The dense inner part of the trunk of the rosewood tree is dark and hard, which makes the wood perfect for inlay work. Furniture pieces as well as elephant figurines made in rosewood are in great demand. Large door arches and frames, and bracketed pillars of rosewood are common across temples and palaces in Mysuru. Some artisans also carve deities out of rosewood. Besides carving, rosewood is considered the ideal kind of wood to absorb inlay work. Inlaying is usually done with ivory (before it was banned), bone and even plastic. They are inlay into the carved wood and then firmly fixed in place with glue.