WALNUT WOOD CARVING

Production Clusters Walnut wood carving is an ornamental by a central motif alone. The advantage of this technique is that
Srinagar district : craft process that is virtually unique to it allows the grain of the wood to be displayed to maximum
Kashmir due to the concentration of advantage while exhibiting the carver`s skill. The craft was
Fateh Kadal initially restricted to the creation of elaborate palaces and
walnut trees (Junglas regia), locally
Channa Mohalla known as dun or akhrot, in this region. houses. Written records tell of Zain-ul-Abadin`s great razdani,
Urdu Bazaar The naqqash, master carver, first etches palace, and its elaborate wood carvings. To this date, several
Rajouri district the basic pattern on to the wood and then fine examples of intricately carved buildings, shrines and
removes the unwanted areas with the mausoleums survive in Kashmir - the shrines of Noor-ud-din-
Badgam district :
help of chisels and a wooden mallet so Wali at Charar-e-Sharif, the Naqshaband mosque and the
Shanker Pora shrine of Nund Rishi are just a few of them. Contemporary
that the design emerges from the lustrous
Kupwara district : walnut wood as an embossed surface. products, however include ladles, boxes, bowls, trays, sandals
Trehgam There are several varieties of carving and spinning wheels. Hand run lathes have been utilized to
Tanghdar technique that are utilized - deep carving speed the production process.
Jammu district : that is two inches or so deep and is
usually used for dragon and flower
Kanachak motifs; shallow carving, half inches deep
Kathua district : and done all over flat surfaces; open or
Mirth lattice work, usually depicting the chinar
motif; and the semi-carving technique Inset : A serving dish in the form of a chinar leaf.
Bernali
which renders a thin panel along the rim
Products of the surface which is ornamented
Ladles
Pharav - sandals
Yander - spinning
wheel
Boxes
Salad & nut bowls
Photo frames
Trays
Lamps
Coffee tables
Mirror frames
Furniture
Tools
Hammer
Chisels, Gouges
Wooden mallet
Emery paper
Saw

1 A panel ornamented with a repetitive floral motif.

1 Detail of the lid of a chest, patterned with the various floral motifs typical of
Kashmir.
2 Detail of floral pattern carved on a wooden panel.
3 Detail of an elaborately carved jungle scene.
4 A rendering of the dachh gurn, grape vine motif.
5 Dishes for several dry fruits, their forms inspired by the Kashmiri flora.
6,7,8 A box lid on which is juxtaposed foliage carved in both high and bas relief.
9 by a central motif alone. The advantage of this technique is that it allows the
grain of the wood to be displayed to maximum advantage while exhibiting the
carver`s skill. The craft was initially restricted to the creation of elaborate palaces
and houses. Written records tell of Zain-ul-Abadin`s great razdani, palace, and its
elaborate wood carvings. To this date, several fine examples of intricately carved
buildings, shrines and mausoleums survive in Kashmir - the shrines of Noor-ud-
din-Wali at Charar-e-Sharif, the Naqshaband mosque and the shrine of Nund Rishi
are just a few of them. Contemporary products, however include ladles, boxes,
bowls, trays, sandals and spinning wheels. Hand run lathes have been utilized to
speed the production process.