze casting in Swamleemai at the age of 24. “I was interested in sculpture since childhood,” now 71 -year -old Rajan says.
The idols are teased for perfection. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Stapathis (craftsmen), who belonged to Vishwakarma community, felt that alluvial soil rich with high soil content on the banks of Kaveri was ideal for making and settling here. The craft will be passed from one generation to another. Says Rajan, “The soil contains salt, which makes it ideal for making an idol. Currently there are 400 families in the village that practice this craft,” then talks about the myth connected to this river bank. Kumar said, “It is here that Shiva’s son, Murugan or Kartiken played the role of a guru and explained the meaning of chanting ‘Om’ to his father,” shares Kumar, who goes to explain the process of lost wax bronze casting.
“First, a clay (mixture of bees and resin) models is made on the wax, with an opening at the bottom. Molted metal – 84 percent copper, 14 percent zinc and 2 percent tin mixture – a mixture of tin – is inserted on a wax mold and is separated for a day. And traditionally, and traditionally, Panchloha Silver and gold will also include, but due to rising prices, these metals are used in restraint. “We do not add them until a customer makes special requests. Sometimes, visitors also donate their gold or silver jewelery for it,” says Rajan.
Currently there are 400 families in the village who practice this craft. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Every idol/idol comes with a story. Running into the almost full idol of Parvati, fifty-two-year-old Arul Jyoti explains: “In this form, she is enjoyable. Here the goddess has been rested and this is the situation that she believes in her husband, Shiva’s internal sanctuary before going to the internal sanctuary, which is a sculpter for 40 years.
Praveen, a 23 -year -old, who has been with school for seven years, shows how he shapes condemnable wax in a meditation posture above a portable furnace. “During the period of the chol, bronze cast sculptures were used for processions and they were called Urchwa Or Festive MurtisRajan said that he was taken to the streets on a chariot from the temple, which was often decorated with flowers, jewelery and silks, while people mounted the streets to seek blessings during the procession.
Praveen has been with school for seven years (can we check if he is a boy). Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Detailing is important when it comes to this wax bronze casting. Says Kumar, “We can see the delicate folds of a garment, the shape, posture and jewelery of a garment on the artist idols – coming into life on all the idols. Each idol or statue is unique, as we make only one from each mold,” says Kumar.
When the epidemic killed, the artists demanded other jobs and the verification lost skilled craftsmen. Kumar believes that craft is a fusion of spirituality and science, and A Panchloha Idol is a precursor to positive vibes. While an artist can be paid anywhere between ₹ 300 to ₹ 2,000 per day, craft is dying.
According to Rajan, some people are coming to learn the GI-tag craft. “Indians do not appreciate it, but do Western people. So NRIS or VVIPs. Local consumers are still looking for a large -scale brass statue, which probably ends as a showpiece,” they say.
Published – July 19, 2025 12:48 pm IST
