Stone Carving

       Since centuries, stone has been the accepted medium for religious architecture and sculpture. The history of stone carving dates back to the Mauryan rule in Bihar. One of the superb stone structures of this period is the Lion Capital of Sarnath (2nd century BC), which is now the symbol of the Republic of India.

       The country abounds in palaces, temples, monuments and mansions built in stone - each a masterful creation of the bygone centuries. Some of the most exquisitely carved temples of India are the Khajuraho temples (Madhya Pradesh), the Sun Temple (Konark, Orissa) and Dilwara Jain Temples (Mount Abu, Rajasthan).

       The centres of worship and the historic sites of India are home of auspicious stoneware. The carved replicas of the shore temples and sculpted sandstone icons in varied sizes and postures is an attraction of Puri and Konark (Orissa). Tamil Nadu exhibits a great tradition in carving of granite and soapstone icons with classical excellence. The figures in marble are a speciality of Jaipur (Rajasthan).

       Ornamentation of stone forms imparts unmatched splendour, richness and delicacy to the craft. The most beautiful stone decoration is the marble inlay of Agra in which semi-precious and coloured stones are inset against the milky white surface of marble to form a multitude of mosaics and motifs. Some of the popular marble inlay items are wall plaques,artistic jewellery, trinket and powder boxes, trays, tableware like bowls, plate & glasses and furniture items like chairs, panels, table tops and settes with latticed backs and arms. A special item is the mini replica of the immortal Taj.

       Among stoneware, soapstone artifacts are highly renowned and beautiful. The stone, being soft and readily available in many places, is carved into a variety of decorative stoneware like elephant figures, boxes, bowls, ashtrays, vases, etc.

       Faith, Indians have traditionally believed, can breathe life into a stone. That’s precisely what the sculptors of the country have been doing for centuries by making exquisite stone icons and then setting them up in temples as ‘Almighty Gods’. The carving is helped materially by the flawless craftsmanship which makes these idols seem so divine that you can’t help but bow your head to them. But before you begin to think that stonecarving is the domain of Hindus alone, let us say that Muslim carvers have left their mark on every monument of note, starting with the Qutub Minar in Delhi to the Charminar in Hyderabad to the fabulous Taj Mahal in Agra.

        Some of our most beautiful monuments are forts, palaces and temples. Do make time for the finely carved marble Jain temples at Mount Abu and Ranakpur in Rajasthan; the sandstone Khajuraho temples in Madhya Pradesh and Arjuna’s Penance (the world’s largest bas-relief) in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. As for forts and palaces, try the Gwalior fort and Datia palace in Madhya Pradesh, the citadel of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan or Fatehpur Sikri (the city built by Mughal emperor Akbar) in Uttar Pradesh.
Stonecarving has traditionally been a part of architecture and this is underscored by such ancient texts on art and architecture as the Mayamatha and the Shilpashastra. These two books clearly lay out the desired measurements and techniques for sculpting, as well as requirements concerning the quality, colour, texture, maturity and – believe it or not – the gender of the stone. Gender? Did we say gender? You bet. The gender of a stone is determined by its tonal quality. For instance, stones that sound like the rustling of palm leaves are female. Make of that what you will!


       At one time, commissions to carve temples, palaces and forts were thrown around casually like small change. Unfortunately, all of that ended with the princely states. The days of forts and palaces are definitely behind us now, but temple-carving is still big business. Especially in South India. India has many busy hubs of temple tradition where every second thing is a stone and every first a carver. If you happen to be there, check out Puri in Orissa, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra district in Gujarat. Howeve, keeping in mind the lack of architectural work, most artisans have turned to carving idols, decoration pieces and household utensils like pestle and mortar, containers and bowls.

Rajasthan: Sandstone and marble
Tamil Nadu: Soapstone, grey stone and granite
Orissa:- Sandstone and granite.

Special Shopping Destinations:
Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Konark & Puri (Orissa),Jaipur (Rajasthan)