Orissa Handicrafts
Wood Carving & Wood Painting
A special charm of Orissan Wood carvings is the blending of folk and classical
forms. Each motif retains its vibrancy and aesthetic appeal in a characteristic
breezy melody.
The wood carvers make a variety of decorative and utilitarian objects - toys
depicting birds and animals, real and mythical; boxes and bowls; images of gods
and goddesses; secular figures, and innumerable other pieces, fashioned from
wood and finished with smooth polish, gloss and shine.
World Carving and Painting of Orissa has both utilitarium and aesthetic aspects.
The wood carvers of Puri have been building for centures, the famous chariots
use in Lord Jagannath's annual car festival.
Made of light wood and painting over with arresting colours, the wooden masks
of Orissa draw on the themes from Ramayana and Mahabharat, and were earlier
used by roving actors to stage plays.
Each of them carries the imprint of their areas. For instance, the traditional
wooden toy makers of Puri and Bargarh possess a distinctly unique style. The
craftsmen from Khandapara, Puri make flower vases, jugs, bowls, sindur boxes,
etc.
Made with a creamy white wood available locally, the gloss and shine of these
articles make them singularly attractive. Their typical blending of utility
and ornate style severally enhance the value of thse wooden articles.
Whatever the occasion, intimate or formal, jovial or serious, these wooden articles
make for a cherished gift that will last many years, a reminder of a thoughtful
present.
