Dhara Patra with Nandi Spout - 03

This brass, lost wax cast Dhara Patra is from North Karnataka or Maharashtra. This is used for the devotional ritual of “abhishekam”, which involves the pouring of a liquid offering on a deity. With a Nandi (bull) as the spout, this Dhara Patra was used for Lord Shiva, to pour offerings on a Shivalinga. Nandi is the sacred bull calf, gatekeeper, and vehicle (vahana) of Shiva. The ancient art of lost-wax casting dates back nearly 6000 years in India, and the oldest example in the world is from the Indus Valley Civilization. First, an artist creates an original model from wax. Everything is then encased with layers of clay, thus becoming a mould for the molten metal that will be poured inside it. When this is poured in, the wax melts and the original is lost. Once the metal hardens, the outer layer of clay is smashed, which is what makes each piece unique.
This Dhara Patra comes with a handmade metal stand. The size is 3.25 x 3.25 x 5 inches without the stand and 4 x 3.25 x 9.5 inches with the stand.