Woodcarving

¤ Exquisite Woodcarvings in India

In the good old days of kings and nawabs, woodcarving was essentially seen as an adjunct to architecture. Any palace or haveli worth its name had to have incredibly carved doors, windows and jalis (lattice work). The Mysore Palace and the havelis of Old Delhi, Kashmir and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan are a good example of such work. In recent times architectural commissions have dwindled to nothing. Consequently, artisans have turned their hand to more commercially viable options like artifacts, wooden plaques and furniture for urban homes. Master craftsmen can, however, still be found in the states of Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.