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Items made of wood, affect each and every
stage of human life. The range of utilitarian
products and decorative pieces made from
wood is immense.
Mother nature has blessed India with a
vast number of tree species. India being
a tropical country mainly has deciduous
or evergreen trees. However one can find
alpine forests and trees belonging to arid
regions as well.
Woodcraft includes items such as finely
carved figurines, furniture and accessories,
windows, doors, boxes, decorative pieces,
utensils, panels, beads etc. 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.
Rajasthan is known for articles and decorative
objects made from locally obtained wood.
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. Woodcraft in Punjab is restricted to making
of carved legs of beds and manjis and boxes.
Craftsmen from Madhya Pradesh use a variety
of wood like shisham, teak, dhudi, sal and
kikar for making household items. Woodcraft
from the tribal belt of Bastar is known
for figures of tribal deities, carved wooden
memorials, masks etc.
Madhya Pradesh is also famous for painted
and lacquered wood product such as toys,
boxes, bedposts, cradles posts, flower vases
etc. Gwalior, Sheopur-Kalan, Rewa and Budhni
are main centers of wood lacquering.
Uttar Pradesh has many craft centers 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.
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