Majuli Carved Panels for an Air-Conditioned Hotel Lobby

The earlier panels were solid boards, and solid wood moves across the grain as moisture content changes. The air-conditioned lobby has a much lower relative humidity than a Majuli workshop, so the panels lost moisture and shrank across their width. If the panels were fixed rigidly to a frame or wall, the shrinkage was restrained and tension built up along the grain, causing end splits. End grain also dries and takes up moisture faster than face grain, so the ends are the first place to crack. A high-gloss finish on only one face would have made the moisture gradient worse.

The new panels should be built as frame-and-panel assemblies, not solid slabs. The carved panel should float in grooves in a surrounding frame, with about 2–3 mm clearance on each side so it can shrink and swell. Do not glue the panel along its full length; pin or glue it only at the centre, or use foam spacers. The frame itself should be joined with mortise-and-tenon or dowel joints, and the grain direction should be consistent. Seal all faces, including the back, with the same finish system. If a solid look is essential, use a stable core such as plywood or blockboard with a solid carved face and allow movement at the edges. The key is to design for movement rather than fight it.

Gamari is a reasonable choice for the carved panel because it is light, works easily and takes detail, but it is not very durable and can be soft. For the frame, use a stronger, more durable species such as sal or nahor. If the panels are to be handled or shipped, nahor is a better all-round choice than gamari, though it is harder to carve. Whatever the species, the moisture content should be 8–10% for an air-conditioned lobby, not the 12–15% typical of open workshop stock. Dry the parts in the solar dryer and check with a meter on a freshly cut sample before carving; carve after drying, because carving exposes new surfaces and can change the moisture gradient.

For the finish, use a matte or satin polyurethane or a matte lacquer, not high gloss. A high-gloss film shows every sanding mark and can look out of place with hand carving. Apply a sanding sealer, then two or three thin coats, sanding lightly between coats. Seal the back and edges as carefully as the front. In the humid workshop, avoid spraying on very damp days; brush or wipe the finish if necessary. A matte finish also hides minor variations in the carving and suits the hotel’s “traditional but modern” requirement. Test the finish on a sample panel and get the hotel’s approval before producing all 30.

The group should treat the motifs as living craft, not as a fixed pattern to be copied mechanically. Begin with the artisans who know the meanings of the lotus, jaapi and vine forms. Ask them which elements can be simplified, repeated or resized for a hotel panel, and which are sacred or context-specific and should not be altered casually. Produce two or three sample panels: one close to the traditional carving, one simplified for modern interiors, and one with a router-cut background and hand-carved details. Present these to the hotel with a written note explaining what was changed and why. This is adaptation with consent, not misrepresentation.

For production, use the router only for roughing out backgrounds and repeated borders, with a jig or template; keep hand tools for the final carving so the work retains tool marks and character. Make a full-size drawing and a carving depth guide for each motif. Dry the timber to 8–10% before carving. Quality control should check dimensions, panel flatness, groove clearance, carving depth, sanding, finish thickness and colour match against the approved sample. Number the panels and keep a record of the carver. Deliver with care instructions: avoid direct sunlight, keep the lobby at a stable humidity, and dust with a dry cloth. Credit the artisans in the hotel’s display text if the hotel agrees.