Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you additional information or want me to fix something. The clickable images you see now is a result of one such feedback.
My email: Padmanabhan.sridhar@gmail.com.
I will respond to every mail and, hopefully, within a week.
Work-in-progress:
- Reorganising the submenu (ongoing – May 2020).
- Introducing quick views with short descriptions (medium term)
- Researching 360 degree view of the Vigrahas (long term)
Bronzes of India - A personal collection 
Thanks for your encouragement. The idea behind these postings is to get in touch with other enthusiasts.
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I have really enjoyed looking at your collection, it’s a credit to you.
I look forward to seeing more of your indian bronze items and your well documented descriptions.
Kind regards from another enthusiast and collector.
Simon of Treasures of Wisdom.
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Added Shadakshari Lokeshwara
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Thanks for your comments and kind words. Please feel free to use the pictures or description for non-commercial purposes. Plan to blog Shadakshari in about two weeks time.
Sridhar
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Hello
I am just trying to establish contact with a fellow collector of Indian bronzes. You appear to be much more tech-connected than I am (I have no wish to join facebook and rarely get beyond simple e-mails.)
The quality of items you have listed varies from very good to quite modest. Many of the bronzes on your site interest me, some are similar to pieces in my own collection, others are rarities that I am not familiar with. A few I recognise from recent auctions.
I live in London, have been collectiong since the late eighties and have several hundred bronzes, of a broardly similar range to yours. I have a few images of items in my collection that i might be able to send you – my limiter technology permitting.
I look forward to a reply
David Bennie
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David,
Thanks for your mail. I work in technology industry and despite that I am technology challenged. Being technology-shy does not help.
Yes I would like to see images from your collection.
Regards…Sridhar
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I am finding it a little difficult to navigate this site or to send comments on specific bronzes so I hope this works.
I want to comment on the “Govinda Bhairava” bronze. A few years ago I had the opportunity to examine the Moor bronzes at the British Museum. Most had not been seen for decades and the museum had few photos of them – the photos now on the museum website were taken by me.
I have some doubts about the Govinda Bhairava (GB) identity. The Moor collection was assembled in India around the first decade of the 19th century, so all the bronzes date from that period or earlier. The BM was given the bronzes in 1940. Presumably they were catalogued during World War II or shortly afterwards and I could not find out who catalogued them. As far as I know, no other bronzes elsewhere have been given that title. Possibly the term was used by Moor.
There are a number of similar folk bronzes in the Moor collection but with only two arms, holding the staff and bowl but lacking the conch and chakra. These bronzes look purely Shaivite and are catalogued as “Grama Devata” (GD) Both the “GB” and “GD” bronzes have a variety of Shaivite items on their bases, so the only Vaishnavite elements in GB bronzes are the conch and chakra. I wonder whether the GB bronzes are actually a form of Shiva encompasing the powers of Vishnu.
David Bennie
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Hi,
The reference to Govinda Bhairava is based on H K Sastri’s book on South Indian Iamges of Gods and Goddesses. Page 151. I will send an image of the description. Also will update the blog page to include that reference.
Regards…Sridhar
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Good luck to ALL…..I enjoyed looking at these beautiful images. Thank you! Bob Singh, New York.
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Hi, Thanks for the encouragement. Please feel free to comment or suggest corrections. All contribution will be acknowledged.
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Hi Sridhar
I have been looking at your Ambika. I have three similar bronzes. Two have a small Jina above Ambika,(one very worn) and the third does not. All three are in the same regional style – Gujurat/Western India – and probably date to about the sixteenth century (one may be earlier). Your one looks of a similar date. Ambika was also popular with Hindus and Buddhists and I think it is quite possible that an Ambika without an obvious Jina is actually a Hindu image. I have about a dozen Hindu bronzes in the same regional style and of a similar period and wonder whether local bronze-casters made images for both communities. On the other hand your Ambika has traces of an inscription – more likely in Jain images….
Best Wishes
Bennie
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David,
I always enjoy and respect your comments. Thanks. I also think the bronze I published is Ambika from Jain faith. The iconography and her association with Neminatha are well documented. As you said the presence of a Jina figure above the goddess is a good identification.
But Ambika from Hindu faith is more difficult to identify. The literature includes reference to Ambika as Rudra’s sister, Rudra’s consort, as another name for Durga, someone from whose forehead Durga was created and as one of the central deities in Sakta worship. The iconography follows the belief, I think. I do not have any Ambika of Hindu faith in my collection. At least not yet.
Regards…Sridhar
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u have very nice collection,
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can i get your cell number ?
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Please note your Sita, Rama, Lakshman images are not necessarily depicting ‘Vanavasa’. The reason why these images are without ornaments is that they are typical of north Indian images created specifically for Vaishnava devotional worship, which involves elaborate dressing and adornment. The deities are thus created very plain and simple so that they can be easily dressed and adorned. For example the holes in the ears are there so that real earnings can be offered to the deities. Also the pleats have been left out from the lower garments so that real fabrics can be tied on woven in between the legs. There are no crowns, so that real crowns can be tied or fixed on. The little topknot acts a anchor point for fabrics and threads. Deities that are cast/carved with heavy ornamentation leave little scope for the devotee to add their own creative touch and also are harder to dress
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Thanks Pritesh. Updated the blog to include your comments.
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Thank you for this incredible website.
Full of usefull information.
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Thanks for your kind words. Regards
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Hello sir , you have very nice range of collection. Beautiful bronzes. I deal in same field so ,can I have your mobile number pls. I am Manpreet Singh from India (New Delhi).+91-9643156808
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Pls contact me using my email address. I am in US and will email you my phone number. Thanks
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Hello Sridhar
I really love your articles and story behind each collection. I have just started collecting few bronze and brass Arti facts. I believe South of India has a lot of metal crafts. I am soon planning my journey to south of India in my Classic Ambassador and would really appreciate if you could guide me with your great knowledge where I can visit villages and cities for my new collections.
Look forward to hear from you.
Best regards
Deepak
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Deepak, you can try Poomphuhar outlets for traditional handicrafts, including bronzes. Swamimalai near Kumabakonam, Tanjore and Karikudi are some of the relevant centres. Buying antiques is a totally different story.
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அடியேன்
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This Blog is very interesting to me since it has keen observations on Iconographical details of metal idols in temple/ private collections. Keep your commendable research going.
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Nameste,
I saw the wedding crown – https://bronzesofindia.com/umlakh-grooms-crown/
In Rajathan, this is called Sahero. They are worn on the right-hand side of the turban. In Pushti-Marg, a vaishnav sect, it is used whenever Krushna is dressed to be a groom.
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