Mysore inlay - A Day in the Jungle of Elephants

During the reign of Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur (the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore)  artisans were practicing several crafts including ivory inlay in rosewood, as rosewood was available in abundance locally and elephant culling for ivory was still legal. 

In the second half of the last century, a Master Craftsperson of the craft ‘Shokat Ali’ brought a totally new evolution in the craft by using locally available wood of different colors to create wonderful art pieces and replacing the ivory with treated plastic. 

These art pieces were well appreciated by the king and it was easy to learn and practice for the other people too. The unique material culture and simple technique brought the revolution in the world of art and craft and also in the life of people, eventually in 2003 the craft was approved for a G I tag ( globally recognised – Geographical Indicator ). 

1.  This work is about 29 inches by 12.5 inches
2. The edge is finished with rosewood giving it a unique framed look