Four panchaloha idols of Adi Shankarcharya made near Swamimalai to be installed at Kedarnath, Badrinath

The four ‘panchaloha’ idols of Adi Shankarcharya made by artisans at Thimmakudi near Swamimalai in Thanjavur district
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Four panchaloha idols of Adi Shankarcharya made by a team of artisans at Thimmakudi village near Swamimalai in Thanjavur district are set to be installed at Kedarnath, Badrinath and Uttaramanya Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand.

The idols were made over a span of 40 days at the Cast in Bronze Creative unit where bronze and panchaloha idols are made and dispatched to various places within the country and abroad. The idols were made with a combination of five metals — copper, zinc, tin, gold and silver — by duly following the ‘Lost Wax’ process, said Varad Rajh, a ‘Sthapathi’ and proprietor of the unit.

The order for making the four idols was entrusted to the unit by Sri Hanumad Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, Kishkindha Samasthanam, Swarnahampi. A team of 15 artisans proficient in chiseling, designing, engraving and polishing among others were involved in making the four idols of Adi Shankaracharya in sitting posture giving them an antique finish. The height of each idol is 1.5 feet with its weight being 37 kg.

The meticulously crafted ‘panchadhathu utsava murthis’ upon completion were carefully wrapped and packed in wooden boxes and dispatched on April 27 for installation at Kedarnath, Badrinath and Uttaramanya Jyotirmath, said Mr. Varad Rajh.

The idol is to be installed on May 2 at the Kedarnath temple when the 2,532nd Jayanthi celebrations of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya is to commence. The celebrations are to be held for five days. The celebration at Badrinath will be held on May 3 and 4, Uttaramnaya Jyotirmath on May 5 and at Bhavishya Badari on May 6.