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Welcome to Handmade Handicraft
At Handmade Handicraft, we prioritize simplicity, reflected in our user-friendly website design. We have streamlined the process so everything you need is just a click away.
While our website does not support online shopping, we've incorporated a convenient shopping cart system to assist you in sending us your inquiries. Please note, we do not process payments on our site. All transactions will be handled via email, respecting the inquiries you submit.
Should you encounter any issues while submitting your inquiries, please contact us via mobile app, email, or follow the procedure outlined below. We've provided documentation to guide you through the selection process.
Good selecting Procedure
In every product you will find Order Now and Quick Inquiry buttons, they are the two process of sending us your enquiry.
For Business ordering standard quantity
This website has been designed to incorporate retail and wholesale pricing in one place. You can increase or decrease the quantity based on which you will be provided with suitable prices instantly.
For Business ordering Bluk quantity [Above 100 pcs]
This is not a direct shopping website. So no payments are needed for placing an order. Please feel free to send us an order for the product you are interested in, mentioning the approximate quantity. Based on which we will send you a wholesale price quotation.
Selling on ETSY discount
This discount is offered to ensure our prices remain highly competitive across all platforms, including Etsy. We aim to provide the best value for our customers, so we adjust our pricing to stay in line with market trends. By doing so, we continue to uphold our commitment to being the leading provider of high-quality Nepali handicrafts at the best prices.
Discount is scheduled to end on 2024-12-26 Which is 34 Days from now
Shakyamuni Buddha
The ancient Sanskrit term 'Buddha' translates to 'awakened' or 'supreme awareness', closely linked with 'Bodhi' denoting enlightenment. Gautama Shakyamuni, born around 563 BCE in Lumbini (now Nepal), epitomizes compassionate understanding and enlightened consciousness. His teachings centered on understanding desire's role in perpetuating suffering, a theme resonating across Hinduism, Jainism, and related faiths. He emphasized how greed, selfishness, and possessiveness obscure higher awareness, perpetuating suffering among the sick, hungry, elderly, and impoverished. Gautama's serene image stands in contrast to Western ideals of materialism and outward pride, advocating for inner enlightenment as the path to alleviating worldly suffering.
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Iconography The idea of freeing the self (ourselves) from material world & the realisation of the supreme self is a theme common to Indian Philosophy. This is why word associated with the liberation such as Moksha, Samsara ( cycles of suffering), Karma & Nirvana are common to Hinduism , Jainism & Sikhism. The difference between these three schools of thought is twofold, 1. How this freeing of the self is attained & 2. What the nature of this freedom 'is'. That is what state of being freed or partly freed actually feels like or how it can be described.
Gautama is painted with golden skin sitting in a lotus seat [Skt. Padmasana] also called the meditative seat [Skt. Dhyanasana] & upon a white moon disc which represents the male principle of method which itself is upon a lotus throne. His left hand touches the ground in what is called bhumisparse mudra which symbolises his own recognition of enlightened mind in one of the most iconic images in all Buddhism. The palm always faces inwards. His feet are deliberately drawn level with one another & enlarged, being specific marks of a Buddha. His right hand supports an alms bowl [Skt. Patra], containing the liquid elixir of eternal life. Somehow the simple image of the bowl reflects his overwhelming humility & kindness. He wears the traditionally maroon gold monk's patched robe [Skt. Samghati] made of twenty five pieces of cloth which the first Buddhist monks sewed together. The Buddha has a green nimbus and blue aureole around his body signifying the highest level of understanding. Siddhartha is surrounded by Pink Lotuses [Skt. Padma]. This kind of lotus is connected with loving kindness & a flowering of pure consciousness. The closed bud to his right side represents the past or originating mind, the blooming flower represents the present & the buds represents the future Buddha Maitreya and forthcoming realisations. His elongated earlobes depict his royal connection; his knotted black hair & topknot symbolise his abandonment of worldly possessions; the dot [Skt. Urna] on his brow on the command chakra [Skt. Ajna] represents his transcendent wisdom, the 31st mark of a Buddha.
