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Garuda The Garuda is a giant mythical bird or bird-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
Garuda is the name for the constellation Aquila and the Brahminy kite is considered to be the contemporary representation of Garuda. In Buddhist mythology, the Garuda are enormous predatory birds with intelligence and social organization. Another name for the Garuda is supara meaning "well-winged, having good wings". Like the naga, they combine the characteristics of animals and divine beings and may be considered among the lowest devas.
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There were also the four garuda-kings : Great-Power-Virtue Garuda-King, Great-Body Garuda-King, Great-Fulfillment Garuda-King, and Free-At-Will Garuda-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants.
The Garudas have kings and cities, and at least some of them have the magical power of changing into human form when they wish to have dealings with people. On some occasions Garuda kings have had romances with human women in this form. Their dwellings are in groves of the simbalī, or silk-cotton tree.
The Garuda are enemies to the nāga, a race of intelligent serpent- or dragon-like beings, whom they hunt. The Garudas at one time caught the nāgas by seizing them by their heads; but the nāgas learned that by swallowing large stones, they could make themselves too heavy to be carried by the Garudas, wearing them out and killing them from exhaustion. This secret was divulged to one of the Garudas by the ascetic Karambiya, who taught him how to seize a nāga by the tail and force him to vomit up his stone.
The exact size of the is uncertain, but its wings are said to have a span of many miles. This may be a poetic exaggeration, but it is also said that when a Garuda's wings flap, they create hurricane-like winds that darken the sky and blow down houses. A human being is so small compared to a Garuda that a man can hide in the plumage of one without being noticed. They are also capable of tearing up entire banyan trees from their roots and carrying them off.
Garudas are the great golden-winged Peng birds. They also have the ability to grow large or small, and to appear and disappear at will. Their wingspan is 330 yojanas (one yojana being 40 miles long). With one flap of its wings, a Peng bird dries up the waters of the sea so that it can gobble up all the exposed dragons. With another flap of its wings, it can level the mountains by moving them into the ocean.
Lost-Wax System
This Garuda is made by the process of the Lost-Wax system. The lost-wax process, also known as investment casting, is a time-honored technique used to create metal sculptures. It involves several steps that have been practiced for thousands of years. Skilled artisans begin by sculpting a detailed wax model, capturing every intricate detail of the desired sculpture. The wax model is then coated with a ceramic shell, formed by multiple layers of ceramic material. Once the shell has cured, the wax is melted and drained out, leaving behind a cavity. Molten metal is poured into the cavity, creating a precise replica of the original wax model. After the metal has cooled and solidified, the ceramic shell is carefully removed, revealing the final metal sculpture. Read More
Metal Wall Hangings : Brief Introduction
Tibetan Buddhist culture is rich in symbolism and art, and metal or wooden wall hangings are essential to this tradition. These wall hangings, also known as paubhas, are typically made in painting form, painted on a cotton canvas with natural color. they are also made in wood, brass, or clay, and feature intricate designs and vibrant colors. They depict various aspects of Buddhism, such as deities, Buddhist teachings, and spiritual stories. Many of these wall hangings are adorned with semi-precious stones, such as turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli, which add to their beauty and symbolic significance. Read More
