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Stonework
 Thanks to the fair variety of stone found in this hilly region, stone carving has been explored to the fullest in Himachal. Numerous shikhara (spired) stone temples dot the landscape. The Lakshminarayan temples of Chamba and the temples of Baijnath and Masrur in the Kangra Valley are some splendid specimens of the kind.
Beautifully carved memorial stone slabs called panihars are also found in several places, especially near temples and fountains.
Stone carvers in HP are hammering away at their blocks even today, producing several artefacts of domestic use widely available in the markets. These include traditional stoves (angithi), circular pots for storing (kundi), pestle and mortar (dauri danda), mill stones (chakki) and other things. The centres of sculpting in Himachal are concentrated mainly in
Mandi, Chamba, Kinnaur and the Shimla Hills
The stone masons are known as 'Batai Hadai'. Large buildings and small articles of daily use in the houses like pounding stones, moohras, pots and basins also display the skill of local masons amply. Many houses have statues of lord Ganesha near the door. These and the divine animal statues in the local temples are all carved locally. Stone masons can be found in each area and locality in Himachal.
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