A Muslim couple crafts Hindu deities from wheat stalk

Khatripura (UP), Mar 19 (ANI): Sitting in their simple house in a nondescript village of Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Yunus Khan and his wife Sadiqua Begum are working laboriously to create eye catching and attractive images of Hindu deities.

Hailing from Khatripura village, around 270 km from Lucknow, the Muslim couple has mastered the art of carving intricate images from wheat stalks, by cutting the stalks into thin pieces and using them to make these images.

Though Muslims, these artistes have no qualms in making Hindu deities as according to them an artiste takes the best from every religion to further his creative work.

"I'm an artiste and an artiste does not adhere to a particular religion, but encompasses all the religions in his work to further explore the creative possibilities in his work," said Mohammad Yunus Khan.

Though they faced several roadblocks in their work and many even tried to stop them from making these images, they have stuck out and now have a flourishing business.

"People say whatever they want to and many have tried to stop us but every good work gets criticized. We have never paid any attention to such people," said Sadiqua Begum.

Apart from supplying these art works to various dealers, the couple even imparts lessons to village kids for a nominal fee of rupees 100. By Kamna (ANI)