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Nithyanandapedia
2007 - Making of Wax models of deities

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Photograph of a large wax or clay sculpted deity figure seated in a cross-legged pose on a blue cloth-draped surface against a blue backdrop. The figure has multiple arms holding a staff-like object, a small drum-like implement, and a deer or antelope, with a crescent moon ornament in the headdress and a tall jatamakuta-style crown. The body is brownish-orange, with a beaded necklace, an ornate waist belt, and anklets. This is a work-in-progress deity model from the wax-model stage of making metal deity images. No people are visible in the frame.A man in a white sleeveless vest stands behind a dark work table in a plain whitewashed room, holding up a small polished gold-coloured metal figure of a standing deity with a tall crown, a halo-like disc behind the head and raised arms holding objects. Around him on the table are rough brown clay or mud sculpture pieces, including a large clay figure with a curved trunk-like form, an elephant-headed or animal-headed form, and other unfinished limbs. An orange plastic bucket sits at left and a small fire or burning incense stick glows near the table's base. The scene shows an idol-making workshop with clay modelling and casting in progress.2013-06-24Photograph of two wax-model deity sculptures set against a bright red backdrop. In the foreground, a multi-armed deity figure with a tall crown and a pale, cream-coloured wax finish is seen from behind, holding a deer and other objects in its raised hands, with blue-grey metal-like bands across its shoulders and chest. To the left, a smaller darker bronze-toned figure with a conical tiered crown is partly visible.A close photograph of a wax model of a deity under construction against a bright blue backdrop. The sculpture shows a tall, ornate crown with ribbed, fluted tiers and a pointed finial, flanked by curled side ornaments. Below it, a broad face-like form with a dark round mark on the forehead, sculpted tendril-like hair or locks, and several raised arms extending outward, one holding a stick-like implement. Small animal or figurine details appear at the lower left. The wax is light tan, with dark traces along the edges. No people are visible in the frame.A seated wax model of a deity, displayed indoors in front of blue draped cloth with yellow and red garland trim. The figure has a tall matted topknot with a crescent moon ornament, a large ring earring, layered beaded necklaces and an armlet on its upper arm. Its raised hand holds a small object, and another hand rests on the knee. The glossy brown-and-tan wax surface shows visible seams and rod supports. A tripod-mounted camera sits at the left edge, and a striped mat covers the floor. No living people are visible.2010-02-18A photograph under a white tarpaulin canopy at an outdoor workspace shows two large bronze-coloured deity murti seated side by side on a wooden bench, with tall crowns, elaborate beaded necklaces and multiple arms. In the foreground a young man in a white sleeveless vest and checked lungi stands on the right, looking down. Behind the statues, several people in white dhotis and shirts, a man in an orange-trimmed cloth and onlookers move through the shaded area, with palm trees and a corrugated shed beyond. Small metal items lie on the ground at lower left.2006-09-18Close photograph of a reddish-brown wax model of a Hindu deity murti against a bright blue backdrop. The figure wears a tall, tiered crown with a finial, a broad necklace and shoulder ornaments, and holds a trident-like staff in one raised hand, with a small deer or antelope figure held in another. The face is smooth and serene. No physical people are visible; the wax figure is the sole subject, and the image is a photo of a wax sculpture in process.September 28 20152015-09-28Photograph of two seated wax deity models in front of a bright red backdrop. On the right, a larger four-armed figure with a tall tiered crown and a deer raised in one hand is shown from behind, with a trident-like staff and a snake-like form along its back. On the left, a smaller seated figure with a conical crown is also shown from behind. The wax surfaces are brown and glossy, with pale raised ornamentation and the figures appear to be pre-casting models of deity murti. No people are visible in the scene.A brown metal murti of a multi-armed deity with a tall crown, carved ornaments and a serpent-like arm ornament is being bathed by a man in a striped shirt, who pours from a vessel above its head. Smoke rises from incense at the right. Two young boys sit close by, one smiling at the right edge. The setting is a plain whitewashed room with a mat on the floor and a large plastic water container behind.2013-06-08A large bronze-coloured seated deity murti, four-armed and cross-legged in a meditative pose, sits on a wooden platform beneath a cream cloth canopy at an outdoor worksite of bare earth and bricks. It wears a tall jatamakuta-style crown, a layered necklace and armbands. A man in a white shirt and white dhoti walks past on the right, and a bare-chested worker in a white vest and red headcloth stands behind the statue, with another worker crouched at left near a metal pan. Green trees fill the background. The statue has no clear dress colours beyond its metallic finish.2006-09-18A large brown wooden multi-armed deity murti stands in a workshop, partly unfinished with raw wood sections and tool-marked surfaces. The figure has a crown with pointed spires, several raised arms holding objects, and an ornate torso with a red tilak mark on the forehead. Beside it stand smaller carved figures and wooden pieces, with a yellow wall, a framed picture and stacked planks in the background.2015-08-23