~ 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.

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.

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