Likhai (

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

for 'writing') refers to the ancient

woodcarving Wood carving (or woodcarving) is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ...

tradition of

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand (, ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2007), is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the n ...

, a North Indian mountain state. Given the rapid urbanization in the region and migration of artisans to larger cities for more lucrative jobs, the craft is said to be on the verge of "vanishing".

History and practice

There are no texts recording the history of the craft, and the skills and knowledge are passed down practically through apprenticeships. The motifs carved on windows, pillars or doorframes include: local flora and fauna, folklores, religious symbols, geometric patterns.

References

{{reflist Arts of Uttarakhand Culture of Uttarakhand