Banaras Wood Carving

Wood carving is a time consuming process. Small items of carved wooden handicrafts may take a week to be made. Large items requiring elaborate carving may take few months for their manufacture. Wooden logs are sourced from nearby areas such as the jungles of Chitrakoot and Sonebhadra. The life of finished product is more than 75 to 100 years. Banaras Wood Carving refers to the unique carving work practised in Varanasi during the ancient time on ivory. Ove the Government banned ivory as raw material; the artisans shifted to wood carving for creation of exclusive crafts that have become much popular across the world. Varanasi, being the cultural centre of India is also rich in the craft of wooden carving and is gifted with a community of crafts persons who have been practising this craft and passing it on from one generation to another. Kashi or Varanasi is popular for pilgrimage and foreign tourist and after looking at the demand of tourists and pooja (prayer) items, the artisans have developed in significantly in this region. The most common varieties of wood used for this craft are sandalowood, kaima or haldu, keria, teak, sal, oak, ebony, mango and sheesham.