Brass Vaastu Tortoise, Set of 2

Name: Brass Vaastu Tortoise, Set of 2
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-VAS-TOR-171
Price: 4599.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A pair of cast brass tortoises, one larger, with pierced shells and temple spires.

Rs. 4,599.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 500g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Finish: Polished
Shell: Pierced openwork, a seated figure in each arch, stepped temple top at the crown
Quantity: 2 tortoises, one larger and one smaller
Use: Kept indoors as a vaastu piece, often on a plate or in a shallow bowl of water

In the box

1 larger brass tortoise
1 smaller brass tortoise

Check delivery to your PIN code

Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The two are one casting taken at two sizes. On the larger, the pierced arches of the shell are open enough to see through to the far side; on the smaller they narrow to slits. Both carry a stepped temple top at the crown, and on both the head is cast with irregular plates that stop at a collar behind the jaw. Each stands on four short legs with the toes cut in, so the belly clears the surface it sits on.

What is it?

In vaastu practice a tortoise, or kachua, is kept indoors as a household emblem, often set on a plate or in a shallow bowl of water near the entrance. We describe the practice; we make no claim about outcomes.

Also known as a kachua pair, vastu kachua, tortoise statue or pital kachua.

What is in the box?

1 larger brass tortoise
1 smaller brass tortoise

How do I look after it?

Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge. Dry fully with a cloth before putting it away — water left standing is what causes spotting.
Brass darkens. It reacts with air and with the oils on your hands, and a piece in daily use will dull within weeks. That is the metal telling you it is not plated.
To bring the shine back: a paste of lemon juice and salt, or tamarind pulp, or a proprietary brass cleaner. Rub, rinse, dry. Two minutes.
Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
If you would rather it stayed dark, leave it alone — a settled patina protects the surface.

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is the brass solid or plated?

Solid, and cast rather than pressed from sheet. The two together weigh 500 g, so a kitchen scale on the day they arrive settles the question without anyone having to take our word for it.

Will they look exactly like the photograph?

Close, but not identical. Each shell is cleaned up by hand after casting, so the width of the arches and the crispness of the figures shift a little from one tortoise to the next.

Where should it be placed?

In vaastu convention a tortoise is kept near the entrance or in the north of a room, often on a plate or in a shallow bowl of water. Households differ on this and we would not tell you your practice.

Is it solid or hollow?

The head, legs and body are solid cast metal. The shell is pierced openwork, so it is cut through in arches rather than hollow behind a skin, and the 500 g is metal with nothing packed inside.

How many do I need?

Both come as one lot. A single tortoise is the usual arrangement in one room, so the larger tends to stay where it is wanted and the smaller moves to another shelf or is passed on as a gift.