L IS T OF PLA TES .

haukat an r K war C d Jo i i .

B kharch n h u a a d Jagmo an .

Tti n Carv n and B rass Inla Saharan ur . i g y, p

ar Old D r Sah an ur. oo , p

' D D eta l o f Sitfin Baithak and Sada Old o or Saharan ur . i , , , p

n r fo r h D l xh Saharanpur Mi stri Carvi g a doo t e e hi Art E ib ition.

a n a E n ca n N gi b o y rvi g .

S h sham w d screen Farrukha a d . i oo , b

’ Mr H. l All . W ht rkmen aha a Ne son r s wo d. ig , b

M2 01 1 8 D

E CHA PT R I .

THE arts of are the illustration of the religious life of the , as that life was already organized in full perfection

“ 9 0— 0 M . 0 . 0 3 0 v un der the Code of anu, B E ery detail of

“ n a nd l Indian decoration has a religious meani g , the arts of India wil

“ n never be rightly understood until these are brought to their study, ot

“ li hi m a only the sensibi ty w ch can appreciate the at first sight, but ,

“ 1 familiar acquaintance with th e character and subjects of the religious

a a n d r a poetry, nation l legends, mythological sc iptures that have alw ys i ” been the r inspiration and of which they are the perfected imagery . By this statement Sir George Birdwood commits himself to the

s opinion that Indian art mean Hindu art, and that none but Pandits are

: far competent to comprehend and expound its canons in short, that as as r t 1 s k a Indian a concerned, Gree , Scythian , Arab, Path n, Persian, and

Mughal might never have existed .

This unfortunate contention has been subjected to many criticisms , and those who are inclined to side with the critics in maintaining that the traditionary arts of India have been greatly influenced by foreign

’ ideas will find no be tter refutation of Sir George B ir dwo o d s theory

the t o - v the than the state of arts, and no ably f car ing , in United

Provinces .

Lying in the path of Muhammadan invasion and close to the centre

M e P v a of the ughal dominion , the Unit d ro inces and the Panj b felt the

ff x an full e ects of conquest. Partly owing to the force of e ample d

v u the di partly to the system of exatious Hind ordinances, tra tional

ul principles of Hindu ar t lost their hold on the inhabitants . The res t

- v l r hi . is specially noticeable in wood car ing, scu ptu e, and arc tecture To find characteristic Hindu work it is necessary to go further afield to regions where indigenous art was safegu arded by geographi cal condi

- a u n i tions to Nep l or So ther Ind a. 2 Mo n og r aph o n Wo od Ca r vi ng .

' There is no possibility of confounding characteristic Hindu and

M . uhammadan work The former, like Burmese work, is marked by grotesque and extravagant fantasy : the latter by a cold and geometric M severity . The canons of uhammadan art forbid the portrayal of human forms and of most animals . The Hindu worker, on the other f hand, delights in a profuse entanglement o monstrous and unnatural

figures .

The fact that much wood-carving is architectural in character sup

plies other useful indications . The pointed the minaret, and the rounded pillar are Muhammadan characteristics . Squ ar e

* ar ch es a nd pillars, trabeated , brackets are features of Hindu design . In Muhammadan wood-carving the place of fantastic Hindu orna mentation is filled by a free use of geometric diapers and whereas

Hindu work is as a rule deeply undercu t, Muhammadan work is marked by flatness of .

e - v n If th se data be applied to the wood car i g of these Provinces, it becomes apparent that the work is predominantly Muhammadan in

. v r character Hindu traditions, howe er, did not yield without a st uggle, but inspired in the conquerors a taste for rich su rface ornament and ,

v induced a greater latitude with regard to the car ing of animal forms .

To gratify a Hindu patron a Muhammadan mi str i will readily a cco mmo a date himself to Hindu prejudices and carve the figure of Ganesh over

el e hant the lintel of a door . In this part of India, Ganesh, the wise p f

e r v head d god, is the only figure commonly seen on ca ed doors ; so far

‘ v b a r u ha e the Hindu b t s renounced their traditions .

“ S i r w - In a a M a George Bird ood writes India, the R may na and ah

a a an a u th bh rata, R ma and Sita, Hanum and R vana, Vishn and e

K a K u Garuda, rishna and R dha, and the a ravas and Pandavas are every where in sculptured stone about the temples and on the carved wood ” work of houses .

n True as this undoubtedly is of Bombay and Southern I dia, it, conveys a false impression with regard to the general features of Mon og r a ph o n Wo od Ca r vi ng . 3

a architectural decoration in the Panj b and the United Provinces . So deep

v has Muhammadan influence sunk that e en in Ajodhya, the birthplace

- k v of Ram Chandra, the carved wood wor presents no image of the e er C popula r hero with his bow . arved portraits of other divinities

‘ undoubtedly occur here and there in Ajodhya . For instance there is a

’ carved cha u ka t in the Maharaja s palace which contains no less than

ta the eight figures . But each god is placed in a separate niche ( g) , and general design of the door is based on the m ehr ab and is pure Mu ha m y m ad am , even to the extent of including the Royal Fish, the symbol

b s of the old Na wa .

As a rule v ery little wood-carving is found in the interior of Hindu temples . Images and sacred objects of wood could not resist the

ea n a nor t s w r and tear which p j involves, would they be a sui able ubject for the whi ch is so liberally scattered on festive occasions

v The temples of Benares, howe er, contain big wooden images of Siva

v a - and also a good deal of ery characteristic Nep lese , the presence of which is due to the fact that Hindu pilgrims flock i n great numbers to Benares from Nepal and ar e great supporters

’ o f Siva s s hrines .

fl

CHAPTER II .

- ARVIN D ECLINE or WOOD C G. ” ESTERN ideas are the bane of Indian art . Apparently it is

impossible for . a native of India to imbibe English education

hi s hi c without losing admiration for the indigenous arts of s ountry .

Accordingly those arts are either being ruined by neglect or vitiated by he v u t demand for unsuitable imitations . A Go ernment m st necessarily have prestige. It is unfortu nate that the indirect effects should b e so deplorable .

u ff - v No craft has s ered more than wood car ing . Formerly the nobility and well -to -do citiz ens took delight in emb ellishing their hou ses " n 4 Mo n og r a ph o n Wo o d Ca r vi g .

with carved verandahs and balconies . All the chief entrances were

In t o filled with massive carved doors . his class of work the Indian wo d c ar ver is seen at his best. The craftsmen were retained by their

i n d e mployer in a sort of feudal relation . They l ved a worked in the v erandah of his house and received a regular salary ; there was no hope o f large profit, but they had a genuine enthusiasm for their art. The philosophic Hindu coul d demand nothing better than to spend his days

e a b e free from car in the gr dual perfecting of a masterpiece of carving, to

u n o s et p in his ative place, where his handiwork would be a source f W credit during life and a monument after death , orking under such c onditions, the Indian craftsman has no equal , Unfortunately the upper and moneyed classes had no real intelligent enthusiasm for art. They that the style of building erected by

mis tr as Government bore no resemblance to the designs of their . Failing to realize that the simplicity and uniformity of official buildings

- - resulted from considerations of economy and convenience, the well to do

4 classes a r e abandoning the old traditions a nd clamour for 5 ” plainness .

The late Mr . Growse once endeavoured to convince a native gentle man o f e the folly of this unreasonable craz , and referred to certain

s n building i the best native style, the erection of which he himself had

e s uperintended . H received the following answer z The works which

‘ n s are carried out u der your direction , however plea ing in themselves, — have the one fatal drawback that they ar e not stamped with official

“ h o approval. Nothing in t e same style is ever undertaken by G v

er nm ent a s . The trading classes do well to adhere to Hindust ni type

“ ev h but the landed gentry prefer to range thems l es with t eir rulers ,

and thus to emphasize their distinction from the vulgar .

