Kashmir Tinned Paan Dan Box - 19th Century Dog Gates This charming Anglo-Indian school bench

This charming Anglo-Indian school bench is full of character and is still incredibly sturdy

Beautifully carved by hand in the old fashion way by skilled craftsmen in small workshops in Rajasthan

The front is composed of a patchwork of hand-carved panels

associated with the Hindu god Shiva

It faces two lingams

Kashmir Tinned Paan Dan Box - 19th Century Dog Gates This charming Anglo-Indian school benchA late 19th century paan box from Kashmir. Rich with intricate repouss and pierced work decoration, this box is made from copper which has been tinned (a traditional local process called kalai). The kalai process is to avoid contents coming into contact with bare copper which can make food toxic. Hindus also believe that copper attracts a divine consciousness. The lid is decorated with Surya (sun) and Chandra (moon) symbolising ultimate cosmic