About Wood Crafts in India
India boasts a luxuriant range in wood and the wood works.
The Kashmiri wooden architecture, made from walnut and deodar
wood, has flourished from the 11th century AD. Kashmir is
the only state in India, where walnut trees grow. The craftsmen
here create intricate carvings on wood obtained from the
walnut tree. Furniture items like tables, chairs, stools,
partitions etc have rich floral and trellis patterns carved
on them. Carving done on walnut is either deep or shallow.
Items like tables, fruit trays and bowls etc are also decorated
with inlay work. Wax polishing is done on finished products,
so that the beauty of the wood grain is not lost.
The desert state of Rajasthan
is known for articles and decorative objects made from locally
obtained wood. The art of woodwork has been prevalent here
for quite a long time and has survived mainly due to the royal
patronage. The art found its way into the religious life as
well since it was used in making ornaments, ceremonial arches,
pillars and other things related to religion and ceremonies.
Each region of Rajasthan has its own unique wood tradition.
Barmer is well known for carved furniture. Some furniture
pieces like tables, low stools etc have miniature paintings
on them. Carved wood items such as cabinets, screens, chairs,
tables, almirahs, racks etc are highly ornate. Rajasthan is
also known for wood figurines in the shape of animals, which
are beautified with inlay work. Exquisite jali or latticework
is also produced here. Craftsmen of Rajasthan also make delicately
carved figures of deities on rosewood and sandalwood.
Uttar Pradesh has many craft
centres engaged in making different items out of wood. Saharanpur
is known for vine-leaf patterns on Sheesham wood. Floral,
geometric and figurative carving is also done here with wood
inlay work. Inlay work is done with bone and plastic as ivory
is banned in India. Mainpuri is famous for woodwork on ebony
or black sheesham inlaid with brass wire. Banaras is known
for lacquered toys and miniature utensils for children to
play with.
Woodwork from Andhra Pradesh
is varied. Kondapalli is known for brightly painted wooden
toys, while Etikopakka is known for wood lacquer ware. Karnataka,
Kerala and Tamil Nadu too, have their distinct wood carving
traditions. Karnataka is famous for carvings and decorative
pieces made from sandalwood. Sandalwood items like, boxes,
trays, key chains, small figurines are not only carved tastefully
but they also give out subtle smell of sandal. West Bengal
and Kerala are known for items made from the wood obtained
from coconut tree.
Wood inlay, which developed
and flourished through Mughal influence involves the placing
of small parts of ivory, plastic, horn, metal pieces or other
types of wood into carved surfaces of wooden items. This is
found in various parts of the country such as Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Karnataka is famous for the inlay
work of rosewood. Surat in Gujarat is famous for its framed
marquetry work known as Sadeli. Bhavnagar in Gujarat is famous
for its large sized chests known as pataras. Kerala is famous
for its decorating wooden chests and boxes bound by brass
bands. Its jewel box called netturpetty is an excellent example
of this work. The classical style of woodwork like painted
cradles, boxes and ganjifa, the traditional set of playing
cards are painted with religious and mythological figures.
Wood lacquer work is popular
in Rajasthan, Kashmir, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Rajasthan
and Kashmir are famous for their nakashi style of lacquer
work. Naurangpur in Orissa is famous for its highly decorated
and brightly lacquered bamboo boxes.
Sandalwood
Believed to be scented by the Gods, Sandalwood or Chandan
as it is called in Hindi, is considered sacred by most of
the Indians. It is the wood from which idols and prayer beads
are made. The Parsis feed their sacred fires with it.
Being a wood with a heavenly
smell, it is extensively used in cosmetic and soap manufacturing.
The beauty-conscious Indian women used to rub their bodies
with a sandal and turmeric paste for a blemish-free skin much
before the western cosmetic industry made inroads into India.
In many parts of the country, brides still have their ritual
bath with sandalwood paste.
Sandalwood grows mainly in India
in the state of Karnataka. The tree grows naturally in fertile
tropical forestlands with abundant rainfall. It is also cultivated.
The tree is a root parasite. Soon after germination, the seedling
finds a host and derives nourishment from it. It grows about
10 meters high, has a girth of one-and-a half- meters and
lives for over a 100 years. Only trees older than 30 years
are exploited for wood. India has over 70 varieties of this
exotic species. About ten of them have been found to be hardy
and are cultivated. A 30-year-old tree usually yields 100
to 250 kilograms of scented hardwood and the quantity increases
if the tree is older.
The inner wood or heartwood
is used for carving and the bark when powdered is an important
raw material in the manufacture of agarbatis. For the extraction
of oil, used by the cosmetic and soap industry, the tree has
to be uprooted, for it is the roots that have the highest
percentage of oil.
Even spent wood after oil extraction is an important raw material
in agarbati manufacture. Sandalwood scrapings are powdered and
sold in pouches. The powder makes an excellent face and skin
pack Karnataka has the Gudigars, families that for generations
have been engaged in sandalwood and ivory carving. The Gudigars
make some of the most exquisite pieces using simple tools like
knives, screwdrivers, hand drills and saws. As the elephant
and sandalwood country is one, the Gudigars love carving elephants
of all sizes.
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Wood Crafts
