Katum Kutum - Wooden Sculpture

Wood is probably the most primitive material that was fashioned by man to suit his needs. Among those who turned wood carving into an art ancient Sutradharas, traditional craftsmen who worked with wood, stone, earth, and colour. Among the outstanding wood carvings of Bengal are the one-piece owl and deities and sandalwood carvings along with Katum Kutum.

Katum Kutum is an art (wooden sculpture) made from driftwood. The word Katum Kutum was first used by Abanindranath Tagore in one of his books. Abanindranath Tagore (7 August 1871 - 5 December 1951) was the nephew of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and was the younger brother of the celebrated artist, Gaganendranath Tagore. Katum means a structure or form & Kutum means relatives. The sculptures made from driftwood or discarded woods as well as its branches are alike to our relatives, so these are Katum Kutum.

Artisans residing in a different district like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar and Murshidabad creates these exquisite wood carvings which attract clients from all over the globe.