Today, woodwork from Saharanpur in India is famous the world over. The debt for this fame needs to be acknowledged to the 4000-odd years of heritage and history. Houses in ancient India bore alluringly carved door frames as a mark of respect and welcome to the guest. So rich and skilled was this wood work, that most guests – the Mughals and the British – were besotted by the craftsmanship and patronized the craft.
The ornate motifs on these doorways assimilated the varied cultural confluences and got translated into a range of artifacts like carved furniture, carved screen, napkin rings, jewelry boxes, candle stands, wall brackets, magazine holders, wall panels, mirror frames, coasters, photo frames, CD boxes, etc.
Traditionally, Shisham (Indian rosewood tree) was the preferred wood but today, just as designs have evolved to cater to an international palate, so has the choice of wood. Teak and rosewood lend themselves to sculpture while ebony is suitable for low-end relief work. Traditional techniques and designs of trellis patterns, lattice work and grape vine creepers, animals and Hindu mythological characters are classic designs but experimentation with geometrical patterns of inlay work has also found international appeal.
Bequeathed by the Mughals, wood inlay is done with bits of ivory, plastic, horn, brass or pieces of colored wood. Wood was perhaps the first medium for man’s creativity and each artifact from Saharanpur echoes a rich and resplendent past as it adds warmth and charm to any setting.