Process

Step 1 : The first step of the process is to make a wax mould of the finished Nataraj. The bees wax is warmed and softened and shaped by hand, even down to the smallest details of fingernails and jewellery.

Step 2 : This 30 inch dancing Nataraj statue took 15 days to make the wax mould.Once the wax mould is complete it is covered with layers of fine river sand, made to a paste with water.

Step 3 : Finally it is covered with coarse sand and baked in a fire. This strengthens the mould also melts out the wax. The mould is now hollow and is called an embryo, because it starts with nothing. The embryo is heated to 800 degrees Celcius.

Step 4 : At the same time the five metals, zinc, copper, tin, silver and gold (panchaloka) are heated to 1400 degrees in an open pit. This job is done only at night as no thermometers are used and the correct temperature is detected by the colour of the hot metal.

Step 5 : The 1400 degree five metal alloy is then poured from the crucible into the embryo. After one day the mould is broken and the sculpture emerges. The cleaning process now starts. The chiseling and filing of the this bronze sculpture takes 3 weeks.