2024 Buying Trip – North India

Every January, I embark on my journey to curate the stunning statues you’ll see on Lotus Sculpture throughout the year. This year’s journey takes me through the heart of India and Nepal, and yes, those are the majestic Himalayas I’m glimpsing from my window. The sight of these towering mountains is incredibly humbling!

I invite you to stay connected for weekly updates on my journey! I’ll be sending out newsletters, to sum up my adventures, and you can also follow along daily on Instagram for a more up-close and personal experience of my travels.

My trip began in Delhi, with my good friend Piyush, and I’ve already picked out some amazing new designs, like this Nandi, to add to our collection soon.

You have spoken and I have listened!
I’m very excited to share something new with you all! After hearing your requests for smaller murtis for home altars, I’ve found a fantastic range of brass and copper murtis, all 6 inches or smaller. It’s great to know I can bring exactly what you’ve been looking for to your sacred spaces. Your feedback is invaluable, and I’m thrilled to respond to your needs! 



I had the chance to learn extensively about the coloring process of our brass murtis. Vijay, who manages the coloring, guided me through the entire procedure, giving me an insightful look into this intricate art form.

Check out the video below for a closer look at the process:


My visit to the showroom had a charming local twist when a mongoose curiously sniffed me, revealing that a mongoose family calls this place home. I was told by Carol on Instagram that “At least you’ll be safe from cobras!” 
Thank you Carol but I am more worried about Delhi Belly than cobras at this point.

Check out the Instagram post below to meet my new mongoose friend:


Next, my journey took me to Jaipur, the heartland of India’s white marble craftsmanship. Here, I had the pleasure of meeting Ajaysharma and his brother, Vijay, in their quaint studio. Ajay is a master at carving intricate white marble statues, while Vijay brings them to life with his skillful painting. It’s a perfect blend of creativity and brotherly collaboration, truly capturing the essence of Jaipur’s artistic spirit.


I have managed to visit quite a few temples since I arrived. I just can’t get enough of the unique sights and sounds each one has to offer. It’s so cool to soak up all that energy – It really makes you feel part of something bigger.


I have just arrived in Nepal and am looking forward to exploring the narrow streets of Patan in search of more statues!

7 Vishnu Mantras, Quotes, Hymns for Lord Vishnu

Vishnu is a part of the trinity and plays the role of the creator. He has taken ten incarnations to save the planet and the good people from the hands of evils or demons. There are many mantras to please Lord Vishnu.

Vishnu’s preserving, restoring, and protecting powers have been manifested in the world in a series of ten earthly incarnations known as avatars. The avatars arrive either to prevent a great evil or to effect good upon the earth. Nine are said to have descended already: three in nonhuman form, one in hybrid form and five in human form. The most important are Rama, fearless upholder of the law of dharma and Krishna, youthful hero of the Bhagavad Gita Vishnu’s final avatar is expected to arrive at a time when the earth is at the end of its present cycle, with the purpose of destroying the world and subsequently recreating it.

Vaishnavites, one of the largest Hindu groups, are the devotees of Vishnu as Ishvara, the Supreme Being, worshipped in the forms of his manifestations or incarnations. Because of his pervasive presence, images as the focus of worship are of great importance, as are temple architecture and carving.







1. Mukti (Liberation) mantra:

This twelve letter mantra is also known as the liberation mantras as it is believed to relieve the person who is chanting this mantra from all the hardships of life.

“Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya”

Meaning: I bow to the Lord who lives in the hearts of all.


2. Shree Vishnu Mantra:

It is otherwise known as the shaanta-kaaram mantra. It is one of the most powerful mantra used to praise Lord Vishnu and his incarnations, which helped to restore peace and happiness.

shaanta-kaaram bhujaga-shayanam padma-naabham
suresham
vishwa-dhaaram gagana-sadrisham megha-varanam
shubhaangam.
lakshmi-kaantam kamala-nayanam yogi-bhi-dhyaana-
agamyam
vande vishnum bhava-bhaya-haram sarva-lokaika- naatham”

Meaning:
I sing praising the Lord Vishnu
Shaanta – He who has the peace
Kaaram- demeanor and visage
shayanam — He who sleeps and reposes
bhujaga– on the serpents
padma– He who has a lotus shaped
naabham– Navel
He who is the master and lord
Suresham– of all the gods

I pray to the Lord Vishnu.
dhaaram –He who holds the
vishwaa– universe in his hands.
sadrasham –He whose vision exceeds
gagana– beyond all the skies
varanam — He whose color and visage is
megha– changeable like the clouds
shubh– he who is filled with goodness
aangam– in every part of his body.

I sing praise to the Lord Vishnu.
kaantam — He who is the husband
lakshmi– of the goddess of wealth
He whose eyes (nayanam) are surreal
kamala– like a lotus flower
agamyam– he who yogis yearn to reach
dhyaana– through meditation

I sing praises (vande-) to the Lord Vishnu (-vishnum)
He who removes (-haram) all our fears (-bhaya)
bhava– due to our inborn nature
And he who is the master (-naatham) of the
entire (-sarva) universe and creation (-lokaika).