Life Story
Gautama was born c.563 BCE Lumbini, today in Nepal Died c.483 BCE Kushinagar in India. within the Sakya kingdom in Nepal. He family names were variously called Gautama [Skt. 'Best Cow'] & surname Shakyamuni [Skt. meaning 'Sage of the Shakyas'] The name Gautama is linked with a person called Maharshi [Eng. victorious on earth] Gautama who was an ancient seer. Maharshi Gouthama descendents adopted his surname. During his life he was as often called Gautama Tathagata, as Gautama Siddhi-hatha as Gautama Buddha. It was in recognition of his spiritual accomplishments he was called Siddhartha & relates to why Gautama is a Hindu avatar. The lineage of 23 Buddhas were for the majority drawn from Janapada Kings & high ranking Brahmins.
He studied Buddhist Ideas in several locations in Kashmir & Northern India which to may seem a contradiction in terms, this is because to many Gautama Buddha is what Buddhism is. There are in fact two basic schools of thought. 1. That Gautama is recognised for his enlightened reasoning who according to Theravada Buddhism was the 28th Buddha. 2. That he is the Supreme Buddha [Skt. Sammasambuddha] of our age & that he is the be all & end all of Buddhist Doctrine, & closely follow his progress or 'life story' & to how he in how became full awoken. In Hinduism he is considered to be the ninth avatar of God Vishnu.
At the age of 29 Siddhartha left his palace in order to meet his people. Despite his father's effort to remove the sick, aged & impoverished, Siddhartha encountered an old man. Disturbed by this, when told that all people would eventually grow old by his charioteer Channa, variously, a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. He left his palace leaving behind this royal life to become a mendicant. Siddhartha left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers. After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama Siddhartha was asked by Kalama to succeed him, but moved on.
He then became a student of Uddaka Ramaputta, but although he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness and was asked to succeed Ramaputta, he was still not satisfied with his path, and moved on. He initially became as ascetic but then After asceticism and concentrating on meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out), Siddhartha is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way- a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Gautama thus journeyed to Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, he set in motion the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with whom he had previously sought enlightenment. They, together with the Buddha, formed the first sangha, the company of Buddhist monks. For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & southern Nepal, teaching to an extremely diverse range of people, from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, mass murderers such as Angulimala & cannibals such as Alavaka. The sangha travelled from place to place in India, expounding the dharma.
2nd Commentary Gautama's entire Teachings revolve around: The Principle of the Three marks of existence; 1. Dukkha (Sanskrit: du?kha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind. 2. Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent. 3. Anatta (Sanskrit: anatman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion. Gautama considers the arising of this suffering, & explains that this is caused by a misunderstanding of phenomena (the world around us) which is impermanent [Anicca] which he then related to the illusion of the ego, which is actually nothing but an illusion. [Anatta]. He shows that by understanding the nature of the suffering, & specifically its arising, we can alleviate this or extinguish it altogether.
Commentary
The Principle of the Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an inherent part of existence; that the origin of suffering is ignorance and the main symptoms of that ignorance are attachment and craving; that attachment and craving can be ceased.
1.To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment. The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable. The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering. There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely "wandering on the wheel of becoming", because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the Noble Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of attachment and craving and therefore suffering.
About Sacred Serenity Collection
This is a beautiful old Buddhist statue that carries a deep sense of spirituality and craftsmanship. These statues were made around 15 to 20 years ago and are crafted from pure copper. If the statue has gold, it has a thick layer of gold plating, unlike modern statues where using a lot of gold is expensive.
Skilled artisans, who were well-versed in religious teachings, made these statues. They followed traditional guidelines and sacred texts to create each statue with precise expressions and postures. The artisans believed they were creating representations of gods rather than just ordinary figures. This unique perspective is reflected in the statues themselves.
By seeking out statues made over a decade ago, you can find ones that were crafted with the intention of honoring and representing divine beings. These older statues have a special aura and significance, reminding us of a time when creating Buddhist statues was seen as a sacred act.
The Sacred Serenity collection provides an opportunity to own one of these timeless masterpieces. With their intricate details, divine presence, and the devotion put into their creation, these statues can bring a sense of tranquility, spiritual awakening, and a connection to the divine into your space. Welcome the "Sacred Serenity" into your life and experience the whispers of ancient wisdom and serenity it holds.
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Partly Gold plating.
