Handicafts of Uttarakhand

SOMETHING ABOUT IT

Garhwal was always considered a safe heaven for wanderers, adventurers, political sufferers, philosophical thinkers and nature lovers.

The masterpieces of the Garhwal School of Painting include the following :
- Illustrations of Ramayana (1780 AD)
- Celebrations of Balarama's birthday (1780 AD)
- Series of Raginis
- Shiva and Parvati
- Utkat Nayika
- Abhisarika Nayika
- Krishna painting the feet of Radha
- Radha looking into a mirror
- Varsha Vihar
- Kaliya Daman
- Illustrations of Gita Govinda

A rich collection of these paintings are displayed in the University Museum in Srinagar, Garhwal, along with many sculptures and finds from archaeological excavations.

Wood Carvings in Uttarakhand

Found in abundance in the hills, the crafts persons of Garhwal & Kumaon mastered the art of wood carving. The wood carving of Garhwal & Kumaon are famous for its simple and beautiful designs. In the past, houses were beautifully ornamented with carved wooden doors and it was considered to be a reflection of a man's status. The wealthier a person was, the bigger was the front wooden door and more complicated were the carved designs. Even today the wooden front doors of many houses of Garhwal are beautifully carved with floral designs, animals and fishes.

Ornamental wood carvings on front doors are known as Kholi in the local language. These beautifully ornamented doors and windows still attract art lovers. In Garhwal & Kumaon, the facade of the upper storeys of the dwelling units are usually made of wood, and often artistically carved. The traditional small window-aperture resembles pigeonholes, cut in wooden panals. Designs of creepers and floral forms based on lotus, pomegranates and grapes, images of humans, birds, animals and other sacred signs and emblems find expression in the wood carving on door panels, windows and ceilings. The motifs, ordinarily of the Gods or Goddesses, add to the richness of the carvings. The crafts persons also used to do specific latticework to fill in the open space of the windows in order to give a screen like effect.