3. Narayana Mantra:

Simple, yet powerful mantra to please the preserver, Lord Vishnu.

“Om Namo Narayanaya

Meaning: I bow before the Almighty.


View this Brass Vishnu Laying On Ananta Sesha

4. The Ultimate mantra:

This mantra depicts about the avatars of Lord Vishnu, He has taken to save the world from evils.

Om shreem krishnaya shreem
shreem shreem govindaya gopalaya goloka
sundaraya sathyaya nithyaya paramathmane paraya
vykhanasaya vyrajamoorthaye
meghathmane shreem narasimhavapushe namah

Chanting this mantra for 91 days ensures maximum protection for you.


5. Sloka on Sri Vishnu

“Kaayena Vaacaa Manase[a-I]ndriyairvaa
Buddhy[i]-Aatmanaa Vaa Prakrteh Svabhaavaat
Karomi Yad-Yat-Sakalam Parasmai
Naaraayannayeti Samarpayaami”

Meaning: Whatever actions I perform, by body, mind, senses or intellect. I surrender them at the feet of Sri Narayana.


6.

“Shuklam Baradharam Vishnum
Shukla-Ambara-Dharam Vissnnum Shashi-Varnnam Catur-Bhujam
Prasanna-Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva-Vighno[a-U]pashaantaye”

Meaning: I Meditate on Sri Vishnu, Who is Wearing White Clothes, Who is All-Pervading, Who is Bright in Appearance like the Moon and who is Having Four Hands. He is having a Compassionate and Gracious Face, Let us meditate on Him to Ward of all impediments.


7. Vishnu Sahasranama:

This prayer contains the 108 names of the Lord Vishnu and is believed to relieve people from all sin and sufferings.

Om Vishnave Namah
Om Lakshmi Pathaye Namah
Om Krishnaya Namah
Om Vaikuntaaya Namah
Om Garuda Dhvajaya Namah
Om Parah Brahmane Namah
Om Jagannathaya Namah
Om Vaasudevaya Namah
Om Trivikramaya Namah
Om Dhydhyaanthakaaya Namah
Om Madhuribhave Namah
Om Dhaarshyavahaaya Namah
Om Sanaadhanaaya Namah
Om Narayanaya Namah
Om Padmanabhaya Namah
Om Hrishikeshaya Namah
Om Sudhapradhaya Namah
Om Haraye Namah
Om Pundarikakshaya Namah
Om Siddhidhikarthre Namah
Om Paraathparaya Namah
Om Vanamaline Namah
Om Yagnaroopaya Namah
Om Chakrapanye Namah
Om Gadhadhraya Namah
Om Upendraya Namah
Om Keshavaya Namah
Om Hamsaaya Namah
Om SamudraMadhanaya Namah
Om Haraye Namah
Om Govindaya Namah
Om Prahmajankaya Namah
Om KaitabasuraMardhanaya Namah
Om Sridharaya Namah
Om Kaamajakaaya Namah
Om Seshaya Namah
Om Chadhurbhujaya Namah
Om Paanchajanyadharaaya Namah
Om SriMathe Namah
Om Shaarangapanaye Namah
Om Janardhanaya Namah
Om Pitambharadharaya Namah
Om Devaya Namah
Om SuryaChandraVilochanaya Namah
Om MatsyaRoopaya Namah
Om Kurmathanave Namah
Om Krodharoopaya Namah
Om Nrukesarine Namah
Om Vaamanaaya Namah
Om Bhaargavaaya Namah
Om Raamaya Namah
Om Haline Namah
Om Kalkine Namah
Om Hayaananaaya Namah
Om Viswambaraya Namah
Om Simsumaaraya Namah
Om Srikharaaya Namah
Om Kapilaaya Namah
Om Dhruvaaya Namah
Om Dattatreyaya Namah
Om Achyutaya Namah
Om Anantaaya Namah
Om Mukundhaaya Namah
Om Dhidhivaamanaaya Namah
Om Dhanvantraye Namah
Om Srinivasaya Namah
Om Pradyumnaya Namah
Om Purushothamaya Namah
Om Srivathkausthubhadhraaya Namah
Om Muraradhaye Namah
Om Adhoshjaaya Namah
Om Rushabhaya Namah
Om MohanaroopaDharine Namah
Om Sangarshanaaya Namah
Om Prithave Namah
Om Sheerabdhisaayene Namah
Om Bhoodhathmane Namah
Om Anirudhaaya Namah
Om Bhakthavatsalaaya Namah
Om Naraaya Namah
Om GajendraVaradaaya Namah
Om Thridhamne Namah
Om Bhoothabhavanaaya Namah
Om Svetavaasdhavyaaya Namah
Om SuryamandalaMadhyakaaya Namah
Om SanakathiMunithyeyaaya Namah
Om Bhagavathe Namah
Om SankaraPriyaya Namah
Om Neelakanthaya Namah
Om Tharakaanthaaya Namah
Om Vedathmane Namah
Om Bhadhraayanaaya Namah
Om BhagirathiJanmaBhoomiPaadaPadmaaya Namah
Om Stham Prabhave Namah
Om Svabhave Namah
Om Vibhave Namah
Om KanakaShyamaaya Namah
Om Jagadhkaaranaaya Namah
Om Avyayaaya Namah
Om Buddhavadharaaya Namah
Om Shaanthathmane Namah
Om Krisoth Namah
Om Leelamaanusha Vigrahaaya Namah
Om Damodharaaya Namah
Om Viraataroopaaya Namah
Om Bhoodhabhavyabhavath Prabhave Namah
Om Aadi Devaaya Namah
Om Deva Devaaya Namah
Om Prahladha Paripalakhaya Namah
Om shree parama visnu devaya namaha






