L Eswar Rao of Jatni in Odisha's Khurda district has created a miniature sculpture of Jesus Christ inside a glass bottle. Rao has created a 4-inch high and 2-inch wide sculpture of Jesus Christ with a crucifix inside a 750 ml bottle.
He placed a cross with Jesus Christ on it, surrounded by two Christmas trees, with the message Merry Christmas in it. Rao has used chalk, glass, and glitter paper for the model. It took him seven days to create the miniature sculpture.
The 40-year-old artist has been practising this artwork for the last 25 years. He creates miniature art on pencil nib and soap and presents them in a bottle. Earlier he created a sculpture of a woman and the Hockey World Cup on pencil nib to mark Women's Day and during the Hockey World Cup.
Rao’s journey as a miniature artist began in 1999 after he gifted a Taj Mahal carved out of chalk to his teacher. "I have been practising miniature artwork since I was in Class 2. I had gifted my miniature art to my teacher when I was in Class 12. My teacher was so impressed by my work that he later introduced me to the then principal of B K College of Arts and praised my inborn talent," Rao told PTI.
He later took training in stone carving for four years. In 2011, Rao started 'Eswar Art and Craft Social Foundation' where he trains students for free while continuing with miniature art.