Page 1 - Jul-Sep 2013

INTACH

THE HERITAGE CLUB NEWSLETTER

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2013 VOL. 10 No. 3

Metal Mastery

Hi Friends,
Silver, gold, copper,
bronze…..metals of India India is a land of plenty. Its mighty mountain ranges and old plateaus
in all their forms… have rock formations that have produced a wide range of metallic
ores. Two prominent groups involved in metal craft in ancient times
were the Lohar and the Asura tribes. The Shilpa Shastra provides
mathematical formulae for the scientifi c processing of metals.
Metal played an important role in religious ceremonies in India,
from creating fi gures of various Gods and Goddesses to making
lamps and vessels for use in temples. For all auspicious occasions,
metal items were used as part of the rituals not only in temples
but also in households. The Iron Pillar of Delhi is a fi ne example of
metallurgical skills from ancient times.

NATARAJA
NATARAJA
THE BRONZE ICON The Dancing Girl
Ever wondered what our lives Nataraja – the dancing form of Lord The Dancing Girl from Mohenjodaro is
would be without vessels, Shiva – is a symbolic synthesis of the the most famous icon of the Indus Valley
Civilization. It is a 10.8 cm high bronze
lamps, ornaments, sculptures, most important aspects of Hinduism statuette, sculpted using the lost-wax
and all the other wonderful and summarises its central tenets. method around 2500 BC. It was excavated
objects made of metal. Lord Shiva performs his divine dance in 1926 from a house in the ancient city of
Without metal we would not Mohenjodaro now in Pakistan.
have been able to witness the to destroy a weary universe and make
genius of our ancestors from preparations for the Lord Brahma to
the Harappan Civilization start the process of creation. Lord
and the Mauryan, Gupta, and Shiva was fi rst depicted as Nataraja Gold, gold, gold, gold…
Kushana periods. Under the in famous Chola bronzes. Bright and yellow, hard and bold…
Cholas of Tamil Nadu, metal Mohammed Hussain, VII,
mastery reached its peak! Murthuzaviya Orient High School, Chennai Gold, gold, gold, gold…
Molten, graven, hammered, and rolled…
Metal is an integral part of our
culture. Our lives would be so Gold, gold, gold, gold…
incomplete without the simple Background picture: Anshika Gupta, VIII, Sneha Mishra, VII,
metal objects we use in our VVDAV Public School, Delhi Delhi Public School, Maruti Kunj, Gurgaon
kitchen our utensils, locks, and
even safety pins! CONTENTS
Come….lets discover the diffe– Metal Mastery 1 Metals Down the Ages 5 Heritage News,
rent facets of metals and Metal Milestones 2 Metal Journey Across India 6 - 7 Subscription Form 11
learn about some interesting Prize Winners, What’s Next? 12
creations of metal craft in Magical Metal Crafts of India 3 My Favourite Family Heirloom 8
India. Metal Craft, an Everyday Art 4 Activities 4 U 9, 10
INDIAN NA TIONAL TRUST FOR ART AND CUL TUR AL HERIT A G E

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