Twenty-six-year old Satya Narayan Maharana, son of a carpenter, has built three chariots with 80 pieces of chalk.

The height of the three chariots range between 4.5 inches and 5 inches and the deities are about half-an-inch tall.

Wheels as well as ropes are attached to the chariots so that they can be pulled. Satya Narayan claims his chariots to be tiniest in the world.

“It took me 25 days to build these chariots and I used only a knife and a blade to shape the chalk pieces,” said Satya Narayan, a native of Sorada, and presently residing at Ambika Nagar in Bijipur with his parents and brothers.

Satya Narayan, a talented artisan, had been making statues for the past five years. He makes statues in wood, stone, sand, soap, wheat flour, ice and others.

“My elder brother Sanjaya Kumar Maharana who built Ganesh idol in earthen soil few years ago inspired me to experiment,” said Satya Narayan.

“Assam governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik was extremely happy when I gifted a statue of him etched in soap during his recent visit to Berhampur. I also gifted a soap statue based on the theme of animal resources to Union minister Jairam Ramesh during his visit to Berhampur a few years ago,” Satya Narayan said.

The artist is a graduate in arts from Binayak Acharya College and assists his elder brother Sanjaya Kumar in his furniture shop. He also imparts training to 10 youngsters including his younger brother Laxmi Narayan on artwork.