Thus, through being the object of the most sincere form of flattery , the English rule has caused the country to be sprinkled with plain, i u v a d mistr f o t nlo ely doorways and balconies, n has turned the u of the verandah, on o r a h n d a M g p o Wo o C r vi ng . 5

The history of wood -carving in the last thirty years is nowhere

mo re plainly written than in the streets of Pilibhit. Evidently the city

a s e - W formerly a great c ntre of wood carving . The bazaar is a long s u v o s s m e ccession of car ed do r and pillar , any b ing of the most delicate

- f i o wo . Ye t o a n e rkmanship , alth ugh c rpe t rs st ll c nstitute a large percent a e o f o - d b e u g the population , nly one old coul fo nd who is

t o prepared execute an order for carving .

m bar ik ham ba r ha is There is no longer any de and for , and the

' h ave ceased teaching their children h o w to carve . In the old days the c hild sat by his father and was made to draw simple des igns and practise

’ cha u r si c o a the use of the carvers ( ) on a pie e of waste b rd . Thu s h e acquired a certain skill in carving and design before he kne w how to h is andle a common saw. This custom fast dying out throughout India,

‘ a nd the h e r e dit a r y' skill accumulate d through countless ge nerations is

" In o n a the: e nd ha s . L running to waste wer Be g l already come , and

- Wood ca rvin g is practically extinct .

It might perhaps be argued that English i i nflu e nc e h as compe nsate d

- ’ the wood carver s for the lbs s o f their former importa nce . Instead of

' ‘ ‘ l ab ou r in f o r s m a ll w a e s i n the e z a nn ndar a a g g v randah of a native or mah j n ,

. n he may now apply hi s skill in a nother dire ction . by carvi g Europe an f n d o l a nce fo r is g a c o n s ide r a b l e a . articles , which there dem d Hence the

' f f i h P a a nd. i karkhan a s of Ho s hiarpur an d J ullundur ih t e anj b, Nag na and

. The S aharanpur in the United Province s . total number of workmen

“ ‘ . e a o t i i employed i n t his s pe cial trade is sm all,but th r te of pr fi s h gh.

‘ a ' U n fort unate ly the Wo od ca r ving c r aft had n o ; traditions . in the

d e l u x e r tu r i s to matter of carving articles . Very little fu ni e be found in t s - a a t he man ion of a n old f s hione d n ive .

W ith the introduction o f European m odels there ine vita b ly came a

" ‘ ” a e a i n . viti tion of d sign . Th e K ashmir shawl tr de was poisoned the same way by agents sent out by French firms: The I ndian craftsman is

e s n o nl e a mast r of de ig , and if y l ft to himself he will apply the rules of his

c a a t . O a t o o r ft with unerring~ taste to ny new objec nce persu ded aband n Mn r a h O r o og p n Wo od Ca v i ng.

a id a a e his g he rapidly deterior tes, and his work los s its spontaneity .

The result is a series of inanities which have neither invention, variety

‘ nor charm .

There ca n be little do ubt that one of the chief factors in the

’ excellence of the old mis tr i s w ork lay in the non -economic way in which

‘ s they regarded their ta k . Probability of enough remuneration to enable them to keep themselves and their families in comfort was enough to

. inspire them to produce work of the highest order - The prospect of making money beyond this limit did not stimulate them to increased

l I i A t r l Mr e nd a n r J o u n a . n exertion . Th re is an artic e in the by Bade

a t a s — Powell , de ling wi h the apathy of Panj b bra s workers and their

s s o f his th e unwillingnes to avail themselve advice , thus renouncing

r e ab possibility of a lucrative business. A t aveller who visit d the Panj

' Exhibitio n r emarked tha t apparently the only way to g et native work men to do anything w a s to shut the m up in jails I ff This curious indi erence serves its purpose, and it is best to indulge

t o ’ the workman to the p of his bent . —‘ ’ All over the East it is the same f a r d a drawls the Cairene

’ s i ka l workman jus t a read ly as his Indian brother says . And when f this apathy is overcome , there is another di ficulty to be feared . Having become awake a t last to th e possibility of doing a fine trade in some

en i h class of work, the workm turn out piece after p ece in suc a hurry

— o f to get money, that the articles most them copies of copies to begin

— s th e with have all the defect of first copy gradually magnified, and

s r d s o ff the ornamentation grow so poo that the deman fall , both character and technical merit being lost.

a - Sah ranpur, once celebrated for architectural wood carving, shows

e in its modern t an work a striking example of this fatal t ndency. Very few articles of real artistic merit are turned out by the kar khan a s in their

th e haste to meet demand .

“ ” Made to sell plainly stamped on most of their productions . " is v r th e the t a r e Howe e , objects displayed for sale on railway s ations Mo n r h o n W od a n og a p o C r vi g. (7

e agerly bought by tourists . It is questionable how long they last to

ha ch gladden the eyes of their purchaser, as the wood itself is cha and the j oining execrable. Every kind of labour-saving appliance is welcomed and adopted in

' ' r k these ka ha n a s . In the bazaar you may hear the hum of many fret

work machines : by means of these abominations a heap of t an -wood l b qa r ds is soo n converted into a stack ofjai i work. Each board is after i w ar ds sawn up lengthwise into several thin planks . Hence the unfailing

symmetry of Saharanpur work " The curve of the leaves in flo r e at ed

patterns is produced by the simple expedient of hammering each p a tta

- with a curved, oval shaped punch .

e For the bett r class of articles, the work of the machine is supple

e nte d b m y hand carving, and it cannot be denied that the result is often ‘ a graceful and pleasing . But the greater part of Sah ranpur work is not

” - wood carving in the true sense , and is unworthy of the craft which

” - fashioned the temple doors of Northern India .

CHAPTER III .

- THE WOOD CARVER. HE strict Hi ndu loves to regard caste as a rigid and iron -bound institution which has never shifted since its foundation lines were cast

, in the Vedas . This theory receives no support from history and the

” composition of the function ary castes shows conclusively that the

’ n o . caste system o f the Hindu is essentia lly . elastic Necessity knows

u l a w of caste . If society is to exist at all, certain work m st be done and

certain industries carried on . No better instance of a composite functionary caste could be found

s a a than the ba r ha i or carpenter cla s , which includes Br hmans and R jputs

ba r ha is Vis w a as well as Chamars . Traditionally claim descent from

- karma , son of Brahma ; but the numerous sub divisions show that the

only real tie is that of a common occupation . Those who follow the Mon o r a h on Wood Ca r vi n 8 g p g. — occupation of fall naturally into two classes the village b a r hai

r v~ and the city b a ha .

a a n d n The former is one of the recognised village meni ls , in retur

' ’ ’ fo r certain dues b f gr ain h e is boun d" to work . from May to November at the" task of keeping the village stock of agricultural implements in

“ For e o n good order. the r maining five m ths of the year he is at liberty to work h o w and for who m he ple ase s: C

Th e city carpenter is a free an d independe nt , agent . He h as

“ ' advanc ed from: Status to Con tract a nd conducts his business and

' s his kdr lfh n o n a v s h e a ro manage d a wh te er line pp ves .