This Shakyamuni Buddha has a Partly gold-plated finish. Partly fire gold gilding, a common practice in Nepali handicrafts. This technique is skillfully employed by artisans to create intricate designs on various metal objects, including statues, jewelry, and decorative items. Through a process, a mask or resist is applied to safeguard specific areas from the gold plating. The object is then subjected to high temperatures, allowing the gold to beautifully adhere to exposed surfaces using a combination of heat and pressure.
In the realm of Buddhist statues, this technique holds additional significance as it distinguishes the golden-plated body from the oxidized or maroon-painted clothing. This visual separation conveys the contrast between the divine purity of the body and the modest attire symbolizing the humble lifestyle of Buddhist monks. The partly fire gold gilding not only adds exquisite detail and elegance but also embodies the deep cultural and spiritual meaning associated with these treasured artifacts.
Partly gold plating using the Fire Gold plating technique requires a high level of skill and precision, and Nepali artisans have been perfecting this technique for centuries. The process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, but the end result is a work of art that is both durable and long-lasting, with intricate designs highlighted by a touch of gold. This technique finds significant application in the creation of religious objects such as statues and prayer wheels, as well as everyday items. It showcases the artisans' expertise in preserving traditional methods while imbuing the objects with deep cultural and spiritual significance.
Detailed Description of Mercury Gilding - Source wikipedia
Fire-gilding or Wash-gilding is a process by which an amalgam of gold is applied to metallic surfaces, the mercury being subsequently volatilized, leaving a film of gold or an amalgam containing 13 to 16% mercury. In the preparation of the amalgam, the gold must first be reduced to thin plates or grains, which are heated red-hot, and thrown into previously heated mercury, until it begins to smoke. When the mixture is stirred with an iron rod, the gold is totally absorbed. The proportion of mercury to gold is generally six or eight to one. When the amalgam is cold, it is squeezed through chamois leather to separate the superfluous mercury; the gold, with about twice its weight of mercury, remains behind, forming a yellowish silvery mass with the consistency of butter.
When the metal to be gilded is wrought or chased, it ought to be covered with mercury before the amalgam is applied, that this may be more easily spread; but when the surface of the metal is plain, the amalgam may be applied to it directly. When no such preparation is applied, the surface to be gilded is simply bitten and cleaned with nitric acid. A deposit of mercury is obtained on a metallic surface using quicksilver water, a solution of mercury(II) nitrate, the nitric acid attacking the metal to which it is applied, and thus leaving a film of free metallic mercury.
The amalgam is equally spread over the prepared surface of the metal, the mercury is then sublimed by heat just sufficient for that purpose; for, if it is too great, part of the gold may be driven off, or it may run together and leave some of the surface of the metal bare. When the mercury has evaporated, which is known by the surface having entirely become of a dull yellow color, the metal must undergo other operations, by which the fine gold color is given to it. First, the gilded surface is rubbed with a scratch brush of brass wire, until its surface is smooth.
It is then covered with gilding wax and again exposed to fire until the wax is burnt off. Gilding wax is composed of beeswax mixed with some of the following substances: red ochre, verdigris, copper scales, alum, vitriol, and borax. By this operation, the color of the gilding is heightened, and the effect seems to be produced by a perfect dissipation of some mercury remaining after the former operation. The gilt surface is then covered over with potassium nitrate, alum, or other salts, ground together, and mixed into a paste with water or weak ammonia. The piece of metal thus covered is exposed to heat, and then quenched in water.
By this method, its color is further improved and brought nearer to that of gold, probably by removing any particles of copper that may have been on the gilt surface. This process, when skillfully carried out, produces gilding of great solidity and beauty, but owing to the exposure of the workmen to mercurial fumes, it is very unhealthy. There is also much loss of mercury to the atmosphere, which brings extremely serious environmental concerns as well.
This method of gilding metallic objects was formerly widespread but fell into disuse as the dangers of mercury toxicity became known. Since fire-gilding requires that the mercury be volatilized to drive off the mercury and leave the gold behind on the surface, it is extremely dangerous. Breathing the fumes generated by this process can quickly result in serious health problems, such as neurological damage and endocrine disorders since inhalation is a very efficient route for mercuric compounds to enter the body. This process has generally been supplanted by the electroplating of gold over a nickel substrate, which is more economical and less dangerous.
