Kuppam Granite Sculpture Workshops

Kuppam Granite Sculpture Workshops are a cluster of small-scale industrial workshops in Kuppam town, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, near the Karnataka border. Kuppam is nationally known for its granite reserves, particularly Black Galaxy granite, and the workshops showcase cutting, polishing and hand-carving of stone into sculptures, slabs and architectural elements. Visitors can observe artisans at work and see finished granite products that are exported across India and abroad.

Visitors can expect an industrial workshop setting on the outskirts and within Kuppam town with sheds housing granite cutting machines, polishing units and hand-carving areas. Artisans can be seen shaping raw granite blocks into sculptures, idols, pillars, slabs and decorative items. The surroundings include granite yards with stacked blocks, display areas for finished products, and dust from stone processing. It is a working industrial area rather than a formal museum, so access is to active work floors and small showrooms where permitted.

Kuppam in Chittoor district developed as a major granite quarrying and processing centre in the late 20th century due to extensive deposits of high-quality granite, especially the globally marketed Black Galaxy granite. The growth of quarries led to establishment of numerous cutting, polishing and sculpture workshops that supply stone for construction and sculpture across India and for export.

The workshops represent the contemporary stone-craft economy of the Rayalaseema region and sustain skilled artisan communities engaged in granite sculpting. They continue a tradition of stone working adapted to modern industrial tools, producing religious idols, temple elements and decorative sculptures used in cultural and architectural contexts.