The art of wood
carving has been the pride of Nepal for many centuries. Woodwork has
been part of traditional architecture of Nepal and wood carvings
have graced monasteries, temples, palaces and residential homes
since the twelfth century, although the earliest surviving dated
temple decorated with wood carving. The legend says that,
Kasthamandapa was built out of a single timber. In fact, the history
of woodcarving in Nepal is older than that. There is no physical
evidence or any physical monuments but in many documentaries there
is mention of Licchavi period (300-879 AD) and woodwork in that
period. A Chinese traveler Wang Hsuan Tsang (643 AD), who has
described Licchavi kingdom in his travel log, has clearly mentioned
the beautiful woodcrafts, wood sculptures, and decorations used by
the Licchavis. While earlier woodcarvings have been described in
travelogues, samples have not survived the elements.
Wood has been
traditionally the main building material in the Valley and it was
only natural that the heavy wooden framework, which forms the
essential part of the structure, and the beams, struts, pillars and
entablatures, forming an ingenious system of load distribution and
roof support, should be used for ornamentation. Consequently, all
available surfaces of wood, including doors, windows, cornices,
brackets and lintels were beautifully shaped and formed and lavishly
carved in intricate patterns of geometrical, floral, human and
animal forms.
The techniques used
by the Newari craftsmen follow the prescriptions for wood carving
contained in medieval texts, which give exact and specialized
instructions for every aspect of craft. The execution of the
decorative work had to be very precise so that the countless tiny
component parts of a pattern fit perfectly, because no nails or glue
are used.
Woodcraft in Nepal
today is one of Nepal's best industries and is made up mostly of
family businesses that employ a small number of laborers to help in
the production of their work. These Silpakar and Kaisthakar families
enjoy a strong local and foreign market for their products. Most of
the woodcraft industry today is focused on providing local people
and tourists with collectible items such as picture frames and
miniature statuettes. Today, woodcarving of Nepal has reached all
over the world. Besides being the decorative of many individual
residences it has covered many main parts of architecture and
buildings known to the world.
The wood
used in carving are of Michelia chanpaka, Cedrus deodara, Gmelina
arborea, Adina cordifolia, Terminalia alata ), Shorea robusta,
Dalbergia latifolia, Dalbergia sissoo, Toona ciliata.
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