Srinagar: In Kashmir the art of stone carving has a long history of centuries, the people used to carve stones into sculptors. The stone even used presently known as Devri stone is an impure lime stone extracted from earth at various parts of the Kashmir. The stone is soft in its nature and gives white appearance after carving. The stone can be molded to any form or shape. The art of stone carving is found in various places of Kashmir, but Panthachowk is the famous among all. The artists of the area are considered to be the best in carving. The place has a history of centuries. Most of the people in the area are associated with the trading of stones. The fountains at various crossings, footpaths and the gates of Assembly, High court, at Makhdoom sahib and many more carved from Devri stones shows its importance in Kashmiri culture. Not every stone can be moulded into such architecture, Devri stone is the specialized stone used in carving such monuments. It all depends upon the patience and experience of the moulder to turn a simple work into an artistic work. The process begins with the selection of a stone for carving. Then the artist usually knocks off large portions of unwanted stone. This is the “roughing out” stage of the chiseling process. For this task the moulder may select a point chisel, which is a long, hefty piece of steel with a point at one end and a broad striking surface at the other. A pitching tool may also be used at this early stage; which is a wedge-shaped chisel with a broad, flat edge. The pitching tool is useful for splitting the stone and removing large, unwanted chunks. Those two chisels are used in combination with a masons driving hammer. In Kashmir, this art is very popular. Tourists visiting Kashmir, purchase these items.
This art is dying, because the artists don’t earn sufficient, to satisfy their livelihood. Photos By:Danish Gul
