~ Wooden Sculptures of India ~
The art of woodcarving
existed in India(Bharat) from ancient
times. The early wood -carved temples bear witness for this. Wood -carved
temples are surviving till date in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh In
India(Bharat), each region has developed its own style of structures and
carvings. Local traditions and locally available wood varieties influence them
a lot.
Number of folk forms
has been developed in woodwork all over India(Bharat). Toys for children,
utility goods and religious objects are the main ones. Woodcarving also helps
develop templates that today can be used for many things. Woodwork from
India(Bharat) can give inspiration for decorating the home or designing things
like wedding or graduation announcements.
The whole of North
India(Bharat) has a tradition of carved wooden doors with intricate designs,
brass inlay and trellis work for the windows.
Assam :-
Has extensive forests,
has a rich tradition of wood works. Their places of worship included large
carvings of mythical figures like half-man, garuda, hanuman, lion, etc. Also
the carvers create a Simhasana wherein they place the deity to be worshipped.
Bengal
:-
Clay houses have large wooden pillars and beams with intricate
carvings.
Kashmir
:-
Houses are lined with wood, with ceilings worked in geometrical
patterns and lattice- worked windows made up of pieces of wood locally known as
Pinjara. The state also produces many wood carved items like furniture,
screens, boxes, bowls, etc. These are mostly prepared from walnut wood, which
is in abundance here. Decorative wood panels used for ceilings and pillars is a
special craft in Kashmir and it is called Khatamband.
Gujarat :-
Rich in wood carving tradition. Sections of Ahmedabad city have houses
with carved facades. Balconies jut out of the houses with carved and perforated
patterns. Sankheda in Gujarat is an important center for lathe- worked
lacquered furniture. The surface is painted with designs on a lacquered
background. This is used to give silver- like effect. Bedposts and cradles and
toys for kids are also made here. Surat has a tradition of marquetry work,
which is also called Sadeli. In this, different materials like ivory, ebony,
sandalwood, metal having different textures and colors are used. These
materials are made into strips with their width shaped as triangles, squares and
circles. These are then joined by gum to get a geometrical pattern. Theyare
then cut across into thin strips and pasted on a wooden background ,mostly
boxes. Wooden blocks for printing in textiles are also made in Gujarat. The
design is first stenciled on the wood and then the intervening spaces are
chipped out.
Tamilnadu
:-
Well -developed tradition of woodcarving used for decorating houses
and temples. The Tanjore dolls made of wood form a part of the rituals
followed here and they are also used for educating small children.
Andhra
Pradesh :-
Tradition of manufacturing woodcarvings for religious centers. The
Tirupathi red dolls are meant for sales for the pilgrims. In a village called
Nirmal in Andhra, carriers of the main deities called Vahanams are made by
means of a soft wood.Another village called Kondapalli is famous for its toys
made of Punki wood. Very meticulous attention is paid in their making.
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Kerala :-
State has one of the richest traditions in woodcarving. The houses here
have carved pillars and beams. Most of the houses have a carved family temple.
Kerala wood -carvers also work wonders on sandalwood and rosewood. Kerala
woodcarvings have strength of form, which is reminiscent of the murals and
dance forms of the area. Large wood carved figures are prepared in the round as
well as in relief work.
Punjab
:-
Old havelis have carved doors and windows. Woodcarving and inlay are
now practiced in Hoshiarpur. Jalandhar is specialized in lacquer- turned
furniture.
Uttar
Pradesh :-
Saharanpur is an important center in woodcarving. Screens and room-
dividers with carved patterns and ivory -inlays with minute details are
produced here. Nagina is another important wood carving center in U.P.
Manipur :-
an important center for Tarkashi, metal thread work, done in furniture.
Manipur :-
an important center for Tarkashi, metal thread work, done in furniture.
Karnataka
:-
Specialised in sandalwood carving. Earlier the deities were carved out
of sandalwood but now boxes are their specialty. The Srigandha variety of
sandalwood is used for this purpose. They have a distinctive aroma that sets
them apart from other woods. Large boxes covered with mythological scenes are
an important product of Mysore, Kumta and Sagar. In south Kanara, life-size
wood carving of Buddha figures is carried out. Mysore city developed an
intricate form of ivory -inlay on wood. The ceilings and doors of Mysore Palace
are expressions of this special skill of its artisans.
Rajasthan
:-
Wooden figures of Ghangore, a form of Parvathi is worshipped. These
stylized forms are manufactured in a village called Bassi in Chittogarh
district.
The village also specializes in making a wooden temple like structure,
which can be folded into a book form called Kavadh.
Odisha
:-
Main deity of the famed Puri temple, Lord Jagannath is reproduced in
wood. A number of wooden masks are also made for the traditional Sahi Jatra.
Nagaland has a tradition of manufacturing statues as well as Commemorative
pillars in wood.
