Woodcrafts of Nagina

Sheesham is one of the most inexpensive timbers available. Carved combs, pen stands, hair bun sticks and key chains are mainly made of sheesham.

Another reason why sheehsam is preferred is its relative softness which makes it easier for an artist to carve.

Abnooz is one of the hardest and costlier of woods. An interesting feature about abnoooz is its black colour as it contains a fairly high content of iron, which also makes it very hard.

Nagina is famous for its beautifully carved combs with intricate symmetrical patterns.

Wooden combs with fine carving and varied designs come from multiple cultural and environmental influences.

Baldevi uses a rani kangi to dress her hair, making her feel no less than royalty.

Smoothly carved wooden sticks are designed to keep a coil of hair in place and play the role of a simple yet elegant fashion accessory.

A collection of handcrafted wooden hair accessories made by women in Nagina.

A jewellery box with fine jaali work, made using a combination of two kinds of wood.

A ship’s wheel made in a small town of Nagina, shows how a simple part of machine is also created so artfully that the object eventually becomes an art in itself.

Wooden coasters are some of the contemporary designs styled for urban homes as they are seldom needed by their rural customers. Indian crafts people have learnt to produce for different cultural contexts.

Mohammed Uvesh sits outside his workshop holding a uniquely designed wooden bowl.

The maker explained that it was originally meant to hold a ball of wool in place while a woman knitted. The elegance of its design has made it a popular export product.

A wooden ludo game is made of different coloured pieces of Indian rose wood, demonstrating the advantages of the tonal qualities of wood which the crafts person has used innovatively.

A fifteen inches long convertible wooden cube shows that modern designs and versatility are now making such goods more appealing to the urban customers.

Indian design institutes like National Institute of Fashion Technology send their young minds to work with artist to learn the tradition and authenticity of the craft, while help the artist in creating more contemporary designs.

Read more about Nagina's woodcrafts industry here:

- Nagina woodcarvers
- High quality products