Odisha art teacher creates miniature Ram temple

A 40-year-old teacher and miniature artist of Odisha has created a five-and-a-half-inch-long Ram temple of Ayodhya ahead of its consecration ceremony on January 22.

Eshwar Rao made the replica using paper, match stick and chalk. ”The model is five-and-a-half inches high and 2-and-a-half inches wide. A one-inch-tall figure of Lord Hanuman is also there in front of the temple. The figure is made of chalk,” Rao said.

It took Rao, a devotee of Lord Hanuman, seven days to create the miniature temple. “These seven days were the best days in my life as I prayed to Lord Sri Ram all along while making the temple,” he said. He said he has created miniature art on various occasions, such as World Cup tournaments Ganesh Puja and X-Mas.

These miniatures do not fetch money for him. “I am satisfied when people want to see them. I earn my livelihood by working as an art teacher in a public school in Bhubaneswar,” said Rao.

An artist always gives more stress to self-satisfaction than earning money, said the teacher who started his career as an artist at the age of 19 years. He said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan praised his work.

”I will be very happy if get a chance to show it to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,” said Rao.