- m r o n e o f t wo The craft of wood carving is not li ited to eithe . these

i ‘ ' ' ’ el ass e h h o h r am b i i n r h a n s . T é village ba rha i as n ighe t b t to spend his

' ‘ ' ’ ' - i d r ' a Spare m enths ii i the decer ation of s o me r ic h z a nii n a s h o u s ep nd the

' ‘ ‘ * ‘ éity man is ready to exec ute or su per inte nd : a riysimilar. work which m ay

’ ‘ be e ntr u sted t o him:

O h o w ev e r disa o intment ‘ h a s toO t fr e u e n tl the f late years, , pp q yjbeen

- lot of the village wood carver, and the city carpenter has begun to

O - specialize in his industry. wing to the fast diminishing demand for ' bdr ik ham cili ha s d , universal fa ty cease to be a characteristic of either

‘ ‘ t the city or the village b a rhai . Ha d Wo od ca r v er s originally formed a

r e c af t h rlo t W u e n ar n e sepa at r t, ei o ld have be h d i d ed l

' l C o enou th e v cond ns vvhich u e : e e uri usly gh , ery itio ind c d d clin also

' " " “ ’ ca s o -ca v n to come a di s tinét cra t Th e who ca u ed wo d r i g be f . men rve

' knick -knacks for the European market have cut the mselve s o ff fr om

‘ or n r r e n r n e of t e m a rei c b of r a rin di a y ca p t y, and the you g r h n apa le ep i g a

ar i t n u a i h d or. u s a c s t o f u er g or se ti g p pla n o T uriou s ate things , tt ly

" i r ad u a ll comin o s out of keeping with the old traditions, is g y g int ex tence .

‘ The r ehlu s ma kers of Pilibhit cannot e xe but e f t h e simplest order for c w e th e in a nd n h a arving , hil carvers of Nag a Sahara pur ave no acqu int a e c m ota ham nc with ordinary arpentry ( ) .

O u n c n ne res lt of this is the bad joining oti eable i most carving .

Lack of finish is no doubt typical - o f Indian work in general ; but the Mo no r a h n W d n g p o o o Ca r vi g . 9

“ wood -carvers are specially notoriou s for their tendency to spoil the ship for a ha’p ’ orth of tar

It would be difficult to eliminate this defect from the cheap good s

’ ou t - r which are turned , piece after piece, to satisfy the globe t otters ” c craving for a memento of India . In work specially exe uted to order,

a little supervision will have a salutary effect . If the purchaser is not e i pr pared to take this trouble, he must not be surprised at find ng the -most delicate piece of carving disfigured by gaping joints and unstable

supports . 0

i u In spite of the many ev l infl ences referred to, there are still plenty

o - t v es a of g od wood carvers lef in these Pro inc , though only small

' proportion of them find that kind of employment for which they are

a l adapted by t ste and abi ity .

Some ha ve surrendere d themselves to th e baneful influences of the

wood-carving kdr khdn a s : others have c eased to exercise their inherite d

skill and will be found in Ra il way Workshops or engaged in ordinary — — carpentry : others most fortunate and least numerous of all f are to be

o e ve r found in private Eur p an or nati employ, whe e they can work after

the manner of their forefathers .

- rv The wood ca er, trained to his work from his earliest years, develops a delicacy of touch combined with a sureness and quickness

his of hand , which renders handling of the chisel a unique and most

a ttractive spectacle .

flor e a ted Carving an involved pattern , with no design before him, he will manipulate his chisel with swift and unerring accuracy and leave his

’ ’ ” “ - background or ti hz z a m z n as smooth as a well planed sur face .

No Europe an workshops can show a phenomenon more striking

- than the cunning of the Indian wood carver . It is a gift he has

i n an acquired by careful training and da ly practice, e h ced perhaps by the

. —b t r have wielded the power of heredity, y the fact hat his ancesto s

same through countless generations . 1 a n 0 Mo n og r ph o n Wo o d Ca r vi g.

CHAPTER IV.

I D ES GN. HE class of design indigenous to these Provinces is, as we have seen , T M a harmonious blending of the Hindu and uhammadan styles , in

which the latter predominates . The D eputy Commissioner of Fyzabad writes The great char

“ ’ a ct er istic of Indian wood -carving as distinct from other countries

“ carving is that India leaves no space uncovered . There is never an ff m e ect of a bold ornament or a small design . in relief in the idst of a

—a n ff v Chi J smooth space , e ect ery noticeable in nese and apanese work , ” a n d occurring also in English work . “ Nor does the domestic Hindu carving use the art so dear to the

hr ff J apanese of a design cut right t ough . It thus loses the e ect of

i Th vi light shin ng through from behind . e characteristic of lea ng no

“ di s ko k on chhor di a space uncarved is typically In an . I y g/ says the

“ ” m th d i n . e ployer, so e workman rives the chisel

The prevalence of this latter chara ct er istic marks the one great m triumph of Hindu extravaga nce over the severe style na tural to Mu h a

d The i o f a ma an work. spirit wh ch , in the familiar work Tanjore, Nep l,

n a r a d B urma, finds vent in a tangled m ss of monst ous Swamy figures

s t e Mu u x here bear h stamp of hammadan prej dices, and e presses itself

in a rich sur face design of arabesques a nd flor e at ed or geometric patterns .

‘ ,

This cl a shing o f influences did not lead to chaos . A strict code of

v D rules was speedily e olved, based on the great masterpieces of ehli and

. s mis tr is Agra This code is till faithfully adhered to by of the old stamp, who show evident reluctance to execute a design which entails a breach ” a id a of their g .

‘ This ga id a still holds the allegiance of most of the Panjab kar hhci n a s

e W its adherents in th se Provinces are rapidly diminishing . herever

‘ kdr khana s devote themselves to supplying the European market, their

me o es n th ds of d ig become hopelessly confused . Indigenous and foreign

t n patterns are not kep apart . To ensure rapid outturn the same desig s Mo n og r ap h o n Wo od Ca r vi n g . 1 1

are repeated with monotonous regularity, and faults become accentuated through constant reproduction . The strict code of design naturally has proper system of nomencla ture attached to it . This is rapidly becoming a dead language among

-fa shio n e d mis tr i the new s . In Saharan pur each kar khan a has its own

. system New names have come into use , and old names, are borrowed i ind scriminately for new and mongrel patterns . i e n There is , for example , an intricate and intertw n d or amental design, — k ” a A ba r i . well known and very commonly used in the Panj b , known as

This n ame is found t nexist in most of the Saharanpur kdr khdn a s ; but in each case it is a pplie d q u ite arbitrarily to designs which not only

Akba r i v ff bear no resemblance to the genuine , but also ary in the di erent shops . Onlyin the simple names given to ordinary figures of geometric

w n d a sa w a ns ba r hw a . hha c a s a a ns . design does uniformity exist, g , ,

r - w as Architectu al wood carving , being essentially Indian , not subjected to the same direct foreign influence as knick -knacks and

a articles suitable for exportation, and has managed to maint in its purity i n spite of decline .

The best known and most typical features o f a rchitectural carving are

- cha nha t kh r the door frame (or ) and the balcony or bu a cha . Illustrations are given in the Appendix showing the names by which the essential“

n mis tr is of parts are generally k own to the these Provinces . In India the most common form of door is composed of two leaves

or i hiw ar n ot v . (j ) which do hang on hinges, but turn on pi ots above and

s below . The junction of the door i covered by a projecting parting

“ ” n known as the bi d . O verhead the door is s urmounted either by the Hindu trabeated

r arch or by the Muhammadan meh ab . Compromise between the two

o r v f ms is ery common , and . results in the formation of two spandrels or k a tefa s (shoulder -blades) in the space between the rectangular and the rounded arch . 1 2 Mo n og r a ph o n Wo od C a r vi ng;

an d th e The mehr ab occurs in a great number of varieties, propor

tions of each are subject to stringent rule . The broadest classification is bas ed on th e number of curves (chnr i)

’ into which the m ehr a b is divided .

