Summary
"The Last Stone Carver" by Sigrun Srivastav is a moving story about an old master stone carver (referred to as Masterjee) and the conflict between tradition and modernity. The story is set in Srinagar, where the old man has been carving temple sculptures for generations, following a family tradition passed down for hundreds of years.
The story opens with the old man's son, Gopal, angrily announcing that he is leaving his father and the stone carving profession. Gopal is frustrated by the poverty their traditional work has brought them. He wants to go to Agra, where other stone carvers mass-produce cheap items like candlestands, paperweights, and ashtrays for tourists to earn more money. Despite his father's pleas about tradition and service to God, Gopal leaves.
Left alone, the old man is determined to complete his biggest and finest piece of work -- a marble statue of Lord Krishna holding a flute. He works tirelessly, day and night, driven by his passion. However, his aging body begins to fail him. His strength ebbs, his vision blurs, and he struggles to continue.