I almost walked past this man at The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore
Then I saw what he was drawing with. A piece of newspaper, folded into a point and dipped in soot.
Every tiger behind him was made that way.
He scrapes the soot off oil lamps, and off truck exhaust pipes when those run out. His name is M.D. Parashar. He found the technique by accident almost 40 years ago, while cleaning a lamp.
His work hangs in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He teaches around 400 local kids a year for free.
And he’s still sitting under a tree, drawing for whoever stops.
If you’re ever at Vanyavilas, go find him and buy a piece.
Best souvenir you’ll take home.