This distinction gives rise to the more familiar varieties known a s

olddr s ima r ola s a u r a hi eshta kh n a lsha ti r i . g , g , , p , and The manifold floral and geometric designs employed to decorate the

situ n i - - e various pillars ( ) nto which the door jambs are sub divid d , all bear

distinctive names . Thus a floral pattern which appears to wind up the

- - M ba d r u m s itn n is known as a i nthe ki bel . ost common of all is the flat

ic ll n b a nd r u m s m etr a . or pattern, consisting of y y curvi g lines Some

names express their meaning clearly e nough . A line of overlapping

as m a chhli : ddn a d dr : scales is known is a dotted, geometric pattern a

v c motiddr design consisting of curling lea es is alled , from the resemblance

a t i tu n i s ta d . s t of each p to a close fist A which separated into leng hs,

ch a ir ' is ola like the turned leg of a , known as g

ca r t ou ch es dilla s et ' n The design of the l ) in the pa els , is usually

t u n r geo metric. In mos doors of Hind origi the cent al panel of the lintel t O M is consecra ed to Ganesh . wing to uhammadan influence the figures

f — of Hi ndu g o ds a r e very rarely Worked into the general design as in

“ — B M a b u t o e i urmese or adras work , when they occur, ccupy sp cial n ches a in the jambs or lintel .

hn lmekh a u The p or met l studs, which are sed with such striking

ff a v e ect in most c r ed doors, are probably a survival of the spikes used in

e n - l ss peaceful times as a protectio against the charge of war elephants .

C HAPTER V .

MPL M NTS AND MAT RIAL I E E E .

HE - v ns T implements of the wood car er, like those of most Indian artisa e — ar few and simple . A u su ally a plain block of wood

uf and a dozen small will s fice for all purposes .

‘ 1 r 4 Mo n og r a ph o n Wo od Ca r vi ng :

- n tr a n i and though there is no objection to using it in the door lintel ( g ), i li the sill (diha l or d h ) should never be made of it.

The wood p a r ex cellen ce for all kinds of carving is s hi sha m

D a lber i a s is s oo s ( g ) , which flourishes univer ally in the plains as well as on

n - the lower ra ges of the Himalayas . The dark heart wood is of great

hit e a n W durability and is not readily attacked by w ts . hen darkened w it s s oil ith oil or a composition of soot, is not easily distingui hed from

Shor ea r obu sta a u s e d i n c a ( ) , timber much these Provin es for the che per

k a f s hi ha m cha a a ts . o s kind of The l tter w od is, however, in erior to , as it

- is coarse grained and less durable .

Cedr e l a toona ti in - s or is the timber of cabinet maker , notably

a t a nd in the Sah ranpur dis rict. This wood is soft and easily worked, t - akes a natural dull red polish .

D u dhi H ol a r r hen a a n tid scn tefi ch n e a n- ( g ) , a other sp ciality of Sah ra g

e alik . e i s S w pur , is not so well known as formerly The tre found in the P e o d s e . tract and yields a white soft w o , very easily chi ell d laqu s and

ur - d i oo r s pict e frames of u dh w d were formerlyturned out in g eat quantitie , but have now lo st favour owing t o their tendency to rapid discoloration .

O r 1 ce - wing to its high p the hard grained, durable, and fragrant

is i sandalwood u sed o nly for small articles . The Nag na carvers are fond of u sing it i n combination with their s o (a bnu s) th e latter (D i ospyr os tomen tos a ) is a black and heavy heart -wood imported from Central India .

Teak or s a g on (c i ona g r a n di s) is used in the central jails by

a e Burmese prisoners , and their work is as re dily identified by the pal u npolished nature of the wood as by the well -known characteristics o f

h e t carving .

C HAPTER VI .

AL DISTRIB"TI W - A LOC ON or OOD C RVING. MOST of the requests fo r information despatched to the various ” - s v . di tricts elicited the laconic reply, No wood car ing here W d a n r a h o n o o C r vi . Mo n og p . g 1 5

Probably there are bazaars in every district possessing good carved

cha n ka ts and verandahs ; but this does not prove that wood-carving

W - was ever a local industry . ood carvers are freer agents than most

members of the community and will go far afield to get work. A great

‘ deal of the carving found in the Southern districts was done by m e n

n c en tr e s o f Ro hilkh a nd imported from the carvi g the North, and the would still be capable of maintaining this tradition if the old ta ste in

- house decoration revived . MEE " D I I I R T V S O N .

Reference has alrea dy been made to the many s hortcomings of the

a n n th e best known class of Sah ra pur carvi g , namely, cheap articles of

an - - t t o . fretted wood, such as are sold on railway sta ion platf rms The industry possesses small claim to the title of “ carving ” and has few

n W n - I dian characteristics . hat carvi g there is on trays , screen borders,

c is . & . , poor and superficial and of nondescript design In fact, the t m indus ry is quite odern, having sprung up in the last generation the

chief cause of its prosperity being the fact that it provides tou rists with

convenient and portable mementos . The articles in question will have to fetch higher prices before the expenditure of more time and trouble i n their manufacture will be profitable .

The same kar hhan a s which turn out these articles for the gener al market are also capable of doing really artistic and delicate work for a customer who will pay a ‘ high price and take some trou ble over the

details of his purchase .

-finish ed tishhhdn a s Graceful and well a , screens, and tables from

- shisha m Saharanpur are a feature of many drawing rooms . Both and ’ li ff tvn d , lend themselves to minute and intricate j work and , the e ect

i s greatly enhanced by the natural beauty of the polished wood.

l b e However, even in the best class of work there is ittle that can

m l fl r e ated c ca r v . o alled g A superficia , pattern embellishes the narrow

‘ v in’ strips of surface which are of necessity left unfretted, and e en this,

tan d e the a the case of the softer wood, is on largely by aid of leaf

u shaped p nch . Mo n ra h on o d a 1 6 og p W o C r vi iz g .

The thi n panels of are s awn fr om a plank previously fretted

s e cf a - by ma chine . In thi way one passag the m chine fret s a w is actually

’ fi ve a li a t e e doing or six panels of j work onc . Th perfect symmetry which r esults from these ingenious methods is st riking and effective; though hardly a triumph of art

The work of the fret -saw is finally touched up wi th a chisel in order

“ ” e - ff c th e c v e to remove the machin made e e t, and ar ing is th n complete .

’ A pho tograph of a typical Saharanpur kar kha n a will be found in the

‘

e . e i o f a a n k ar e App ndix Sp c mens Sah r npur i laid wor , referred to later, include d in the picture .

Formerly Saharanpur wa s renow ned for the e xcellence of its carved

h u k t i h m c a a s s h s a o . e e the m is tr is of wo d Thes wer work of Hindu ,

s th e m dli r e e th e s Mu s wherea odern j t ade is ntir ly in hand of hammadan .

- u o - r v e e The Hind wo d ca ers have fallen on evil tim s , and the struggl - e against adv erse conditions has greatly decreased their numbers . Privat

‘ a r e orders still provide work for the few who remain . Three of them

‘ at present engaged in carvin g a door which pr omises to b e equal to th e

‘ l n o s a t b e st w or k ever done here . A picture the Appendix sh w them

' h their work in the verandah of the Saharanpur Town Hall . T e

‘ ‘ o o a D elhi Exhib itio n e the do r is g ing on lo n to the , and thenc to

' ckn Mu s u m T e n O d Lu o w e . hos who know the Indian I stitute , xfor , may remember a splendidly -carved door o f s hi sha m wood which adorned

‘ the - a a a n Persian lecture room ; and this, too, was carved in S h r pur

e n a C t a and was , s nt to England , after gaini g medal at the alcu t

Exhibition .

