What comes out of the wood(work)?
Sharmila Govande
My earliest memory of woodwork is that of my visits to our sutar* kaka who lived close to my father’s ancestral home. His workshop smelt of fresh sawdust filling up the room as he worked on his lathe machine to make wooden kitchen toys; we fondly called them ‘bhatukli’ in our local language. I was fascinated by his workshop – a small room in his house. His twinkling eyes and flashy smile peeping out from his sawdust covered face doubled my fascination for his work and I often spent hours watching him carve out toys and add colour to them.
Wood, along with stone, clay, and animal parts, is one of the first materials to be used by early humans. Barks of trees and leaves were used to create shelters to protect from rain, cold, and heat. The invention of stone tools marked significant progress in the ways in which wood was shaped.
Homes, offices, shops, factories – woodwork is an integral part of every structure we create. We have various work tools, furniture, toys, kitchenware, decorative artwork, and utility items made from wood. Right from a crib to a coffin – wood is a constant companion for all.
This project on carpentry and woodwork traces the evolution of this craft in India.
What is carpentry?
Carpentry is the craft and trade of working with wood to build structures and create objects. It is one of the oldest construction trades. In the past, the carpenter along with the mason was the principal building worker.1 However, with the increased use of metal and cement in the construction industry and with interior designing gaining popularity, the role of carpentry has shifted to producing doors, windows, furniture, and other interior accessories. The changing trends from use of natural wood to engineered wood, and the advent of computerized machines, tools, and equipment have changed the face of carpentry.
The art form of working with wood is known as woodwork. It includes crafting various products from wood – including toys, utility tools and products, kitchenware, and decorative items.
Wood carving is the art of fashioning or ornamenting objects of wood by cutting with a sharp handheld implement2. Wood carving is thereby a form of woodwork where one carves out various artwork and objects from a piece of wood.
Evolution of carpentry
The word ‘carpenter’ comes from the Latin word ‘Carpentum’ (meaning a chariot or carriage). Later it was called ‘carpentier’ in French and was used to describe someone who made things from wood.
The invention of stone tools in the hunter-gatherer period changed the way in which homes were built. Wood became an important building material. The shaping of wood improved with significant improvement in the shaping tools from the Stone Age to Bronze Age to Iron Age. Some of the oldest archaeological evidence of carpentry can be seen in the use of wood in water well casings excavated in Eastern Germany dating 7000 years in the early Neolithic Period.3
In the Indian context, the origin of carpentry can be traced back to the Vishwakarma community. Communities engaged in working with wood were known as sutradhar or sutar. According to legend, sutradhars are descendants of Maya the son of Vishwakarma, who Hindus believe is the divine engineer of the world. They engaged in making woodwork for chariots. Sutradhars were also known to be constructors of monuments, temples, palaces, and other structures.
Activity 1
Look around your home and make a list of products made from wood. Draw those products and observe the kind of wood used and think of what tools and machines were used – is the product handmade, or machine made, or a combination?
Where does the wood come from?
Teak, Sal, Shisham, Rosewood, Jackwood, Deodar, Satinwood, and Mahagony are the most commonly used woods in India. Junglewood from the rainforest trees is also used for railings, frames, windows, etc.
Teakwood – one of the most expensive woods is known for its strength and durability. Mostly used in making ships, building construction, and furniture, it is found in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Manipur.
Salwood – is primarily found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. Its tensile strength and durability make it a popular choice for making musical instruments and flooring.
Shisham (Indian Rosewood) – also called talior sisu in some regions, is found in Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha is used for making furniture and sports goods. It is strong, easily seasoned and looks good.
Jackwood – this easy to work with wood is found in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. It is used to make furniture, door panels, and musical instruments.
Deodar – found in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh was used to construct temples and for landscaping in the olden days. It is now used to make railway carriages, railway sleepers, packing boxes, and furniture.
Satinwood – is robust and durable and its glossy finish makes it very attractive. It is found in Central and Southern India. It is used to make decorative pieces and furniture.
Mahogany – stays durable underwater and takes up a deep colour after polishing. It is found in Bengal, Assam, and Kerala. It is used for construction of homes near water bodies. It can be sculpted easily and hence is used in wooden sculptures and decorative articles as well.
Activity 2
Which wood is found in abundance in the city you live in? Where does it come from? What is it used for? Make a map of India and show where different types of wood are located.
Woodcraft in India
Different types of woodcraft are famous in India. Himachal, Kashmir, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh in the North to Gujarat, Maharashtra in the west to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra in the south. The crafting techniques and artwork is different and unique to every state.
Sahranpur – The wooden city of India
About 200 kilometers outside Delhi, near the Shivalik Hills in Uttar Pradesh is Sahranpur, a city famous for its woodwork. Artists from Kashmir migrated generations ago in search of work. They set up their workshops in Saharanpur. These artisans worked with wood effortlessly to produce beautiful artifacts, carved furniture and other products required for a household. The artists specialize in carving and jigsaw cutting bringing more complexity in the design. Today, the city houses more than 10,000 artisan units employing more than 50,000 artisans creating magic from wood.
