Shambhu Nath Sharma holds on to the miniature models created by him. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Engravings of celebrities on chalks is not an easy task. But, 29-year-old Shambhu Nath Sharma, hailing from a economically-weak family, has made it possible . His magic fingers sculpt gods and eminent personalities in tiniest of forms in no time.

If you happen to be sitting with this miniature artist, you can have the whole of Bihar in your fist with 1.25 inches Lalu Prasad in it. Similarly, one can choose figurines of Pratibha Patil, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mahatma Gandhi, Sheila Dixit, Gulam Ali and several others.

In his kitty one can find chalk sticks, wood, wax, stone, clay and tiny razors, instruments which one will not get in the market. This is because he makes them himself to etch out sculptures measuring from 0.5mm to 1ft.

His smallest work is of a child made with chalk powder and the biggest is of Aishwariya Rai in wood work.

He picked up interest for this form of art, while working at a watch repairing shop owned by his father in Adityapur. He was fascinated with tiny equipments used in making clock so he very soon started sculpting renowned in chalk, wood, paper.

When ghazal maestro Gulam Ali saw himself as a half-an-inch replica at the Virasat Festival recently held at Dehradun at a stall put up by Shambhu Nath Sharma, he said: “Ye Gulam Ali to mere saat Pakistan jayenga.”

Sharma’s other novelties include a ring made as Sheshnaag (measuring half-an-inch) complete with Krishna playing, a grain of rice that contains upto 50 alphabets, a one-and-half inch woman with a swan which is an imitation of a five-and-a-half ft sculpture located at Madhav Rao Scindia museum at Gwalior.

Sharma dreams to gain national recognition some day through his art. “I have applied to Guiness Book of World Records for my 1.5mm chalk miniature. But, I am yet to get a response. I have even applied to the Limca Book of Records,” he revealed.

At every step Sharma said he faced open hostilities and humiliation, but it hasn’t waned his spirit to continue with his passion.

Someday he hopes that recognition would come his way and would help end his days of penury so that he can live his dream of creating more such miniature magic.