LIKHAI wood carving tradition

LIKHAI IS THE ornate wood carving tradition which was an integral part of the hill architecture in Kumaon. This carving is found primarily on structural elements of dwellings which are embellished with folk,religious and Tantric motifs.Hard tun wood(toona celiata) is used.Temples are carved from deodar,tree of the gods-a durable wood,with high resistance to insects and dry rot.Likhai has low and high relief carving done combining many stylized plant and geometrical motifs into a single window,door,pillar or lintel.

The intricacy of carving on the doorway is indicative of the owner;s status.Door jambs sometimes have up to 14 rows of carvings-swans,parrots,lotuses and serpentine creepers,carved on separate panels and joined in a step formation.Often,a carving of a deity adorns the lintel.In Munsyari many houses have Tibetan motifs like the three-flower motif,the arch and dragons.Some of the finest wood carvers also come from Munsyari.In Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts of Garhwal the carving is mainly confined to temples.These stone structures have wooden facades carved with narrative scenes from Hindu and folk mythology.The style resembles that of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.Likhai,embedded in the architectural and traditional wisdom of the Kumaon region,is a dying art today.Rising costs and unavailability of good quality wood along with changing architectural perferences have adversely affected the craft.