A few years ago t h e d u dhi carving of Saharanpur was well -known a nd . no extensively p atronized This industry is w pr actically extinct.

A few - s — n i plaques “ salvers, and picture frame all carved with the a g nr

cl - — o n h o h or v i leaf pattern f are still sale . T e trade des er ves n ne j encouragement .

he cit a s ot m T h m nu of. y n , y. of) Sa ranpur it elf does contain any o ments

' good architectural carving: A pho t o g r a ph of t h e finest piece of car ving: Mon o r a h o n Wo od Ca n g p r v i g . 1 7

in a d n . cha u ka t the baza r is reproduce in the Appe dix It is an old ,

s a two kiw dr s dly disfigured by the unsightly inserted at a later date .

"u ite apart from the inference to be drawn from the presence of G n t he or a esh in lintel , the do is obviously of Hindu workmanship . Th e portrayal of human forms in the ba i tha ks is sufficient evidence of this

M amm a i fl en mehr' b but uh ad n n u ce is also clearly traceable in the a , in ei t the flat r l ef of the carving, and in the symme rical and, for the most “ a a r . p rt, floral n tu e of the design The excellence of the carving is more

’ a a in et of stain ba i tha k s a ol a pp rent the d ail , , and given separately in the

Appendix .

Pinjr a work is not uncommon in the windows and verandahs of the city. It is a kind of geometric lattice -work in which each piece of the wooden frame -work is held in place by a neat system of dowelling and

without the aid of glue . This class of work is more common in the r i n ' Panjab than iri thes e Provinces . No pi jr a work is done in Saha ranpur now, the existing specimens all being at least thirty years old .

O e e the s M f oth r plac s in ame division , eerut itself is remarkable

the v d z for number of car ed oors to be found in the ba aar and elsewhere .

O o s nly the lder pecimens contain workmanship of any merit. The

‘ d m for car ved do or s x - e and still e ists, but in the case of wood carving the of h 1 2 t e . excellence work is strictly proportionate to the price , and Rs

‘ Rs 25 S to . eems to be the highest price people are willing to give .

’ The result is that the bazaar and the carpe nters yards are full of cheap

ve cha u ka ts e of - car d , n arly all one uniform and roughly executed design ,

a nd t . all construc ed of badly joined, unseasoned beams A large propor

’ tion of these commonplace cha u ka ts are made by village ba r ka z s and

u bought p by city contractors .

ve a - As a rule e ry form of Indi n art, including wood carving, is extensively represented at the Na u cha ndi Fair held at the end o f the

écild b ff u r estr ic weath er. Pro ably owing to the deterrent e ect of plag e tions the fair of 1 9 02 did not attract artisans from so wide a n area a s ‘ M n r a on 1 8 o og ph Wo od Ca r vi ng .

usual and was more local in character . There was no lack of brass and silver ware ; but the presence of plague in the Panjab had a marked

” - “ effect on the wood carving booths . The carv ing of Nagina w as well represented ; b ut the annual prize was allotted to an easel carved in

mis tr i shisha m by a Shikarpur .

a r l e s In Shik rpur and Bulandshah a struggling industry sti l xist ,

v i though the demand is fast approaching anish ng point. Thirty years ago the o utlook was almost as gloomy as at present but by sympathetic — C t — t treatment Mr . Growse then ollec or of Bulandshahr brought abou

o -car vm an astonishing revival , and twenty years ago Bulandshahr wo d g was a notable feature of most art exhibitions . After his departure ff decadence again set in, and the e ects of the impulse imported to local ff industry by his e orts have almost entirely died away. Richly carved w M doors, ornamented with the brass wire kno n as ainpuri work, adorn the Club and Town Hall and are the most striking memento of

’

r . Gr o w s e s M work .

v - v Aligarh is not, and ne er can have been, a centre of wood car ing .

A less pretentious bazaar it is impossible to imagine . Any unusual

- — extravagance expresses itself in the form of stone carving a natural ff M O e ect of the proximity of uttra and Agra. ut in the district,

h a s m tr however, English patronage developed a school of is is whose work is marked by pure design and admirable execution . Their speciality

v e is car ed mantelpieces, and ther is at least one specimen in Aligarh ff which would not su er from comparison with the best Indian carving.

It is of a well -finish e d native design which harmonises well with the h h m massive arch of dark s is a wood . The uncertain tenure on which most Europeans hold their bunga

s lows , renders the erection of such mantelpiece a somewhat risky investment ; but if Government is really anxious to save the wood carving craft from extinction , the introduction of carved mantelpieces

- f into circuit houses , messes , o ficial residences, and public buildings would b e a step in the right direction , especially as the required form need M no h o n o od a r o g r a p W C vi ng . 1 9

’ mis tr is v hi s a id a u not clash with the prejudice in fa our of g , and wo ld lend itself to the manifold traditional designs which from time imme morial have embellished the rectangular lintel and the carved mehr db of

ha u ka t the c .

The La ndour bazaar pos sesses a reputation for wood-carving to which

' ha wked i it has small claim . The articles displayed in the shops and n the verandahs of Mussoorie hotels are not of local manufacture, but are

a u i a u a m iscellaneous assortment from Sah ranp r , Nag na, Hoshi rp r,

J uHundun

- The same is true of Naini Ta". There is no local wood carving a industry, the Pah ris confining themselves to plain carpentry . Every s f - a eason brings an in lux of wood carvers or their agents from the Panj b,

K s . ashmir, and other part Side by side with the inlay work of Hoshiarpur will be found the ebony caskets of Nagina and the frette d tdn of Saharanpur . Practically no work is done on the spot. A stock of articles is take n up at the opening of the season and replenished as occasion requires .

O H ILKH A D I I I R ND V S O N .

- i a n In this division , as far as wood carving is concerned, Nag na is

—“ . O c oa sis in the desert ne Colle tor of great experience writes A. more inartistic people than the Ro hilkhandi I never came across . In their brass -work alone do they show any remnant of the artistic s ense .

M - Art in oradabad is a monopoly of the brass workers, and Bareilly confines itself to the manufacture of a species of lacquered

v o f furniture , the distincti e feature which is a decorative laid on so as to represent metallic foliage or tracery on a black or white gro und.

- Pilibhit is no longer a home of wood carving, and its carpenters have found a profitable substitute in the building of r okl a s or light

v e bullock wagons, and by their enterprise ha e established a considerabl

export trade . n a a r 20 Mo ogr ph o n Wo od C vi ng .

Mention has already been made of Pilibhi t bazaar as a standing

‘ example of the present decadent tendencies . The iron verandahs and variegated stone -work of the new-fashioned mansions mingle with the

finel - O y carved doors and balconies of the older houses . ne is compelled

’ t o V to admit hat, fr m the point of iew of durability , the modern fashion

u - has the advantage. The bea ties of wood carving exposed to the

r - weathe are short lived, and the unremitting energy of the whit ea nt

' e nsur es that the Wo o W -i d itself does not long outlast the carving. ood d carving, if it is to be appreciated by posterity, must be confine to those

‘ parts of a building where it receives some sort of protection. A carved door or window can always b e so placed as to be safeguarded against the effects of exposure .

‘ J u d in f r o m a - g g the appear nce of the bazaar , wood carving must have

‘ hi s v had a gl oribu s past in Pilib t. It is aid to ha e been introduced in

, ’ 1 6 4 b afi z m K a “ - 7 y H Rah at h n , who summoned a skilful stone cutter from

‘ ‘ D elhi to direct the ornamentation of the J uma Masjid then under

h e construction . In the ands of his pupils the art was ext nded to wood ,

shisha m n a primary cause being the natural abundance of wood . O v o ' rapid de el pment ensued rapid decadence, and this has been so complete that to -day there is not o ne carpenter in the bazaar who plies the craft

- of wood carving . The fame of Nagina ebony -work has gone out beyond these

- s - Provinces . The familiar pen boxes, alvers, and walking sticks are to

w i - be met ith all over India, and on two occasions Nag na wood carvers have figured personally in Exhibitions held in .

