Sandalwood can be finely carved and has a beautiful scent. The most common carvings are of Hindu Gods. Hindu pilgrims might buy one of these figures as a souvenir when they have visited a shrine. Craftspeople carve blocks of wood by hand, spending years learning how to make the intricate designs. Sandalwood is also made into animal figures, boxes, cabinets, trays, chess sets and even walking sticks.
Sandalwood carvings
Sandalwood is also used for a variety of small carved articles, such as boxes, cabinet panels, jewel cases, combs, picture frames, fan handles, pen holders and card cases etc.
A large amount of craftwork is exported or sold to tourists. This provides an income for many people in India, who often form craft and trade co-operatives to support each other. Different regions in India have distinct styles of carving. For example, in Surat and Ahmadabad carved foliage tends to be large and deeply cut, while in Mysore the sprays are more delicate.
Sandalwood is so valuable that it is accurately weighed in grams when being sold. It has a very even texture because it is close grained. There are very few knots in the wood. It is the heartwood which is used most, as it has a scent that lasts for years and the yellow/brown colour when first cut gets darker with age. Sandalwood sapwood is white or yellow and not scented, although it can still be made into craft objects.
Conservation concern
Unfortunately too many sandalwood trees have been cut down, and conservation is a serious concern. It is illegal to export whole pieces of timber from India, and the Indian government controls how sandalwood is used within India. However, there is a great deal of smuggling. Craftsmen can get licences allowing them to buy sandalwood from government wood yards.
Not only has the amount of sandalwood decreased, but the quality of the wood has decreased as well. Most of the larger old trees have been cut down, so the trees now being used are smaller or may be diseased with hollow trunks. This reduces the size of the blocks that can be carved. The scarcity is forcing carvers to change to other woods such as rosewood. In some cases lack of raw material has led to artisans becoming unemployed.Sandalwoood - carving techniques
Sandalwood carving was traditionally a caste bound occupation. Sandalwood carvers were once a particular group of people, called the Gudigars. Each new generation in the family would keep to the same craft. Traditionally carvers learnt their craft at home. However, now the government has set up some training institutes. Traditionally only men were sandalwood carvers and women used to make wreaths from the shavings. However, now some women in the co-operatives are polishing the figures and carving the finer details.
Craftsmen and co-operatives
Historically craftsmen might be attached to a temple or receive patronage from royalty and wealthy people. Such patronage gave a fixed salary which would continue into old age. Village craftsmen tended to work in exchange for services while town craftsmen joined together in powerful guilds. These are similar to present day craft co-operatives. Earnings are generally low compared to the price the carving eventually fetches.
Classic carvings
A common type of carving is a free standing human or animal figure. A carver starts by reducing a block of sandalwood to the rough shape. At first the carver will sit on the floor holding the block between their feet while hitting it with chisel and mallet. Gradually the figure emerges. Finer work is done using the chisel held like a pencil. The figure is then smoothed off with sandpaper and finally given a wax polish. The left over sandalwood shavings can be used to extract sandalwood oil or to stuff pin cushions.
Another type of carving leaves figures so they stand out from a flat background. The excess wood around the figures is cut away with chisels and gouges to a certain depth. Designs can also be lightly incised into thin flat pieces of wood to go on boxes and trays.
