Likhai wood carving tradition of Uttarakhand is an integral part of the Pahari society. Carvings are mainly found on dwellings in the form of folk, religious and tantric motifs. Tantric art forms an integral part of the Kumaon region. The carvings are done in the form of stylized plants and geometric motifs in the same window and door. There are sometimes 14 rows of carvings on the borders of the door – swan, parrot, lotus, creeper, etc. The panels are carved separately and joined together after carving. Munsiyari is a famous center of wood carving in the Pithoragarh district. The houses are adorned with Tibetan motifs such as three flower motifs, arches, and dragons. Carving in the Garhwal region is confined to temples. Due to the rising cost and non-availability of good raw wood, the art of writing is disappearing today. The tools used for carving are Cheni, Pateshi (both chisels), Aari (saw), Basula (a small ax-like cutting tool), which are mostly local.
Quite easily handcrafted by mechanics, but they are not available in the market. Although many houses in the villages are modern, people are adding wood-carved panels to the traditional design on the existing door and window frames. The wood of the walnut tree is preferred for carving because it is dense and has fine grains that are good for making small designs. On drying, it acquires a deep and beautiful color. Wood is extracted from older, thicker, and straighter trees, cut and shaped for timber. Today only a few walnut trees are left in the area. Hence people now use wood from surai (cypress) and utis (alder) trees to make doors and windows in their homes instead of walnut wood. Once the design has been etched onto the wood, it can be further refined using sandpaper to give it a smooth finish.