Large Wooden Ram Darbar Wall Panel

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The large square wooden wall panel of Rama Darbaar shows the Lord of Ayodhya- Ayodhyapati Rama Chandra enthroned on a beautifully carved royal throne, accompanied by his queen-consort Devi Sita. With fine detailing, the artist has carved a lotus platform for the throne on which two footrests are kept for the divine king and queen for whom a fully bloomed lotus serves as the seat. The back of the throne is decorated with pleasing floral petal designs, forming a striking aura behind Sri Rama and Sita. Adorned with exquisite fineries, Sri Rama and Sita in this wooden wall panel sit close to each other, with their hands raised in the gesture of fearlessness- “Abhaya-mudra”, hinting to their subject-devotees that they should give up their fears as the reign of Rama, “Rama-Rajya” has begun. A chatri, or umbrella, a royal insignia in Indian tradition over the head of Rama and Sita adds to the grandeur of these central figures of the wooden wall panel of Rama Darbar.

Behind the royal throne stand two regally attired princes, Lakshmana and Shatrughan, Rama’s brothers, holding the chanwara or flying whisk, serving their elder brother and king with exemplary devotion. Near Sri Rama’s feet, Lord Hanumana sits in a worshipping posture, with a beautiful lotus flower held in his hand as an offering to his Lord. On the right side of the wooden wall panel, prince Bharata with folded hands and an expression of reverence on his face can be seen. The scene of Rama Darbaar in the wall panel is framed by the architectural features of a royal palace- a wide arch highlighted by criss-cross patterns and pillars with lotus and other auspicious motifs drawn on them. Wavy incised lines border the wooden Rama Darbaar, adding a minimalistic finish to the detailed carving. Sensible use of carving to give shallow and deep effects to the scene and comprehensive work on secondary elements such as ornaments, clothes, weapons, and facial features has resulted in a piece of the art fine enough to be equally appreciated for its aesthetic as well as spiritual appeal. Finished with a tasteful glistening polish that brings a pleasing luster to the wood, this wooden Rama Darbaar wall panel is a symbol of Sri Rama’s unconfined glory.

Sculpting Serenity: Unveiling the Art of Crafting Wood Statues

Wood has been a preferred material for sculptures and statues since ancient times. It is easy to work with than most metals and stones and therefore requires less effort to shape it into any desired shape or form. The texture of the wood gives an element of realism to the sculpture. The selection of an appropriate wood type is necessary for carving. Woods that are too resinous or coniferous are not considered good for carving as their fiber is very soft and thus lacks strength. On the other hand, wood such as Mahogany, Oakwood, Walnut wood, Weet cherry wood, etc., are preferred by sculptors because their fiber is harder. A wood sculptor uses various tools such as a pointed chisel in one hand and a mallet in another to bring the wood to the desired measurement and to make intricate details on it. A carving knife is used to cut and smooth the wood. Other tools such as the gouge, V-tool, and coping saw also serve as important tools in wood carving. Although the wood carving technique is not as complex and tough as stone carving or metal sculpting, nonetheless, a wood carver requires a high level of skills and expertise to create a stunning sculpture.

1. Selecting the right wood

The process of wood carving begins with selecting a chunk of wood that is required according to the type and shape of the statue to be created by the sculptor. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used for making artistic pieces, however, hardwoods are preferred more than softer woods because of their durability and longevity. But if heavy detailing is to be done on the statue, wood with fine grain would be needed as it would be difficult to work with hardwood.

2. Shaping the wood

Once the wood type is selected, the wood carver begins the general shaping process using gouges of various sizes. A gouge is a tool having a curved cutting edge which is useful in removing large unwanted portions of wood easily without splitting the wood. The sculptor always carves the wood across the grain of the wood and not against it.

3. Adding detailing

When a refined shape of the statue is obtained, it is time for making details on the statue using different tools. This is achieved by using tools such as a veiner to make and a V-tool to create decorative and sharp cuts.

4. Surface finishing

Once finer details have been added, the sculptor is ready to smoothen the surface and give it a perfect finish. Tools such as rasps and rifflers are used to get a smooth surface. The finer polishing is obtained by rubbing the surface with sandpaper. If a textured surface is required, this step is skipped. Finally, to protect the statue from excessive dirt accumulation, the sculptor applies natural oils such as walnut or linseed oil all over it. This also brings a natural sheen to the statue.