Meet Ishtiaq Ali: 85-year-old artist from Lucknow who carves Hindu gods on living trees without harming them; “When I sleep, I see Devi-Devtas…” |
Ali spent his youth as a daily wage worker in Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh. There was a time when Ishtiaq Ali returned home with the idols he had made, only to be told that they would not help run the household. Today, the 85-year-old artist from Kakori in Lucknow is drawing attention for carving Lord…