Meeting a Miniaturist

 I have been in Jaipur for two days, and staying at the Diggi Palace Hotel, which is very special. The staff – as they have been everywhere – are just the most helpful and courteous. India is so hospitable and they sure know how to do ‘service’.

Anyway today I move on – by train to Mumbai – and say goodbye to my friends at Diggi. Here are some of them. The one on the left (with the thick glasses!) is a miniaturist and he paints the most beautiful pictures. He has been taught by his father who I haven’t met but who is the sort of in-house priest here at Diggi. They paint with the finest squirrel brush and he is so expert that he can write words on a grain of rice – I have seen them under a magnifying glass – and even on a hair. He sells his paintings here at Diggi and now his whole family are involved. Depending on the intricacy of the painting his family do the easier bits and he just does the finest work. What a talent.