Goddess Saraswati brass idol (murti)

Goddess Saraswati playing the veena, cast in brass by the lost-wax method and set within a flame-toothed arch on a pierced scrollwork base.

The lost-wax process — a hand-shaped wax model, a clay shell, molten brass poured in place of the wax — is what allows the arch to keep its fine openwork while the figure stays dense and weighty.

The finish is hand-worked and slightly uneven, as hand-cast brass is. Stand it on a shelf or an altar; it darkens naturally with age, and can be polished back if you prefer it bright.