FormsBastar, India
A carver sitting on his workshop floor, shaping a wooden horse head with a chisel and mallet
Hand carved in India

A carver from a forest village in India made this.

He used a chisel, a mallet and his own hands.

See how
How it was made

From a block of wood to the piece in your hand.

01Step 1 of 4
Raw wood blocks of different timbers on a workshop bench

He chooses the block and reads the grain.

02Step 2 of 4
A carver's hands striking a chisel with a wooden mallet

He cuts the shape with a chisel and mallet.

03Step 3 of 4
A craftswoman sanding a carved openwork panel, smiling

She sands every edge by hand.

04Step 4 of 4
A craftsman with a polished carved wooden ring

He works in the finish until the grain glows.

Look closer
Three carved Buddha figures side by side, each with a different grain and colour

Yours is one of one.

The carver follows the grain, and the grain changes in every block. Set yours beside its twin on the shelf and you’ll see the difference.

Where it comes fromCentral India
A carved stone temple gateway in Bastar, ringed by forest

The carvers live in Bastar, a forest region in central India. Families there have carved wood for generations. The knowledge passes from one pair of hands to the next.

You are holding generations of craft.

An older craftswoman and craftsman greeting with palms pressed together
The story to keep

When someone asks where you found it, tell them about Bastar.

FormsHand carved in India