What is the essence of a Handmade Indian product?
So whenever the question arises as
to what are the utilities that a pair of hands could do – the simple answer to
it is “many a things”. And such pair of hands have upheld India’s stature on
the world level so high that ‘handicrafts’ sector technically forms the second
largest source of employment in here.
Carvings on Wood – Whitewood
The English common name Burflower
tree, popularly known as Kadamba is found primarily in South and Southeast
Asia. It is an evergreen, tropical tree and the flowers are used in perfumes.
It is the preferred wood for the carvers of India for two reasons. One, it is
soft in nature and has parallel grains which makes it easy to carve the wood
using hand tools and second, it’s considered auspicious according to the Indian
mythology.
Kadam Wood is commonly known as
whitewood. The Kadam tree is a beautiful fast growing large sized ornamental
and shade giving paramedical tree. A fully mature Kadam tree can reach up to
45m (148 ft.) in height. It is a large tree with broad crown and straight
cylindrical bole. It is quick growing with broad crown straight cylindrical
bole. It is quick growing with broad spreading branches and grows rapidly in
the first 6-8 years. The tree is grown as an ornamental plant and for timber
and paper making.
The Kadam Wood in India is used for
making Indian Handicrafts, decorative items like god, goddesses, elephant and
other home decor items. These products are also painted with gold and other
colours which enhance their beauty.
This is essentially an Ancient form
of craftwork which was initially practiced and produced on ivory and slowly and
steadily adapted to different kinds of woods as well. The community of Ivory carvers still known as “Hast
daant waale” from Rajasthan and Haryana have over the years evolved their craft
to carving on wood as well. The craftsmen create decorative artifacts,
jewellery and utility products like lamps, boxes, photo frames and pen stands
out of finely carved wood. These craftsmen generally work on sandalwood and the
less expensive Kadam wood. Sandalwood is softer to work on and hence, requires
slightly blunt tools as against sharper ones for the Kadam wood.
Religious Significance: –
Kadamba has its roots in the
Bhagwad Gita. In North India, it is associated with Krishna, whilst in the
South it is known as ‘Parvati’s Tree.’ Radha and Krishna are supposed to have
conducted their love play in the hospitable and sweet- scented shade of the
Kadamba tree.
Karam – Kadamba is a popular
harvest festival, celebrated on the eleventh lunar day of the month Bhadra. In
Theravada Buddhism, the Kadamba tree was where Sumedha Buddha achieved
enlightenment.
How a Kadamba feels: –
Once fully mature, a Kadamba reaches
up to 45 metres in height. A large tree with a broad crown, and straight
cylindrical bole, Kadamba is quick growing, with broad spreading branches. The
first 6-8 years are good for its rapid growth. The trunk has an average
diameter of 100 – 160 cms. The flowering of the tree starts once the tree
is 4-5 years old. They are sweet fragrant, red to orange in colour and
occur in dense globular head. It also bears fruit which are small, fleshy
capsules packed closely together to form a yellow orange infructescence.
#Arts#handicrafts#
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