Fire (Teja)
Teja refers to the light that fire produces, not directly to the flame. It references spiritual illumination, allowing us to see through the darkness of ignorance and its connection to the fiery element. This include acts as simple as cooking to the complex science of metallurgy.
Working – silver, gold, copper, bronze and iron – was once a secret art jealously guarded by members of the Pande caste who passed their skills down from father to son. The most esteemed metalsmiths were keris makers who forged remarkable daggers by folding molten iron and nickel into beautiful patterns possessing magical powers [collection no. 7, 8, 11, 20]. The metal smith was often given the title of mpu or priest and he was seen as the incarnation of the fire god, Agni, when holding the tools of his trade.