CUTTING A FINE FIGURE

Master craftsman and national awardee, Amrit Sirohiya infuses imagination and creativity into the ancient art of gemstone carving to create breathtaking pieces that find takers from the world around, while also contributing to preservation of the art.

- Joseph Rozario

THE ANCIENT ARAVALLI HILLS THAT crisscross Rajasthan has endowed the fabled land of rajas and maharajas with rocks of every hue and description, explaining its imposing forts and palaces and a rich legacy of stone carving. Amidst a labyrinthine community of stone masons and stone carvers, a lesser-known but highly captivating art of gemstone carving has flourished too down the centuries, among whose better-known exponents is national award winning gemstone artist Amrit Sirohiya.

An inborn talent

Born in Boraj, a village near Jaipur in Rajasthan, Amrit Sirohiya’s artistic bent showed early in life—though in a rather dramatic manner. As a child, he would make clay toys and take them to school to show his friends, who would marvel at his talent. One day, one of his teachers, miffed with him, took him to the principal together with his toys to complain about his distractive ways. The principal said nothing to Sirohiya but took away his toys. Then, contrary to all expectations, on Independence Day, he called Sirohiya on the dais and praised and rewarded him for his talent and work.