The North Berkeley

Hills Homestay
 

The North Berkeley

Hills Homestay
 
 
 




These exquisite sculptures of Hindu deities were hand-carved in Mahabalipuram, a charming village on the beautiful Bay of Bengal in Southeast India. I befriended some of the best carvers there in 1999-2000, when I was regularly traveling to Madurai, a famous temple town in the state of Tamil Nadu, to work with the senior leadership team at the Aravind Eye Care System.

    




 


Extraordinary Hand-Carved Statues for Sale

In the immediate aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, which caused major damage to the coastal villages south of Chennai (formerly known as Madras), I imported a quantity of exquisite, collector-quality statues to help sustain the local economy in some small way. Given the enormous devastation and loss of life elsewhere in Asia, a significant drop in tourist travel to the region, and India’s rejection of all foreign assistance, this area experienced tremendous economic hardship post-tsunami.


The two remaining large statues are carved from the warm grey Cuddapha or Durkey stone quarried locally in the state of Tamil Nadu. The small statue is carved from gorgeous Salem green marble that is also quarried nearby. 


These photos do not come close to portraying the statues’ perfect proportions, exceptional carving detail, sense of aliveness radiating from every angle, and beauty of the materials.


It’s been such an honor to live with these extraordinary beings for nearly 10 years and is now time for them to move on to bless others’ lives. Whether you enjoy these unique sculptures as art objects or honor them as altar pieces, you can best preserve them for generations by installing them indoors or other protected locations.


Please contact me for additional information or arranging a personal audience with the deities. Prices listed assume customer pick-up from North Berkeley. Reasonable offers considered.