India’s relationship with bronze stretches back more than four thousand years, forming one of the world’s longest and most sophisticated sculptural traditions. The story begins in the Indus Valley Civilisation, where cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa revealed an astonishing command over metallurgy. The iconic “Dancing Girl” - a small but powerfully expressive bronze figurine - was cast using the lost-wax method as early as 2500 BCE. Her poise, naturalism and technical refinement testify that ancient Indian artisans already understood alloying, mould-making and controlled casting at a level far ahead of their time.
Dancing Girl, Mohenjo-daro, Harappan Civilization, 2700–2100 B.C.E. Bronze. National Museum, New Delhi. Photo: Gary Todd (CC0).
After the decline of the Indus cities, this knowledge did not vanish. It travelled through the early Vedic world, leaving linguistic traces in the Rig Veda Samhita, where the word ayas appears repeatedly. Scholars agree that ayas refers broadly to metals such as copper or bronze. Though the Vedic hymns do not describe metallurgical processes, they reveal that metalcraft was already respected, widespread and symbolically significant.
By the time of the classical Sanskrit treatises - the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Kautilya’s Arthashastra - bronze had become deeply embedded in everyday life. These texts mention bronze utensils, drinking vessels, surgical instruments and ritual purification practices. They show how bronze shifted from a utilitarian alloy to a material associated with health, longevity and sacred use.
The most detailed guidance on bronze sculpture, however, appears in the Shilpa Shastras - the ancient technical manuals of art, architecture and iconography. They describe proportions for divine figures, symbolic meanings of gestures and ornaments, and the preparation of panchaloha - the sacred alloy of five metals traditionally used for casting icons. These treatises also outline the steps of the madhuchishta vidhana, the Indian variant of the lost-wax technique that would later reach unparalleled refinement under the Cholas.
The Chola period (9th–13th century CE) marks the golden age of Indian bronze art. In their temples and workshops, artisans elevated the lost-wax process to extraordinary precision. A sculpture began as a complete model in wax - a mixture of beeswax, resin and oil - shaped entirely by hand. Every curl of hair, every string of beads, every fold of cloth was modelled with care, guided by proportions codified in the Shilpa Shastras. For the Cholas, the creation of a bronze icon was not merely craftsmanship; it was consecration. Among their masterpieces, the most celebrated is Shiva Nataraja, the cosmic dancer whose swirling movement, serene face and ring of fire represent the perfect union of artistic mastery and philosophical depth. Today, Nataraja remains the global symbol of Indian sculpture - at once technical brilliance and spiritual elegance.
Chola-period bronze Nataraja, depicting Shiva as the cosmic dancer in eternal motion.
A celebrated example of panchaloha casting and sculptural refinement.
The lost-wax process itself is one of the oldest and most complex metallurgical techniques preserved anywhere in the world, and remarkably, Indian artisans continue to practise it almost exactly as their ancestors did millennia ago. The procedure begins by preparing a special wax composed of beeswax, dammar resin and vegetable oils, heated and kneaded to the right consistency. The entire sculpture is then shaped in this wax - not in moulds, but completely freehand. What appears in wax will appear in bronze.
Once the model is ready, the artist attaches thin wax channels that will later guide molten metal into the mould. The figure is then coated with fine river-clay slip, followed by successive layers of coarser clay mixed with rice husk, sand and straw. When dry, the mould is fired. The wax melts and drains out - giving the method its name: the wax is lost, but its form remains in the hollow clay shell.
Meanwhile, the panchaloha alloy is melted in a crucible. Traditionally it includes copper, tin or zinc, lead, silver and gold - each metal contributing durability, malleability or lustre. The molten alloy, heated to over 1100°C, is poured into the red-hot mould. After cooling, the terracotta shell is broken open to reveal the bronze within. The mould cannot be reused; every sculpture is singular, unrepeatable - a one-of-one creation. This uniqueness is one of the profound reasons Indian bronzes are revered as living embodiments rather than manufactured objects.
The final sculpture then undergoes extensive hand-finishing. Artisans chisel away excess metal, refine ornamentation, smooth the surface and polish the bronze using natural materials like tamarind pulp, soapnut and river stones. The rich patina - golden, brown or blackened - is achieved through controlled heating and traditional herbal mixtures. What emerges is not just a sculpture but the culmination of a sacred process that blends technical knowledge, ritual significance and artistic devotion. A revered step in bronze-making is the Opening of the Eyes.
For deity sculptures, the eyes are painted last, symbolically giving life to the form. For non-sacred works, this stage becomes the final clean-up and finishing ritual.
To see these traditional techniques in action, this short documentary offers an excellent step-by-step view:
This tradition -unchanged since the Indus Valley era -speaks to the continuity, mastery, and spiritual craftsmanship that shape Indian bronze art today.
From the bronze icons of Mohenjo-daro to the cosmic splendour of Chola Nataraja, the lost-wax tradition carries forward an unbroken cultural memory. It stands as one of the few ancient crafts that has resisted mechanisation, relying still on the same elemental tools: warm wax, river clay, fire, metal and the hands of a patient artisan. Each bronze is not merely cast - it is awakened.
This handcrafted Ganesha, sourced by The Artisania, embodies serenity and auspicious energy in its refined detailing. The gentle posture, balanced proportions, and traditional ornamentation highlight the timeless artistry of the maker.
