Miniature notes for the musical soul

The sitar, one of Hindustani classical music’s most internationally well-known lutes weighs nearly 3.5kg and is about 1.2m in length. Imagine the same as a built-to-scale model within the inch weighing only about 15gm! That’s not the only instrument – all the ancient Indian musical instruments find representation in this form in the collection of 19-year-old Pauras Sarmalkar, who has a passion to make these miniature models. 

When not learning to fix people’s pearlies as a dentist, he’s either sculpting paper-clay-resin miniature models of musical instruments, creating his own miniature paintings or strumming the life-size sitar that sits in his room. 

Artistically inclined since childhood, he would want to draw and paint all the time. “And I don’t know how or why filmy or Western music rarely appealed to me as much as Hindustani classical music,” says this Kandivali, Mumbai resident. By the time he had reached Class 8, he had taken to drawing the Indian instruments with intricate details. “Like any other musical systems in the world, the functionality and tonality of the instruments are the key factors here. However, aesthetics are equally important. Fine detailed artwork is used to embellish every single instrument. From the ivory inlays of the past to the fine golden layering or floral motifs, the finely polished feels of the surface, the khuntis (that help the artist tighten the wires), each instrument is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the ears,” explains Sarmalkar.

This only child was encouraged by his parents to pursue his dreams and fondly remembers his father Prasad Sarmalkar (a store owner) ferrying him back and forth for drawing classes and various competitions all through school. Before long, he had begun experimenting with making paper models of the instruments. “But the initial efforts were completely lacking in any finesse and often did not even look anything like the instruments I claimed they were,” he laughs and remembers how both his parents indulged and encouraged him regardless.

By the time he had reached Class 9, he began to actually make life-like, made to scale models. “From taking over a fortnight for each instrument, my turnover time has reduced and I’m able to pull them off in a week now,” says Sarmalkar, who uses paper and a clay composite and resin to make the instruments. “I begin with paper quilling. This is used to make the tumba (gourd) and the neck of the instrument. After I have used a sharp pin or needle to make small scratches on the surface, I apply glue over which the clay composite and resin is applied to recreate the minor detailing of the instrument and give it the finish,” he explains and adds that the end of summer and the monsoon are the worst times of the year for his work. “The humidity makes the work take that much longer to dry. It doesn’t help that I live so close to the sea,” he laughs, pointing out of his window from where across the green mangrove expanse the Global Vipassana Pagoda rises majestically. 

While the body is made of paper, clay and resin, we are curious how he makes the wires of the string instrument. Sarmalkar laughs as he asks us to guess and after a while tells us. “This is my cousin Saloni’s hair. Unlike my curly hair, hers is straight and thick. I take a few strands from her and cut them into size to fashion the wires for the instruments. Their thinness is not the only attraction but the lustre and sheen of the hair gives the wires a natural shine,” he explains. 

Since he’s nearly exhausted most of the repertoire of musical instruments, what next? “I want to make made to scale instruments that can be played. I’ve been experimenting with various kinds of wires to arrive at the right kind.

Once I crack that, the instrument won’t take long.”

When asked whether his studies at Mumbai’s most well-known dental college do not suffer because of his passion he underlines how one compliments the other. “Since I am used to sitting in difficult postures, concentrating and working on really small spaces because of my art, I never had any issues working for long hours on teeth when my other classmates complain of back or neck pain.”

Does he plan to exhibit his work, which he claims is in great demand, anytime soon, we want to know. “That will have to wait. I am still experimenting.”