Fire Gold Plating In Nepal
Detailed Description of Mercury Gilding - Source wikipedia
Fire-gilding or Wash-gilding is a process by which an amalgam of gold is applied to metallic surfaces, the mercury being subsequently volatilized, leaving a film of gold or an amalgam containing 13 to 16% mercury. In the preparation of the amalgam, the gold must first be reduced to thin plates or grains, which are heated red-hot, and thrown into previously heated mercury, until it begins to smoke. When the mixture is stirred with an iron rod, the gold is totally absorbed. The proportion of mercury to gold is generally six or eight to one. When the amalgam is cold, it is squeezed through chamois leather to separate the superfluous mercury; the gold, with about twice its weight of mercury, remains behind, forming a yellowish silvery mass with the consistency of butter.
When the metal to be gilded is wrought or chased, it ought to be covered with mercury before the amalgam is applied, that this may be more easily spread; but when the surface of the metal is plain, the amalgam may be applied to it directly. When no such preparation is applied, the surface to be gilded is simply bitten and cleaned with nitric acid. A deposit of mercury is obtained on a metallic surface using quicksilver water, a solution of mercury(II) nitrate, the nitric acid attacking the metal to which it is applied, and thus leaving a film of free metallic mercury.
The amalgam is equally spread over the prepared surface of the metal, the mercury is then sublimed by heat just sufficient for that purpose; for, if it is too great, part of the gold may be driven off, or it may run together and leave some of the surface of the metal bare. When the mercury has evaporated, which is known by the surface having entirely become of a dull yellow color, the metal must undergo other operations, by which the fine gold color is given to it. First, the gilded surface is rubbed with a scratch brush of brass wire, until its surface is smooth.
It is then covered with gilding wax and again exposed to fire until the wax is burnt off. Gilding wax is composed of beeswax mixed with some of the following substances: red ochre, verdigris, copper scales, alum, vitriol, and borax. By this operation, the color of the gilding is heightened, and the effect seems to be produced by a perfect dissipation of some mercury remaining after the former operation. The gilt surface is then covered over with potassium nitrate, alum, or other salts, ground together, and mixed into a paste with water or weak ammonia. The piece of metal thus covered is exposed to heat, and then quenched in water.
By this method, its color is further improved and brought nearer to that of gold, probably by removing any particles of copper that may have been on the gilt surface. This process, when skillfully carried out, produces gilding of great solidity and beauty, but owing to the exposure of the workmen to mercurial fumes, it is very unhealthy. There is also much loss of mercury to the atmosphere, which brings extremely serious environmental concerns as well.
This method of gilding metallic objects was formerly widespread but fell into disuse as the dangers of mercury toxicity became known. Since fire-gilding requires that the mercury be volatilized to drive off the mercury and leave the gold behind on the surface, it is extremely dangerous. Breathing the fumes generated by this process can quickly result in serious health problems, such as neurological damage and endocrine disorders since inhalation is a very efficient route for mercuric compounds to enter the body. This process has generally been supplanted by the electroplating of gold over a nickel substrate, which is more economical and less dangerous.
Fire Gold Plating In Nepal
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Gold Painted Face
The face of Shakyamuni Buddha is painted with gold to enhance its significant features, particularly the eyes, and lips. This detailed painting is essential as it brings forth the crucial attributes of the expression of eyes and lips that metal carving alone cannot capture.
Moreover, the painted face serves as a symbolic and sacred ritual in Buddhism, preparing the statue for consecration and practice. The act of painting the face with gold in Buddhism holds deep meaning. It represents the intention to bring life and expression to the statue, imbuing it with a sense of vitality and presence. The application of gold on the face showcases the devotion and craftsmanship of the artisans, ensuring that every detail is carefully attended to honor the sacred essence of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
Protecting the Face In the process of painting the face, a special variation of gold is utilized. This variation is transformed into a powder form that can be applied as paint. The gold used is believed to be 100% pure, enhancing the reverence and spiritual significance associated with this practice.
As the face is painted it is highly recommended that the face of the statue is to be greatly taken care of as it requires a very professional and skilled face artist to repair the face of dirt and damages. Commonly to protect it from damage, the statue with painted face is placed under a glass box and it is always covered with a cotton face mask if it has to be moved
Video of Face Painting
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Lost-Wax System
This Shakyamuni Buddha 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.
Process of loss wax system The lost-wax process offers exceptional quality control and customization, making it a preferred choice for artists seeking intricate and personalized metal artwork. Despite the availability of newer methods, the traditional lost-wax technique continues to be valued for its historical significance and the craftsmanship it embodies.