In one of the Annual Statistical Reports it is stated that the industry

‘ began to develope about two centuries ago, and owed much of its i progress to a native of Multan who settled in Nag na . This may or

e e may not be tru but c rtainly there is no local record of the fact, nor i s there any tradition in the bazaar going back even one century .

- m d u k n ddr s Native like, the nu erous a invariably assign to. their respect ive grandfathers the honour of having founded the industry .

2 n r a o od a r n 2 Mo og ph o n W C vi g .

C agents from entral India. Considerable discretion is needed in the

f - selection of timber as laws are not uncommon, and heavy loss is incurred if they pass undetected . To the unpractised eye all the logs appear much alike .

hdr khdn a ddr s i M ; There are five or six big at Nag na, all uhammadans

i s n There is no combination among them , and competition very kee .

They objected to the suggestion that a photograph should be ta ken of a joint collection of their best carvings, on the ground that they never showed each other their wares . The fret-work machine h a s found its way to Nagina i but happily th e - wood carvers are themselves prejudiced against its use , and do all dli their best j work by hand . The machine is used for turning out the

- i cheaper class of goods hawked on railway stat ons .

- In screens, panels, and book covers the carving is often combined with an inlay of silver or ivory, which acts as an admirable foil to the darkness of the wood .

C K W D I VI S I L" N O ON . Apart from some fine specimens of wood-carving in the Industrial Museum and a few old doors in the city temples,Lucknow possesses little interest as far as the present subject is concerned . It is evident from the royal palaces that the taste of the old Na wab s

- did not incline towards wood carving , and the craft must have languished

’ rapidly after the arrival of the court from Fyzabad . There are one or two carpenters capable of doing fine work, and their skill is at present being employed to good purpose on the panels of the staircase and the

Council Room ceiling in the new Court o f the J udicial Commissioner .

The finely-carved screens in the Chhatar Man zil are of Panjab workmanship . In this division Sitapur is the only other district which deserves

n r notice . Carved doors are commo ly met with, and there is still a fai demand at low prices . The carving is mostly of simple floral design

u v and not remarkable for delicacy or finish . The wood sed is in ariably r n - d r i 23 Monog a ph o Woo Ca v ng .

s dl imported either from the Kheri forests or Nepal . It is not a h t as v n andsome imber, either regards colour or eini g , and it is probably for this reason that carved cho w/ca ts of s dl wood are almost always i ff stained black to resemble ebony . To obtain th s e ect fine soot scraped fr om tdw a s cha dtis - , in which p are cooked, is mixed with mustard oil

h k t c a u a . and rubbed into the This process , assisted by subsequent

- applications of plain oil , eventuallyproduces a jet black surface .

B FY"A A D D I VI S I O N . It would appear that the Nawabs of Oudh were greater patrons of

d- - e woo carving in the pre Lucknow days , befor the court was shifted d . from Fyzaba Be that as it may, the Fyzabad district as a whole , certainly possesses a greater proportional share of architectural carvings i ( f O . m than the present udh The Royal Fish , the emblem ( a hi mu r a tib) conferred by the Mughal Emperors on the flower of their O nobility , and maintained by the House of udh as the crest of royal independence, constantly recurs in the designs , and bears witness to the

a n good relations that subsisted between the court and the rtisa s .

- The wood ca r vmg industryhas long since languished in Fyz abad ; but there are still a fe w mistr is in the district who can do good work when occasion demands .

Th e tha a a pp carving of T nda is of special interest, and is referred to later .

Bahraich is interesting on account of some carvings in s dl wood S a D i found in the Syed, al r argah shr ne , and reputed to be several e hundred y ars old . Nowadays the Bahraich carpenters do not practise

b u t the art of carving ; some workmen, who were imported from the a Panj b and work in private employ, have earned a wide reputation for their skill .

E D IVI S I B EN A R S ON . The only carving of note to be found in Benares itself is the a Nepalese work in the temples . Nep lese carving possesses many of

c i . u the familiar haracterist cs of Burmese work It is ragged in o tline, 24 Mo n og r a ph on Wood Ca r vi ng b

grotesque and extravagant in design . The temple carvings at Benares — show more ability in workmanship than good taste, being where figures — i fl i are introduced ch e y representations of indelicate subjects . Th s characteristic is said to be due to the strange Nepalese superstition that

ff n carvings of this nature a ord protection against light ing . The lathe— not the chisel—is responsible for the lacquered toys and M ornaments of Benares . A similar trade exists in the irzapur district,

- which is also noted for stone carving .

- i s b r As regards wood carving the whole division practically ar en .

A GRA D I VI S I ON .

M - Agra and uttra, though justly renowned for stone carving,

- contain no sign nor remnant of a local wood carving industry .

In the Etah district there is a small community of ba r ha i s who call

the a neo themselves Brahmans and wear j . Their headquarters are at

Ma r e hr a - shisha m S i ms , and there they make simple fret work articles of , , and tdn w o o di J e w el -boxes with secret drawers and pen -boxes carved

r out of solid blocks of wood are local specialities, and some of the bette class of work is decorated with ivory inlay .

M u Greater interest attaches to Farrukhabad and ainp ri . Fifty years ago Farrukhabad must have numbered a flourishing

M n - v guild of uhammada wood car ers among its inhabitants, as the bazaar contains many carved v erandahs and balconies of pure moresque

. n e t design These relics of bygo e days, wh n o her tastes prevailed , are for the most part in a v ery dilapidated condition ; and although many features of the modern city mansion are objectionable on aesthetic grounds, it would nevertheless be a matter of surprise if the builder of

- - n to day did not take such striking object lessons to heart, and e deavour to confer on domestic architecture the hitherto unrecognised merit of durability.

- t The old guild of wood carvers is now extinct, and the carpen ers — — of th e place themselves incapable of carving a oha u ka t c onfine the education of their children to m ota kdm . Mon r a h o n W o d Ca r vi n og p o g.

B d r ik kdm in Farrukhab ad is limited to a few Hindu b a r ha is who

v k fo r - a car e bloc s the cloth printers , and to a few Panj bis who have

’ fo s o ll b e r ecently been imported r a s imilar purpose . Thi class of w rk Wi discussed separately .

' One Hindu workman b el o ng ing t o an old local family of b a r b a is

sh u n D a s finds reg ular work in the private employ of S r i Ki . There is a four -leaved shisham-wood screen of his workmanship which for

of e r ichness design and delicacy of execution could not be excell d .

w du x This screen , a photograph of hich is repro ced in the Appendi ,

o D n is being sent n loan to the elhi E xhibition . The desig is a n

ff the a d e ective compromise between Hindu n Muhammadan styles . l r dli The centra panels are filled with perfo ated diapers of j work, and

a is ur u a u flo r e a t d t each main le f s ro nded by r nning e pa tern in which ,

u i e s u u at reg lar nt rval , occ r the best known and most popular fig res

W -x of the great epics . ithin each of the perforated buds which sur m u h a s o nt the upper edges of the screen , the workman cunningly — h m n i a tou r d e or ce fashioned a u a l keness , f which the photograph

fails to .

‘ It is to be hoped that those of our tourist visitors who see the screen at D elhi will mark the gulf which lies between the best Indian — — wood carving and the commonplace tdn work bet ween the work which

takes years of inherited skill to perfect a nd the machine - made trash

hawked on railway platforms .

