Design Resource
Contemporary Wooden Art - Nagpur, Maharashtra
Wooden Artifact
by
Prof. Bibhudutta Baral and Srikanth B.
Introduction
India is a place of affluent diversity in every aspect, and its fertile soil anchors innumerable kinds of woods spread in different regions of the country. Wood makes a major raw material for many items, like lumber, furniture, panels, paper, chemical products, and religious objects. In short, wood is one of the important fuels that makes the world run smoothly. Hence, woodcraft is highly regarded and enjoys an extensive space in human life in the form of small articles like columns, window frames, pillars, reliefs, sculptures, decorative items, and many more. As the material brings endless possibilities, religious, decorative, or functional articles made out of wood endure application in every aspect of human life. Wood carving as an artistic expression as well as for various purposes has always prevailed in every society since the beginning of the Indus valley civilization. The woodwork met with extensive applications in the ancient temple and palace art, finished by expert artisans to highlight the grandeur of the structure. Then slowly, with increased knowledge over the characteristics of different kinds of wood, the works were divided into various categories as per their best utilities. The abundance of availability and their natural characteristics like texture, grain, colour, and feel make it an easy choice for carving works. Therefore particular varieties of woods are chosen by craftsmen according to the wood’s characteristics and easy availability.
Mr. Rukshad Bhagwagar is a master craftsman from Nagpur, who runs an art gallery that exhibits wooden carving finished at their warehouse. He has been in this business for 25 years, employing many people from the locality and training them for the skills required. Here the only type of wood used for the making of wooden art is mango wood. The mango wood which is readily available in India, is primarily grown for its fruit but is usually cut down after seven years as it generally ceases to produce fruit. The reason for preferring this wood is because they are extremely durable and possess a unique grain pattern. During the making, the wood is oiled to change the colour and obtain an indented texture.