Sawantwadi and Channapatna – Toy cities of India
For the last three centuries, artists in Sawantwadi have been engaged in making wooden toys and other home utility products from mangowood. Sawantwadi is located in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra. The craft was traditionally done by the Chitari or Chitrakar community which migrated from Karwada and settled in Sawantwadi. The finished product is a result of three steps – cutting and shaping, colouring, and assembly. The vibrant colours used to paint the products make them attractive and desirable. During the earlier days, the artisans used colours extracted from vegetables and fruits, however now they prefer oil based paints.4
Channapattana located in Ramanagara district, Karnataka is about 60 kms from Bengaluru. It is known for its handmade lacquer wooden toys all over the world and hence popularly known as the “Toy-City” of Karnataka. The origin of these toys dates back to the period of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore. It is said that he invited artists from Persia to train local craftsmen in the art of making wooden toys. The artisans mostly use ivorywood to make these toys.
Activity 3
Are any other wooden toys famous? Find out more about different wooden toys made in India and research how they are made and from what kind of wood.
Visit a handicraft store. Take a look at all the wooden toys. Interview the store manager about where the toys come from and how they are made.
Changing trends in carpentry
‘Carpentry’ as a profession has undergone a massive transformation in the last 200 years. During the British rule, the demand for skilled carpenters increased. Artisans were hired and trained for the massive infrastructural development undertaken by the British. Artisans who earlier passed on their craft through generations were now being trained through technical schools and colleges. Machinery was introduced for cutting. There was a shift from the traditional method of passing on the skills from generation to generation to formal structured classroom learning, reading textbooks and learning to operate machines. A hierarchy was created among those who worked with machines and those who did so with hands – with a higher status accorded to those who could operate machines5.
Technological advancement has brought further changes in carpentry. From handheld tools to machines fuelled by steam energy to electrical energy and now machines controlled by computers have further diversified this skill form. Computerized numerical control machines measure with precision, reducing all measurement related faults. Laser cutters and Vinyl cutters have brought in a better finish to cutting wood.
In the earlier days, every product was made from solid wood. Solid wood has a long lifespan and can last for centuries. Technological advances brought in the plywood followed by engineered wood and now MDF and HDF boards. Medium-density fiberboards (MDF) and High-density fiberboards (HDF) are engineered panels that are made through a dry process that completely breaks down the particles of wood and reconstitutes them into a new panel using heat, pressure, and a binder.
In the current scenario, carpentry using ply, engineered wood and MDF and HDF is becoming more popular than the product crafted by traditional artisans who use solid wood. The population of traditional artisans is dwindling with the younger generation opting for new technology and the masses opting for mass produced goods made in mechanized factories.
Activity 4
Visit a carpentry workshop and observe all the tools and equipment and the different types of wood that are being used. Observe the way wood is cut, shaped and joined together to make different products. Write an essay on how learning carpentry skills could help you in your life.
Learning to be a carpenter
One can learn the traditional art of woodwork by becoming an apprentice with an artisan who has mastered the skill passed on through generations. This would mean staying with an artisan and learning the art from him through a learning by doing approach.
Alternatively, one can take admission in a technical institute teaching carpentry and learn through textbooks, classroom sessions, practical lessons and on-the-job training. Technical institutes offer certification which will help in securing a job in the industry. The ITIs (Indian Technical Institutes) are run either by the state or central government or function as private institutes.
Many hobby courses from basic to advanced level are being offered in many places today. Such courses may offer certification through the National Skill Development Corporation.
Many well-known NGOs working in the area of education and learning have started vocational training facilities for children. The New Education Policy2020 emphasizes the relevance of vocational education.
Lend A Hand India, an NGO focusing on making education more meaningful, relevant, and employment-oriented has played a key role in bringing vocational education to schools. Carpentry along with other core skills such as welding and fabrication, plumbing, electrical works, gardening and agriculture, food processing, health and nutrition is being taught in schools through the Multi Skill Foundation Course. Lend A Hand India’s Karigar School of Applied Learning based in Pune aims at taking skill education to masses from diverse backgrounds. Carpentry is one of the popular labs at Karigar. From a daylong workshop to longer immersive courses, all are taught here.
Activity 5
Research and find out about a carpentry class in your neighbourhood or city. Attend their workshops to get hands-on experience in cutting, shaping, and joining wood.
Conclusion
In the current academic scenario – ‘learning by doing’ and honing skills relevant for our everyday living are missing. Carpentry plays a huge role in developing an understanding of geometry and mathematics through use of measurement, size, and balance. Basic carpentry skills are useful skills to have. It would enable any individual to do basic repair of furniture and wooden products. It would also help individuals to assemble a DIY furniture with ease. Woodcarving and silent carpentry is also a meditative and stress relieving activity and can be taken up as a hobby. Knowledge of carpentry would enable one to make conscious choices of whether to pursue this as a career option. It is rightly said, “Woodworking requires a completely different kind of thinking and problem-solving ability than writing. With writing, you take a set of facts and ideas, and you reason your way forward to a story that pulls them together. With woodworking, you start with an end product in mind, and reason your way backward to the raw wood.” ~ Joshua Foer
References
- https://www.britannica.com/technology/carpentry
- “Wood carving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood%20carving. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023
- http://altereagle.com/history-of-carpentry-prehistoric.html
- https://www.dsource.in/resource/wooden-toys-sawantwadi
- https://thewire.in/history/carpentry-in-colonial-india
*Sutar is the Marathi word for carpenter.
The author is an unschooling mom, parenting guide, and a social development professional. She currently is managing Lend A Hand India’s Karigar School of Applied Learning, Pune. She can be reached at sharmila.govande@lendahandindia.org.
