We met Mohan Lal Sharma in Jaipur, surrounded by pieces of wood, fine metal wire and the traditional tools he has worked with for most of his life.
For nearly 45 years, he has practised Tarkashi — the intricate art of inlaying fine metal wire into wood.
Today, he is recognised as a Shilp Guru, and his work has received national and state recognition.
But standing in his workshop, the awards are not the first thing you notice.
You notice his hands.
Where It Begins
Before the metal meets the wood, there is a design.
A pattern is carefully drawn onto the surface — every line, curve and geometric detail planned before the carving begins.
For a moment, it looks like an ordinary piece of sheesham wood.
Then the tools come out.
And the transformation begins.
Drawing The Lines
The first lines are delicate.
They become the map for everything that follows.
A small mistake at this stage can affect the entire design.
Mohan Lal ji's eyes move slowly across the surface, checking each line before the wood is cut.
Years of experience have taught him what the finished piece should look like long before it exists.
Cutting Into The Wood
Then the surface is carefully engraved.
The tools are simple.
A chisel.
A hammer.
The hands of the artisan.
The cuts are made with extraordinary precision, creating narrow channels in the wood where the metal wire will eventually sit.
The depth has to be just right.
Too shallow, and the wire will not hold.
Too deep, and the design changes.
This is where decades of practice become visible.
When Metal Enters The Wood
Then comes the part that gives Tarkashi its character.
Fine metal wire is carefully placed into the channels carved into the wood.
One piece at a time.
One line at a time.
The wire follows the design.
Around a curve.
Along a flower.
Across a geometric pattern.
What began as an empty line in the wood slowly starts to shine.
Every Line Matters
Look closely.
The metal is not simply placed on top of the wood.
It becomes part of it.
The contrast between the dark sheesham and the fine metal creates the distinctive character of Tarkashi.
What appears from a distance to be an elaborate pattern is actually made from hundreds of tiny decisions.
Every point.
Every curve.
Every line.
Placed by hand.
The Last Line
We came to Jaipur looking for the story behind the beauty of Tarkashi.
We found it in the hands of a man who has spent nearly 45 years making those lines.
A National Award-winning artisan.
A Shilp Guru.
A teacher.
A craftsman.
And above all, a keeper of knowledge.
Because Tarkashi is not simply the art of decorating wood.
It is the art of keeping a piece of heritage alive — one line, one wire, one hand at a time.
Stories of Indian Cities
Because heritage is not preserved by buildings alone.
It survives through the people who continue to make it.
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Craft: Tarkashi — Brass Wire Inlay on Sheesham Wood
Artisan: Mohan Lal Sharma
Experience: Approximately 45 years
Recognition: National Award • State Award • Shilp Guru Award, 2019
Photographs & Story: Stories of Indian Cities / Cartist
