The breathtakingly beautiful temples of Konark, Jagannath(Puri), Rajarani and Lingaraj (Bhubaneshwar) in Orissa are outstanding for their elegance and detailed design. South India has a rich heritage of stone sculpture, especially in the presentation of animal and bird life.

Following the principles of Shilpa Shastras, the sculptor's work starts from the quarrying stage, then chiselling numerous shapes and forms out of the stone, transforming it with minutely detailed ornamental designs, ending with the final polish to reveal a form of timeless beauty. Stone sculpture is a living art with which the craftsman creates many items of contemporary design and utility like vases, boxes, tableware, lamps and other decorative objects.