South Indian Bronze – Chola Bronze:

South Indian Bronze is one of the best bronzes in the world. And indeed Chola period is considered as the “Golden period of South India Bronze”. Bronze casting which is familiar to India, mostly originated during this period dated around 10^th-14^th century^.

Hundreds of Chola bronzes have been excavated in several parts of India which stands evident to this fact. The making procedure behind such Chola Bronze artifacts is summarized below.

Chola period bronzes were basically created using the lost wax technique. Beeswax and a type of camphor are mixed with a little oil and kneaded to form a mixture. The figure is sculpted from this mixture fashioning all the minute details. This is the wax model original.

The entire figure is then coated with clay made from termite hills until the mold reaches the necessary thickness. Then the whole thing is dried and fired in an oven with cow-dung cakes. The wax model melts and flows out, while some of it vaporizes.

The metal alloy of bronze is melted and poured into the empty clay-mold. A particular bronze alloy known as the Pancha Loha (Composition of Five different metals viz. Gold, Silver, Brass, Lead and Copper) is used here.

When the metal has filled all crevices, settled, hardened and cooled, the mold is broken off. The bronze figure thus obtained is then cleaned and finer details are hand carved by the artist.

Blemishes if any, are removed, smoothened, and polished well. Hence each bronze icon is unique and the mold cannot be used to replicate.

The Chola bronze structures are very expressive, graceful, elegant, beautiful, and above all lively. It has more relevant clarity when compared with other forms of metal sculptures.