Goddess Yelamma (Rare Goddesses of India)

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Goddess Yelamma in her resplendent brass icon is in the Lalitasana posture, draped in a lovely sari decorated with traditional motifs. Her four arms carry a trident, a sword, a drum, and a cup- attributes attached to the warring Hindu mother goddesses, Durga and Kali, who are also associated with Devi Parvati. Defining her origin from Maa Parvati, texts such as the Bhagavata Purana tell the story of Renuka’s birth from the sacrificial fire in the house of a king of Vidarbha (Maharashtra). One day, sage Agastya paid a visit to the king and advised him to marry his glorious young girl to the great sage Jamadagni.

Devi Renuka lived with her husband Jamadagni, assisting him in the performance of austerities, and gave birth to 5 children, the youngest of whom was Lord Parashuram. Empowered by her inner Shakti of “Pativrata” (true devotion to her husband), Maa Renuka was able to carry water in an unbaked pot every day for the completion of the daily rituals by Jamadagni. One day, as she reached the banks of the river, she witnessed a Gandharva indulged in playful romancing with his partners. Distracted by the incident, Renuka was unable to focus her powers and the pot, as well as the ritual, remained unfinished. Sage Jamadagni, who was a powerful yogi immediately realized the cause of Renuka’s agitation, and angered by the episode, he cursed a pure Renuka and ordered her to leave the hermitage.

Devi Renuka performed severe penance, during which she was protected by a pit of serpents. Completing her long atonement, Renuka went back to her husband, whose seething anger was not yet pacified. To purify his wife of the sin of giving in to her basal thoughts, Jamadagni commanded her sons to perform “Kapala-Moksha”, the act of cracking the skull to release the soul for liberation, on Renuka. Except for Lord Parashuram, none of his sons accepted the mandate and thus they were cursed and turned to ashes. Once Lord Parashuram carried out the orders, a contended Jamadagni offered to bestow a boon on his son, who asked him to bring his mother and brothers back to life.

When Parashuram was swinging his ax on his mother, an indigenous woman who was trying to stop him was also beheaded. As soon as he received Jamadagni’s nod, excitedly he sprinkled the life-affirming ritual water on his mother’s body and attached her head to the body of the other woman. The newly revived lady with the head of Renuka and the body of the other woman came to be known as Mariamman and was accepted by Jamadagni as his wife. The other woman who came into being with the head of the indigenous woman and the body of Renuka was named Yelamma or “mother of all beings”. The canopy of serpents on this brass goddess Yelamma statue reminds us of the serpents who protected Renuka during her penance, and the fiery aura around her glistening visage signifies the purity of her Shakti and her status as Agnija (one who emerged from Agni or fire). Goddess Yelamma is revered across Southern and west-southern India as the supreme feminine deity, whose benevolence can cure the body and release the soul to achieve liberation.

How to keep a Brass statue well-maintained?

Brass statues are known and appreciated for their exquisite beauty and luster. The brilliant bright gold appearance of Brass makes it appropriate for casting aesthetic statues and sculptures. Brass is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This chemical composition makes brass a highly durable and corrosion-resistant material. Due to these properties, Brass statues and sculptures can be kept both indoors as well as outdoors. They also last for many decades without losing all their natural shine.

Brass statues can withstand even harsh weather conditions very well due to their corrosion-resistance properties. However, maintaining the luster and natural beauty of brass statues is essential if you want to prolong their life and appearance.

• The best and simplest way to maintain a brass statue is to clean it at least twice a week using a soft cloth or cotton rag. This will prevent dust from accumulating on the surface. Dusting is especially important for outdoor statues since it is prone to dust accumulation much more than indoors.

• Another way is to cleanse the statue with mild soap, warm water, and a cotton cloth. You must go to every inch of the statue and even to the crevices and cracks. After this, clean the article with a dry towel to wipe off pools of water left on the surface.

• To give a natural shine and luster to the statue, you may apply coconut or olive oil using cotton on every portion. You can use a toothbrush to get to the small crevices but do not be too harsh. This will make the brass statue appear fresh and new with a polished look.

• In case you have a colored brass statue, you may apply mustard oil using a soft brush or clean cloth on the brass portion while for the colored portion of the statue, you may use coconut oil with a cotton cloth.