Introduction

Wood Carving in India is a traditional art that has been passed on by master craftsmen through generations. This is an accepted tribal art form of India as the main component wood is easily available to them. Wood was probably the earliest material to be carved upon.

Wood Carving is a traditional craft among the tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh. The main centre for wood carving is the Wancho area of Tirap district. They make figure heads, warriors, miniature crafts and figurines. The tribes reveal poise in this field. The tribes make exquisite wooden vessels. The Monpa tribe and Khamti tribe practice woodcarving. The woodwork of the north-eastern tribes is known locally as "Kumisyng". The wood carvings of the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Rajasthan include doors, window frames, marriage-litters, wedding pillars, tobacco cases and pipes.

Designs of Wood Carving

Designs of Wood Carving may vary from floral, traditional motifs to geometrical and abstract patterns. In most of the wood carvings few motifs like decorative geometrical patterns, animals, birds, human forms and trees are found. The designs of wood carving vary from region to region and differ in design and ornamentation accordingly.

Types of Wood Carving

Types of Wood Carving seen in the tribal regions of India are uncountable. Decorative aspect of door carving is ornamental. Masks and Musical instruments are made of wood. Most of the wood carving is in low relief. However the art of wood carving has reduced gradually.

Door Carving : Wood carving on doors is very common. It is found on the doors of many houses also. The wood carvings of doors are divided into two main places - doors and door frames. There are large number of decorations on doors and door-frames. Some tribes follow general pattern in door carving, while some have a geometric motif, a lack of finish and haphazard arrangement of themes on their doors.

They are carved in running designs based on flower, leaf, bird or animal, circle, star, comb and arrow patterns in a symmetrical, horizontal and vertical manner. Sometimes an animal or a bird is shown on both the sides of the frames. Peacock, fish, elephant, horse or tiger are more common. The maximum creativity of carving can be seen on doors which serves the entrance of the hut. Low relief carving serves the decorative and magical purpose.

Decorative Carving : From top to bottom designs and motifs cover the entire door. The designs include elaborated circles spirals, triangles, squares, zigzag lines, symbolic representation of sun, stars, wheels, leaves, rows of human beings and serpents. In some cases this decoration confines to the centre of each divided panel. Sometimes it is seen that these are also surrounded with four circles at four corners. In this type of decoration animal forms are not depicted.

Representational Carving : Representational carving is limited and mostly observed in interiors of the forests. In some places number of forms of pitcher, leaves, tree coming out of pitcher, plants full of flowers were carved. On the same door there is beautiful example of a human form which is holding a trident, a shield and a bow in his three hands. It is a typical specimen of form representing the three symbols of Gods in one. In some villages two to three scenes of animal and man in different panels of the door in representational forms are seen. Hunting scenes are also depicted on these doors. In certain villages, animals, birds, trees, symbols of sun and human forms are carved on the doors.

Tribal Masks : Tribal masks are popular in the adult and children`s festivals and dances. They are brought out on ceremonial occasions. Masks are also displayed at marriages. These masks are large and heavy. The masks have a strong appeal in the art of characterisation. It is a perfect transmitter of facial expressions. Masks are art pieces as well as made with a purpose to drive away the evil forces for the tribals.

Musical Instruments : Musical instruments in tribal society are very simple. Stringed instruments are made of wood. The top of such instruments is always carved in some bird or animal head with curving lines, floral designs and motifs.

Posts : The carving of wooden posts for the purpose of wedding and depiction of power in village temples is common in many tribal areas. The marriage posts are based on legendary significance. They bear the symbolic representation of Ghamsen, Khermai and other field Gods.

Process of Wood Carving

Carving wooden handicrafts is a laborious process as great attention needs to be paid to minute details. Carving involves shaping wood to make objects of utility and chiselling parts of wood to form intricate designs, with the help of hand tools. Most of the tribal people live for the most part in mountains and forests. Therefore, it is not surprising that they have used wood for many purposes since ages. Trees like sal, teak and Mahua are the chief products of these forests. Tribals utilize these woods for carving. Their tools and implements are simple and few. Axe, adze, chisel, saw and sometimes trying-plane are used for wood carving. Posts and musical instruments are generally carved in round shape.

Sandal Wood carving in India

Sandal Wood carving in India is one of the famous and expensive handicrafts. The generic term Bombay boxes include the sandalwood carving of Ahmedabad, Surat and Mumbai. The Surat and Mumbai work is in low relief and the Canara and Mysore work is in high relief, the subjects are mythological. The Ahmedabad work while in flat relief is deeply cut, and the subjects are mixed floral and mythological. Krishna and the Gopies that are represented are treated conventionally. Below the wood a line is drawn through the compartment formed a river that represents flowing.

The best of Canara carving comes from Compta and the best of Mysore comes from the town of Sorab in the Shimroga district. The most beautiful example of Mysore sandalwood carving was a little cabinet exhibited by Major Puckle in the Annual International Exhibition of 1871. It was surmounted by a triangular headboard. On this Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati are carved in the centre. Lord Shiva on Nandi is depicted on one side and Siva and Vishnu combine in Krishna on the other.

On either side of it, an elephant waving a chauri in its trunk; and below it a narrow border is drawn on which were carved Lakshmi, Parvati, Garuda, Hanuman and other Gods in a row. The sandalwood carving of Travancore is naturalistic in style.

Sandal wood is an expensive material for carving artefacts. Sandal wood carvers are found in Bangalore, Mysore, Shimoga, Sorab in the foothills to Sirsi and Honavar and Kumta on the coast. There are two types of Sandal wood: srigandha which is close grained and yellowish-brown and used for carving and nagagandha which is darkish-brown in colour and oil is extracted.

Items such as paper cutters, walking sticks, name cases, trays, boxes, photo frames, fans, cigarette cases, holders and the ever popular elephant are made.

One can find sandal wood art in temples of Kerala. Chests, furniture, collector`s items like paper weights, candle stands, incense stick stands are the items made of sandal wood. Sandalwood artisans follow different patterns like engraved form, sculptural relief and clip. Cochin, Ernakulam, Travancore, Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram have gained reputation for sandalwood artistry.