Teak Mandir with Carved Deity Doors - Jaali Frieze and Drawer Base

Carving Figures, Panel by Panel

Foliage and geometry can be laid out, repeated and worked to a rhythm. A figure cannot. Every panel on these doors is its own composition: the carver has to model a face, set the proportion of the limbs, cut the fall of cloth so it reads as fabric rather than as grooves, and place the hands so the mudra is unmistakable, all in shallow relief where there is very little depth to work with. It is the most demanding thing anyone does in wood, and it is why the doors on this mandir take longer to carve than the entire cabinet behind them.

The reward is a mandir that stays devotional when it is closed. Rather than shutting the deities behind a blank panel, you close one set of figures over another. And because each panel is carved individually rather than pressed from a mould, the figures can be whichever ones your family keeps: tell us the deities of your household and the doors are composed around them, in the same hands and the same style. The jaali frieze above keeps air moving through the piece so the interior stays fresh. Everything here is carved and polished by hand by master Indian artisans.

Specifications: Teak Mandir with Carved Deity Doors

The mandir as photographed is described below. Because it is made to your order, every line can be changed before production.

• Material and carving: solid teak wood, hand-carved and hand-polished by master Indian artisans
• Doors: a pair, each carrying four deity figures carved in relief as individual compositions
• Side panels: tall standing figure panels framing the doors
• Frieze: pierced jaali beneath the carved cornice, keeping air moving through the mandir
• Crest: row of turned finials with carved figures at each end
• Storage: two carved drawers in the base
• Base: shaped carved apron on small carved feet
• Finish: natural teak polish, grain visible throughout, no paint
• Figures: carved to your specification, composed around the deities your family keeps
• Options: marble platform, jaali or glass door panels, additional drawers, cupboards in the base, interior shelving
• Finish options: natural teak as shown, or honey teak, mid teak, walnut, dark teak, or gold-highlighted carving
• Size: custom sizes made to order; final measurements confirmed in writing before production
• Warranty: 20 years on solid teak and joinery; lifetime cover against termite damage
• Delivery: free across India with guaranteed dent-free arrival

Protecting Relief Carving in Transit

Figure carving stands proud of the panel around it, so no padding is ever pressed flat against these doors. Each door is faced with a soft non-abrasive layer and then bedded into foam cut to the profile of the relief, so the padding sits into the ground between the figures and the raised carving carries nothing at all. Both doors are secured closed and braced against the carcass so they cannot swing during the journey.

The pierced jaali frieze is protected the way all our lattice work is, by a rigid board standing clear of its face rather than by packing pressed into the openings. The turned finials and the carved figures on the crest stand at the highest points, so a frame guard bridges above the roofline with each one wrapped beneath it. The standing figure panels at the sides are contour-padded in the same way as the doors, and the base drawers are immobilised. Everything is rigid-crated and strapped, and your mandir arrives dent-free with every carved figure crisp.

Free Delivery Across India on This Made-to-Order Mandir

Delivery is free anywhere in India with no distance surcharge and nothing added to your invoice for freight. Figure carving is the slowest work we do, since every panel is composed and cut individually, so allow good time for this commission. We give you a realistic completion window once your specification and the choice of deities are confirmed, and if you are working towards a griha pravesh, a festival or a particular muhurat, tell us the date at enquiry and we will plan the build around it.

Our team assembles the mandir in position and checks the doors close true, so it arrives fully set up and ready for you to place the deities inside. Share your doorway, lift and stair measurements at enquiry and we will build the piece to come in comfortably. Traditionally the mandir sits in the north-east of the home with the deities facing west or east, away from bathroom walls and out of direct sunlight, and our team will help you position it to suit whatever your household observes.

Warranty on This Carved Mandir

The solid teak and its joinery are guaranteed for 20 years from delivery, and termite damage is covered for the entire life of the piece with no expiry. The doors carry a great deal of carved relief and are opened and closed daily, so their stiles are solid teak and the joints are cut and pinned rather than screwed, which is what keeps a carved door hanging true for decades. Doors, hinges, carcass and drawers are all covered for the full term, and termite cover has no end date because teak resists termites through the oils within the timber.

The polish is a serviceable surface and easy to keep beautiful. Because this mandir is polished rather than painted, the finish can be cut back and rebuilt in place at any point without stripping the piece, so the carved figures keep their depth and the timber its colour decade after decade. We do that for our own mandirs at an honest price whenever you would like it refreshed. The jaali frieze keeps air moving so the interior stays fresh, and regular dusting with a soft brush is usually all the carving asks of you.