kashmiri walnut wood carving

HISTORY & EVOLUTION OF THE CRAFT

The wood carving craft came to Kashmir from CENTRAL ASIA (IRAN) 600-700 years ago it was the time when Saint Shah Hamadan [RA] came Kashmir to spread Islam.  During the period Zain-ul –Abidin “BUDSHAH” [1420- 1470]. This craft reached its excellence .Earlier carving was mainly done on the walls, doors and pillars of shrines, mosques and on the royal buildings. With the passage of time walnut artisans made walnut wood gifts for Kings and high profile personalities. This gave popularity to the craft and wood carving craft begin to become famous.

According to an artisan,  Mr. Kalwal sahib , a throne of walnut wood with carving was gifted to a high rank British official and craft began to became famous outside Kashmir.

 PROCESS

Raw Material

The raw material used are different types of wood like Walnut wood, Deodar and Kayur but mainly Walnut wood is used in wood carving craft The material used in walnut woodcarving is obtained from walnut tree locally known as Dhoon Kul in the kashmiri This wood is also considered very special as it is available only in Kashmir in India.

The wood used can be from the root or stem(trunk). According to an artisan Mr.Fayaz kalwal nowadays branches of walnut tree are also used due to shortage of raw material.

The wood is hard and durable, it’s close grain and even texture facilitates fine and detailed carving work.

The wood derived from root is almost black with the grain more pronounced than the wood from the trunk which lighter in color. Branches have the lightest color almost blond with no noticeable grain. It is actually the dark part of wood which is best for carving as it is strong. The value of the wood differs with the wood from the root being most expensive.

The tree, which is found only in Kashmir region (i.e. in India), is of four varieties; categorized on the basis of the fruit the tree bears namely;

·                     Khanak or wild walnut whose tree is diminutive in size

·                     Wantu or Vont Dun , the fruit has a hard shell

·                     Dunu

·                     Kakazi or Burzol which is considered to bear the best fruit with the lightest shell

Wantu, Dun and Khakazi are cultivated while the khanak is found in the wild.

The Walnut tree is cutted only if the tree stops giving fruit. Govt. permission is necessary for it.

The manufacturers bought wood from the private depots at Iddgah  HMT Zainakote. These logs of wood are sold at approximately Rupees six hundred to fifteen hundred per cubic feet and the quality of wood is always at the buyers’ risk and his experience of selection. The logs are then cut into planks of desired thickness with the help of machines. The saw mill locally as band saws and the process is locally known as laker chiren or simply as chirun. There is lot of wastage when the log is cut into usable raw material and the cost per cubic feet goes up. Width of logs starts from 1 foot to 6 feet.

 In the past cutting was done manually it is called “Arikashi”.

These planks are then put for natural seasoning for six months to three years depending on wood. Mr. Fayaz said autumn season is the best for seasoning. The first stage in seasoning is to keep the planks in an erect position so that the sap in the plank descends. 

   

 The wooden planks so obtained are then are piled along the edges one upon the other alternately almost in the manner of header and stretcher. The process is never carried out in the sun but always takes place in shade. The gap in between the different layers of the planks allows the passage of air, which helps in the seasoning process.

Regarding the raw material supply the artisians are not satisfied. Mr M. Ashraf, a wood carving manufacturer said the rates are fluctuating these days and there is corruption at many levels. Green gold furniture manufacturing unit owner Mr. Rashid told there are hindrances in getting raw material like permission process is hectic.

Manufacturing

I. carpenter

The seasoned wood is then sent to the

Carpenter who makes the required object from it, which may be a box, a piece of furniture like table, chair etc. The traditional tools that the carpenter uses in the manufacturing of various items are chisels of different tips saw (leter); planer (randha); measuring tape (phet gaz); L-angle for obtaining parallel, perpendicular lines (khari hat) and Wooden scale (khat chhal), tur etc.

The planks are cut in the required size and then it is planed with the help of planer this process is called “randh dun” made into uniform thickness of regular size. He also use template called Farma

From the carpenter who is generally referred to as furniture chan (furniture carpenter), the object is then passed onto the wood carver or the naqash.

II. Carving

  The various steps in carving are :

1.      Inscribing( laakhun): in this step a drawing of motifs is made on wood with the help of a pencil.

2.      Marking/Punching  (Dagun): it involves digging out the material according to pencil lines. It is done with the help of  chisels called dagi vaal and a mallet called thaap.

3. Zameen Kadun This involves deeper digging around the motif so as to obtain the required depth of the relief.

 4.Giving shape(guzar dun): This involves broader outlining of the inner intricacies within the motif. It gives the shape to the motifs.

5. Texture (Sumbh Kadun): sumbh is a nail like tool with teeth like structure.

Polishing

After carving the item undergoes finishing/polishing process. The person engaged with this work is called “Roshan Gaar”. Steps involved in this process are:

1.            The wood is smoothened with sand paper. The various sand papers used are No.60, No. 80, No. 100, No. 120. To give dark colour to the product a solution is coated to it. This solution is prepared by boiling walnut bark in water.

2.            The wood is then rubbed with a semi precious stone locally known as pullet fastened at the end of a specially crafted penholder (kalam). After the application of pullet wax polish (mansion) is applied with the help of cotton rags (khaddar) and left to dry 3 hrs to 24 hrs. In case of high relief work the polish is applied in between the inner intricacies by means of brush. The polish is applied in 5 to 6 coats