Meet Chinnayachari, a man creating miniature marvels

Visakhapatnam: Artist S. Chinnayachari from the remote village of Etikoppaka, known for its wooden toys, is a micro artist who for the past few decades has been crafting several pieces of miniature art, some of which are reportedly the smallest in the world. He hopes to one day see his name in the Guinness Book of Records.

Chinnayachari who comes from a family of wooden toymakers always wanted to do something new and different which eventually led to a fascination for miniatures arts. Inspired by Willard Wigan, the man who made millions from miniature art, Chinnayachari created his first miniature art when he was 32-years-old. Now, the 42-year-old Chinnayachari is enjoying exploring the different possibilities in the world of miniatures.

"I have crafted over 15 miniatures in the last decade. Among all miniatures, 0.10-mm X0.20-mm set on a strand of human hair has given me a lot of satisfaction. It took five days to craft the Taj Mahal miniature," said Chinnayachari.

The 1.11-mm X 0.70-mm Buddha set on a poppy stem is the latest from Chinnayachari. The 1.2-mm Ram-Sita Pattabhishekam set on a half poppy seed and a 1.2 mm miniature wooden chess board are some of the marvels he has created. "It took me around a decade to master the art. It takes days to create each miniature object. I make the tools and they resemble those used for carving wood," he said.

Chinnayachari wanted to do something different. "I didn't want to be one among many. I wanted to go beyond that to craft miniatures on strands of human," he added.

"I experimented and challenged myself every time and that gave me space and push to hone my skills. Sometimes my eyes would hurt looking through the magnifying glass for hours at a stretch. But, my passion for crafting miniatures made me more patient and professional. I have received many national awards, including the Indian Book of Records, Limca Book of Records , and an award from the President of India. Now I am aiming to make a mark in the Guinness Book of Records for my miniature works," he said.