W hereas the architectural wood -work of Farrukhabad is strictly

Muhammadan , both in execution and design , the carved doors of

Mainpuri are more typically Hindu than any similar work in the United

t e o the Provinces . It is strange that h extreme examples f two

divergent influences should be found in adjacent districts . The explana d tion pr obably lies in the fact that the Mainpuri artisans are escended

f a ta a n from a family of craftsmen who originally migrated rom R jpu na, d

that they have clung to their traditions more tenaciously than the

ba rha i s neighbouring Hindu . 26 Mo n og r a ph o n Wo od Ca r vi ng .

a W - o f M If all Indi n ood carving were like that ainpuri , Sir George

’ B ir dw o o d s remarks on the universal religious significance of the carved

- wood work on Indian houses would be literally true .

cha u ha ts M The carved of ainpuri , few as they are , contain the

- a figures of all the best known heroes of the Ramayana and Mahab hdr t a .

Ye t n o tw ith ‘ , through all this bold expression of Hindu feeling , and M standing the Hindu trabeated arch , the working of uhammadan

1 s influence is clearly apparent. There not a trace of the riotous

- profusion nor of the deep under cutting which marks pure Hindu work . r The design is cold and symmetrical . Each figu e is excluded from the

n the general ornamentation by a recta gular frame , and panels of the door way are filled in with Muhamma dan geometric designs .

Nowadays there is n o wood -carving done in Mainpuri except in connection with the tdr ka shi work described below .

I CHAPTER VI .

" MIS CELLANEO S . N account of the wood -c arving of the United Provinces would

v be incomplete without some mention of Burmese car ing . A

B u r m e se c a r v i n g stranger might ha ve some difli c u lty in accounti ng for its abundance in the houses of Europeans . The industry is of

o f course not indigenous , being circumscribed by the limits the central jails . A great number of Burmese prisoners were allotted to thes e

o i Provinces after the cl se of the Burmese war, and their sk ll in wood

e O carving has b en turned to good account . f late years their numbers

i have greatly decrea sed and the quality of the work has rapidly

s o o f deteriorated , so much that good work this kind is n o t now

- . of obtainable These jail carvings, mostly in the form screens, chairs,

u - m pict re frames, and over antels, show all the characteristics of Burmese

v - n art, being extra agant in desig n and marked by bold under cutti g .

h a s a d ff This transplanted craft h no e ect on indigenous industry .

Here there is no danger of re action . The once u ntrammelled imagination n h d - Mo og r a p o n Wo o Cd r vi ng .

o f the Hindu artisan is effectually curbed by the stern principles of

Muhammadan art .

C n t in the n loth printi g is a considerable indus ry Provinces , amo g

f kha ba n w the chie centres being Farru d, Luck o , and

T h a ppa c a r v i ng .

Tdn da in the Fyzabad district .

There is a distinct class . o f carpenters who earn their living by

- a i i s a d zha supplying the cloth pr int e r s ( chh p s) with the nece s ry ies ( pp a s ) .

s hi sha m m These dies are made of , ango , and ebony and are often of

the chhi delicate and skilful workmanship . The designs are given by pis

- s s the to the die cutter , and the latter , after chalking the urface of blocks , reproduce the designs by marks made with an iron pen . The pattern

die a cu tte r is then chiselled into relief. The escapes one of the main difficulties of ordinary wood -carving through being able to neglect his

v background , provided he lea es the pattern standing out clearly .

M u oreover , it must be remembered that the sual intricate pattern of a given space is not carved entirely on a single block . A separate block is used for the application of each co lour : a single block contains only a portion of the design .

- u t h e ou The remuneration of die cutters is reg late d by class of die t .

Mr In discussing the Lucknow industry . Hoey gives the following figures

1 . B el hds hi a fo r flo wer e or ers s o c ut t a t it can b e g d b d , h

l 4 as u se o nt n u u . e r ie d c i o s y p d .

B e b u ti s n l e flo we r s m r esse b o n e sta m o f 2. l ( i g i p d y p the die)

3 . B el ha a z i flo w er e d st r es u se to r n t i n l o n a on a l , ip d p i g di g

r tr n e r e l al s o u be use co n t n u ou sl 8 t 1 2 a s . e r o a sv s n e s : c t to o die . i d i y, p

4 . Ta r i r l e tte r s a n d u ota t o ns a l so ctu r es a n d h ( q i , pi

fi u res r e u f s uc cess e es Rs 2 to Rs . er r n u se o . 4 g , q i i g iv di ) p

f e se t o di s .

e tai l h r a h a The foll o wi ng d s o f t e Tand a t d e a re su ppl ie d by t e T hsi ldér .

Thappa s c o st fr o m two a nnas to five r up ees Rs . 3 . p .

K a n 1 s 1 3 0 1 . ai u n g a (co nt in i g 8 flo wer s) co ts 28 Mo n o r a o g ph n Wo o d Ca r v i ng .

Gu lk t 2. a

3 S i a Ka r w a Ga l /ea t . h

K a tr i a r d ed d r 4 . h P

t i . Pa tti Ar i

7 Ekka B ela i a . h 8 J h d r 1 0 O n f r th e o f r. The blocks are all recta gula in orm , and with exception jha

i b tw o wh ch always measures nine inches by five, they vary from three y to six by four .

A skilled die - cutter earns about eight annas a day; The S a dh s in

a o die - o f Farrukhab d empl y very few cutters, most their blocks being

’ f w in imported from Lucknow . A e H du carpenters earn their living

tha a n a ta r hha n s e by pp carvi g, and recently some Panj bi hav been

e introduc d . The Farrukhabad cloth printers have lately taken to th e

e i m a e th e use of brass di s , and this innovat on y eventually l ad to e xtinction of the old craft .

ar e e - r n Both European and native designs us d in cloth p inti g , and

a e they are easily distinguished . The development of the T nda trad

du s was largely e to English upervision . In the eighteenth century

’ Mr ka r khdna s b a . Scott maintained a large , and he was ucceeded y

O J h . . w o e Messrs rr and ohannes , both h lped to improve the designs

O . r , M . rr especially was a great reformer He is said to have been a

“ e n of O paymaster in the British s rvice , and the ame Bakshi rr is still

H 1 8 e . e 3 2 a remembered died in , a rich m n and the owner of a larg

mansion .

Inlay work is one of th e chief Muhammadan arts . It was intro

du ce d M a into India through the ughals , and the inl y

I n l a y w o r k . work of A g ra h a s its European parallel in th e

Moorish Alhambra .

The The art is not e xtensively practised in these Provinces . pi chha kd r i work of Nagina is only su bsidiary to the ordinary ebo ny carving b ut there is a constant outturn of ka l a mddns and screens inlaid

W od a 8 0 Monogr aph 0a o C r vi ng.

a rt st i h is c a e of a n s f so rea i to the indu ry, wh c ap bl dapti g it el d ly t European marke .

The first part o f the pro ce ss of tdr ka shi cons ists of dr awing the

l -se n hi ha i n s are en ee l design in pe ncil on wel aso ed s s m. The l e th d py

i k fe o s is r and eaten ncised with a sharp ni , and int this bra s wire d a wn b

f of the an ir n he down level with the sur ace wood with o hammer . T

r e and a our A la te t lve nc es process req uires conside able tim l b . p of we i h

oc a n da s The st w o men diameter will cupy a workm n for twe ty y . be rk

t Rs . 20 er m h sem and the other f om Rs . 1 0 to make a profi of p e , r

Rs . 1 5 .