View All Our Mantras to Hindu Gods
including English and Sanskrit translations

10 Kali Mantras15 Saraswati Mantras4 Ganesha Mantras
6 Murugan Mantras8 Krishna Mantras7 Hanuman Mantras
3 Lakshmi Mantras8 Vishnu Mantras5 Shiva Mantras

The Kung Foo Brothers, Bronze in Swamimalai!

Varadaraj and I and some of his bronze creations

I met Vardaraj, Varun, and Sini 8 years ago in the first years of Lotus Sculpture. Varadaraj is the eldest, Varun is in the middle and Sini is the baby. They were three kids who just broke away from a bronze collective they were apprenticing at for the past ten years to start their own bronze collective. I was their first customer. Immediately I could see they were different. They were young, loved making bronze statues, and had big ideas for their future. I saw myself in them as we both were striving towards the same goals. In our first meeting I also discovered Varun, the middle-aged brother wanted to be in Kung foo movies. I still remember that exchange when he told me his future plans. “Like Jackie Chan!'”, he said eagerly. I made him repeat it several times as I really couldn’t believe my ears and in the end came the conclusion that this tall, muscular kid from Swamimalai had bigger dreams outside of the bronze casting business. Everyone can dream! From that day on my relationship and love for the Kung Foo Brothers, as I started to refer to them, has grown 100 fold. They are part of my Indian family!

23 foot Nataraja in mold
23 foot Nataraja is its earthen mold ready for casting!

Immediately I could see they were different than other bronze artists. They were young, loved making bronze statues and had big, ambitious plans for their future

Vardaraj, the oldest, had a different dream. Besides casting the best statues Swamimalai has to offer he wanted to make the world’s largest Nataraja statue. After arriving at his workshop this afternoon I saw how close he is to realizing his dream. The Nataraja is ready for casting! The Nataraja is 23 feet tall and will weigh a total of 10 tons of pure bronze! View this amazing Nataraja! After we climbed over the enormous mold of the Nararaja I then moved inside to view my, more modest bronze statues. They are experts at the Nataraja form and I took in the 4 Natarajas I commissioned. Each a perfect representation of Shiva’s dance of destruction. In each statue, Shiva is suspended upon the prostrate dwarf, Apasmara, like he is flying, light as a feather. In my opinion, there is no statue form as fine as a Nataraja with perfect proportions. It will always take a little of my breath away to see a masterpiece Nataraja as Varadaraj is so adept at creating!

Varun and Varadaraj working on a wax model of Ravendra
Varun and Varadaraj working on a wax model of Ravendra

I spent two days with the family and enjoyed their youthful, smiling mother’s, “Mama’s” cooking for lunch each day. It is always my favorite meal in India a mixture of prawn curry, chicken masala, and coconut rice that is impossible to find made with such love at any restaurant. I bought them an iPhone which we spent a couple of hours figuring out the inner workings to the phone. I love watching the interplay between the three brothers. They are so close I really think they can read the mind of each other. Whenever they are sitting together they have an arm over each other’s shoulder, whispering into the others’ ear. I often feel like I am intruding as their exchanges feel so private and personal.

While roaming around the now 30 workers Varadaraj now has working for him, I took many videos of the lost wax method process to show in more detail how south Indian bronze statues are made. The process is incredibly long and tedious with 5 separate steps. I thought video is the best way to illustrate with bronze statue making process. People oftentimes say the prices of bronze are too high on Lotus Sculpture. I know that when one fully understands the entire process and the overall work that goes into the making of one bronze statue you will wonder why they are so inexpensive! I will be adding these and many other videos to our site and youtube channel in the coming weeks.

By far my favorite piece of news I have received on this trip was that Varun has received a role as the hero in an action film in Chennai that starts filming in two months!!! He will be a Kung foo hero, like Jackie Chan!!! I literally jumped off the ground when he told me this. I am so happy for him. I love it when people have dreams and make them into realities. The Kung foo brothers are dreamers and I am very happy to call them my friends.

Click here to View South Indian Bronze Murtis Made by Varadaraj and His Brothers

 

View All Kyle’s Stories from His Travels and Meet the Artists!

Meet Jew, Thai Buddha Artist
Meet Balan, Indian Artist
Travel to Bali
South India Stone Artists
Meet Wood Artists
Kolkata Fiber Artists