The method of metal casting in which molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away. Bronze statues come to life differently than marble statues. Instead of carving a block or marble, the bronze artist uses the lost-wax technique to make a series of molds and then pours melted bronze into the final mold to create the sculpture. This method has been around since 4500 BCE.
There are a few important steps in the lost wax casting process:
Step 1: Sculpting ( It all starts in the studio with an idea, Then figuring out how to realize the vision in clay.)
Step 2: Mold Making.
Step 3: Wax Pouring.
Step 5: Wax Spring.
Step 6: Shell Dipping.
Step 7: Bronze Pouring.
Interestingly enough Loss wax process is also called Investment casting because after layers have been formed and dried, the wax is melted out of the ceramic tree by using steam (120°C) in an autoclave. This is why it is called "lost wax casting". The majority of the molten wax can then be regenerated and reusable.
Before Making statue :At work room making the wax models.
Softening a piece of wax over a brazier.
Relaxing after softening the wax The working environment with works in progress.
Working the face of an Ekajata wax model.
Working the face of wax model.Using a modeling tool to form the face of Ekajata.
Deatail of wax model
The design for Ekajata compared to the Tibetan book on which it was based.Statues Maker Are master in buddhism .
Detail of A partially finished Candamaharoshana (Acala) wax figure made in the Tibetan style.
A finished wax image of Mahakala.
Anthor Finished Wax Model of Shakyamuni Buddha
One of the modelers working in the room shows the Pehar image on which he is working.
The artist showed how the goat , which had been completed earlier, fits under the image. ,
Tej Jyoti Shakya and his wife, Nani Maya Shakya Covering the wax model in a mixture of clay and dung
Pressing the mixture of clay and dung around the wax image.
The board with the clay and dung mixture ready for use.
Model Pieces drying after the initial (dipped) thin layer of fine clay.
Clay-covered model pieces drying in the sun.
Molds waiting to be put into the burnout furnace
The same molds, seen in the previous image, in the burnout furnace
The double row of refractory bricks used to support the heated molds during casting.
The melting furnace and a pile of coke used for melting the metals. Laying the bed of coke in the melting furnace.
The first ignition of the coke.
Checking the coke bed.
The electric blower used to force air into the melting furnace
Beginning to fill the crucibles with scrap copper.
Preparing the bed of burning coke to receive the crucibles
Sorting various metals used in the alloys.
Weighing precious metals that are used in the alloys
Weighing copper from Singapore to achieve a correct alloy.
Different sizes of crucibles and various types of metals to be cast in this melt.
Placing the crucibles in the bed of coke filled with metal are in place.
After the crucibles are in place, more coke is piled around them.
The crucibles are covered with scrap metal to hold in the heat.
The electric fan is then connected.Soon a very hot flame is produced.
The entire furnace temperature goes up to about 1800 -1900 degrees.
Setting up molds in between the refractory bricks to receive the molten metal. Handling the molds with asbestos gloves and bracing them with fragments of bricks.
Pouring the molten metal into the base of a mold
Another view of the artists pouring the molten metal.Detailed view showing the molten metal being poured into the sprues.
Preparing to lift and pour molten metal from one of the larger crucibles.
Cooling a mold containing the recently poured metal.
Beginning to break away the clay mold from the metal casting. The mold breaks away revealing the metal image inside
The first metal image from the day's work.
Examining the image for flaws
Two auras (prabhamandalas), one that cast perfectly and one (in front) that only partially filled.
Opening more molds
Researchers mark specific metal images for future identification.
Cleaning the details of the image with a metal tool.
Sawing off the sprues from Aura image. The sprue metal will be reused in future castings.
Two auras that worked perfectly. The one on the right has been cut off of the sprues, while the one on the left still has the sprues attached.
The finishing specialist begins the finishing process with a set of tools, including a small hammer. to give more detail
The entire surface of the image will be gently hammered to a final, almost polished finish.
The finisher's tools and the work in progress
Finishing work on an image of the Buddha.
Hammering the chest of an image that is being held against the work block
A Buddha image hammered and chased to the final, detailed finish.
Cleaning in a very mild acid bath. The image and prabhamandala are placed in a final acidic bath to make sure the surface is absolutely clean.