Stone Work

The inhabitants of Indus valley civilization were the first known people in India to make sculpture on stone beside bronze. Since then India has a rich culture of stonework. It was during Maurya dynasty's rule when stone art in India flourished.It was evident in beautifully carved stonework in pillars, statues and chaitya caves.Moreover during Kushana period two famous schools of art came in picture viz. Mathura School of Art and Gandhara School of Art. Further ahead the art of temple making on stone started.

Temple of Ellora is the finest example of the early medieval period art of temple making. Rashtrakutas, Pallavas, Cholas, Gangas, Parmars, Solankis, Chandelas , Rajputs were the great builders of historical times. Later on during medieval period Mughals brought the new Indo-Islamic style of architecture.

Historically all these great dynasties had a pretty innate attachment towards stonework. India has been land of sculptors since the genesis of civilizations here. Even now the numerous artisans work laboriously to craft splendid pieces of stonework. Beautiful statues of Hindu deities, Buddha, Mahavir, are favorites of an art lover. Indian artificers have been crafting other pieces like toys of stones, decorative items, seating objects, slab for painting works, and many more things. As fine stonework requires sincere hard work concentration and perseverance, the outcome is bound to be resplendent and enticing. Here in India craftsmen make their creations on different stones like sandstone, marble, granite, basalt, graphite etc. On the circumstances of stones unavailability, important stones have been historically transported to and fro all India for sandstone, marble, granite, basalt, and graphite.

To have more purposeful information on stonework Crafts in India has a vivid gallery. Do visit it.