Stone Crafts

The fascination for stone has transcended all times and ages. Whether it is ornate inlay with onyx black marble or finely latticed soapstone, the appeal of the stone has been immutable. Both Hindu and Muslim rulers of India patronized this art. Nothing epitomizes best the ethos of Varanasi and Agra than their stone carvings. From intricate architectural masterpieces, perfectly chiselled stoneware to classy tabletops with inlay work, every item is a piece of exclusive artwork.

The artwork on stone is a combination of carving, inlaying engraving, sculpture and undercut (art of making multi layered decorative items out of one single piece of stone, hollowed from inside). Designs are made by cutting the stone and varying fine patterns on it. In fact, stonecutters and sculptors work hand in hand. The base material of work is marble, gorara soapstone and occasionally cuddapah. The choicest work from Agra can be seen in black and white marble from Rajasthan, or Alabaster of Italy, with semi precious materials such as Cornelian, Malachite, Lapis Lazuli, Mother of Pearl, Onyx Agate and Shazar laid into it. The famous inlay work of Agra reflects the mosaic work used in Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. At present, this work is limited and enjoys an exclusive foreign demand.

There are two categories of artisans- Sadakars and Pachikars. While basic cutting and carving aided by machines is done by skilled Sadakars, exclusive inlay work, requiring the expertise similar to cutting and polishing of jewellery stones using chisels and grinding stones is done by experienced Pachikars.

The inlay of colourful stones on marble and sandstone surfaces is characteristic of the Mughal period. Mosaic inlay work was however prevalent in India even before the arrival of the Mughals.

For the craftsmen in this trade the actual tools used remain much the same as those used in the Mughal period. A design, be it a floral or geometrical motif is cut out on a brass sheet. This is then placed on marble, drawn and then the marble is carved out. Slices of precious and semi-precious stones, which have in the meantime been shaped and polished, are then laid into the marble with adhesive. (The adhesive is a mixture of oil, lead oxide and wax made into white putty). After it has dried, the surface and edges are polished to give a shiny finish.

In the marble inlay work of Agra, floral, trellis, creeper and geometric patterns are carved on to the creamy-white marble surface, and semi precious stones set into it in the manner of damascene work. With the exit of the Mughals, the art of marble inlay work also started to decline. Today, apart from Florence in Italy, Agra is the only place in the world where any kind of marble inlay work is being done. There are around 3000-4000 marble inlay craftsmen in Agra. The marble inlay work can be found on large and small boxes, pill boxes, plates, table tops and small hangings inlaid with coloured stones.

The stone-carving tradition in India is one of the richest in the world. Guilds of masons and stone carvers have existed here since the 7th century B.C. The skills were handed down as family lore from father to son, a practise prevalent in some parts of the country even today. The classical tradition of stone carving was closely linked with architecture. All major temples of India illustrate the rich tradition of Indian stone carvings.

The geologically old land of Rajasthan, rich in different kinds of hard rocks like granites, marbles, quartzite, slates, and other metamorphic rocks, has been a stone-carver's paradise. Right from the medieval times, the ready availability of high-quality stone (the use of brick was almost unknown) made it easy for the Rajasthani builder to construct strong and beautiful forts, palaces, and temples. Apart from temple carvings, the stone carvers of Rajasthan are noted for their jali (latticework) carvings. Most ancient palatial buildings of Rajasthan sport jali work on their doors and windows. The jali screens are sculpted from both sandstone and marble. The capital city Jaipur is the centre of marble carving in Rajasthan. Here one can see artisans creating marble images of the as well as animal and human figures. Rajasthan continues to be one of major centres of stone carving in the country. The white Makrana marble (sange marmar) of Rajasthan has a great demand as a building and decorative stone.

Vessels for storage, bowls and simply ornamented single-wick lamps are some of the common stone products of Tamil Nadu. Orissa's popular stoneware articles include black stone bowls and plates, multi-coloured stone statuettes and delicate soapstone articles. Red sandstone is widely available in Rajasthan and it encourages the making of a host of everyday articles and ornamental stonework. Hundreds of artisans in Gujarat are engaged in the art of cutting and polishing semi-precious stones.

Jhansi in Bihar is known for its lampshades, incense stick stands and other products made out of a dark brown stone called sange-rathek. Midnapur in West Bengal is famous for its phyllite stoneware produced by the karga craftsmen. Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh is noted for its stone carving works carried out by the raidas community. Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh is famous for a number of small greenstone items like animals, boxes, trays, etc.

Wooden Elephant with decorations

Marble Hand Paintings