The dots tha t diver sify the des ign and soon run up to thousands

s s a e are i ut co s of ire sted in a space of only a few inche qu r , m n e il w twi

a e d up on the point of n e le.

e n s h r e es ar e re u r ed for t s s rt o wor Nimbl fi ger and s a p y q i hi o f k,

’ and it is u sually done by boys who sit by their father s side and

o x e manipulate the tiny circles of wire with marvell u s de t r ity.

ki tdr ka shi hard a s in the sc e of this Strictly spea ng, ly f ll with op

’ b t d a o - a v s art and oes hand i n monograph ; u it is istinctly w od c r er , g g

- ha o d ca vi . e a and the carv of a r cket nd with w o r ng The wir inl y , ing b a

or : fr ame are usuall y the work of one pa ir of hands : i n fac t the Mainpuri

- - e wir e dr awers are among the best wood car vers in Northern India . Th y are responsible for all the carved doo rs in Mainpuri ; and in B ulandsha hr Town Hall and Lucknow Museum their skill is represented by doors

in carvin a nd tdr ka shi ar e u l o i . which g , skilf l y c mb ned

The chief patterns employed by tdr ka ehi worker s ar e based on

- a " lines, which has a great f scination for all Indian art workers .

No at is e co da r is a r a sh of all k n s p tern mor mmon in and f i d , f and e f v e o - h it is a gr at a ourit among cl th printers . It as alrea dy b een mentioned as oc cur ring frequ ently in cha u ka t carving ; and an example of it oc cu rs in the panel leaning against the corner of the jamb in the k it

h e of the i u e . ak n in the ver a a Sahar an ur To n a l and sid p ct r t e nd h, p w H l . Mo nogr aph. on Woo d. 8 1

It would b e difficult to say defini te ly whether this pa ttern is of

Hindu or Muhammadan origin ; b u t the apparent co nnection with . the

umb a or do me wh h ver c ar b r ou ht e ut in the m e . intr ca e g a , ic is y le ly g or i t

var iati ns ou indi a e the at er as the mor e . ro b a e. o , w ld c t l t p bl

CHAPTER. VIII .

Concnusron;

‘ F e ars the an ft who fo r all : the marve ous t ssues O lat ye h dicra smen, ll i and e r d ha t ve uted no ri vers mb oi ery they ve brough ha poll ,

de o m d no r os ect s nor o so ed u ' e o e s and f r e pleasing p p , p i n a y ir ; wh s kill 5 ‘ individuality the tr aining of co untles s generations has dev eloped to the hi ghest perfection ; these hereditary handicraftsmen are b e in g “ every

where gather ed from their democ ratic village communities in to c olossal

il s in n a u fac r ce - o s in the rodu m l , to drudge ga gs at m n tu ing pie go d , p c are no more intell ectually and mor all y ' concer ned ” than the grinder of a barrel-o rga n in the tunes tu rned out fr om ~ it

(Sir George Birdwood).

‘ It rema ins to , b e se en whether the co mbined force of all the destru o tive influ ences now at work will eventually prove fatal to the indigenous

arts of Indi a. That Government is alive to their evil plight is evident fr om the ea g erness with which it greets every scheme calcul ated to a rr est the

d i . x t s Mu eu s o f u u a S o A rt ecl ne E hibi ion , s m Ind stry, Ind stri l cho ls, — Magazines all bear witness to a practical sympathy which meets with

e s cant r sponse . The failure of these s chemes is no doubt largely du e to the fact

- that they aim at affecting supply and do not encourage demand.

A mong the mea sures adopted with a view to bringing . ab out a

- . i revival in the art of wo od carv ing was the esta blishment of a spe c al

' ho ve at C . A w class the Thomason ollege, Roorkee mong those ha taken

ou s and r ce v d the ce a e o i c re is one the c r e e i e rtific t of pr fic en y, the not “ 32 Mo nogr aph o n Wo od Ca r vi ng . recorded insta nce of a man who took up wood-carving as a means of t livelihood af er leaving Roorkee .

v r u Apart from the economic point of iew, it appea s q estionable whether Industrial Schools are really adapted to effect the purpose for w i — kee l n h ch they are established, whether they are not out of p g with i the tradit ons of Indian art.

Mr . v Growse evidently disappro ed of such institutions . If the

v students ha e no natural artistic faculty, an artificial semblance of it

n can be created ; but if they have it by birth , it runs a great risk of bei g

strangled and crushed For the revival of ar t in India it

is not schools that are required, but personal interest on the part

. di of the European community, ju cious patronage, and permanent ” employment.

“ We i in incur, says Sir George Birdwood, a great responsibil ty attempting to interfere in the direct art education of a people who

already possess the tradition of a system of decoration , founded on

perfect principles, which they have learned through centuries of “ practice to apply with u nerring trut

In other words, find the workmen a market and let them alone . If

v r t only impetus could be gi en to demand, indigenous a s would soon reappear in all their ancient splendour . Where is thi s demand to come from " It is obvious tha t the fate of the Indi an arts lies in the hands of the wealthy natives of India .

v e v or Accordi ng as native taste is pure or per ers , nati e arts will wax wane .

- This is especially true in the case of wood carving . The conditions of European life out here are such that the collection of the more cumbrous kind of art treasures can be the hobby of only a privileged

O , m inority. wing to frequent transfer and occasional furlough the majority do not and cannot take furniture seriously.

mistr is Those few who hav e been able to retain in their compound,

v v e . ; , and ha e, encouraged them to work in their traditional style ha e don Mo n o r a h o n Wood a r g p C vi ng . 3 3

a service to the art of wood-ca rving which will b e appa rent when the day of revival comes . The Appendix contains a picture of a corner of W ’ Mr . . H Nelson right s compound in A llahabad where ga i ol a and

' i mis tm trad tion are respected, and where the is teaching hi s s o n as he

as himself w taught.

s But uch cases are rare . The real basis of all Indian art indus tries is s r a ises m a hci a ns the upport g iven by native and j . If their patronage

a v s c nnot be revi ed the doom of Indian arts is ealed.

- - ’ Ain i Akba r i A kb a r s M From the , written by great inister, we learn that the Mughal Emperors of D elhi maintained in their palaces skilled

n di A workme from every part of In a . kbar had in his se rvice a great

e a e a e numb r of rtists , in ord r th t th y might vie with e ach other in fame

” a nd e e b com eminent by their productions .

D r W A gloomy contrast to this is the picture drawn by . att,

D ire ctor o f the Exhibition of Indian Arts to be held in D elhi

is It not the Indian Princes alone who have false ideals, though

e a r e . th y most to blame, and do most harm perhaps The whole of

e India is running after false idols in art, and negl cting and ruining its —it splendid indigenous industries . Some day , will not be for another — a . century, it may not be for two , reaction will come The people of d l In ia wi l demand indigenous work , indigenous art ; and when that

a day arrives, if the decadence that is now t king place continues ,

Indian art, Indian thought and feeling , will be dead . It is dying now, and all we can hope to do is to keep it alive till the day of revival comes . “ The art of a country is evolved slowly from its religious and

b - national thought su ject to certain eternal laws , even though the early artists were ignorant of the existence of these laws , and must be evolved along the national lines. If it be not so evolved it will decay and die ,

’ and with it will perish the nation s power of expression and reproduction .

Indian art has ceased to advance along Indian lines . The whole nation

” is becoming one of futile copyists . d a r 3 4 Mo nog r aph o n Wo o C ving .

It is to be hoped that the D elhi Exhibition will achi eve its

“ v — educati e purpose, the education of the princes and potentates of

India . No satisfactory revival will take place until the indiscriminating craze for European fashions has been checked and native tas te has been ” - z r e Indiani ed .