Varanasi is an important centre for soft stone or undercut carving in India. Abundant reserves of soft stone are found in Uttar Pradesh, enabling the growth of this craft. The skilled artisans are from a community known as the raidas.

Also known as soft stone jaali (lattice) work, artists carve in three primary stages. There's an initial rough chiseling to define the form, then shaping, and finally adding intricate details. The artists also have a few more processes like sandpapering, mounting, and final finishing. By methodically chiseling portions of natural stone, artisans shape them into planned designs.

Softer stone is preferred due to the malleability. Craftsmen seek stones with a uniform and clean tone for their carvings. This ensures that variations in pigmentation or veining won't affect the finished piece. They craft various items including bowls, plates and thick glasses are made. However, the most famous soft stone artefact is the carved elephant, appearing in various sizes.

In 2022, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, was gifted a figurine of the dodo, an extinct flightless once found in Mauritius, by Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The artefact was made by artisan Bachhalal Maurya of Ramnagar and his team.

Any information on this page is anecdotal and based on publicly available details. If you're interested in learning more, click here.