Aditya’s world of paper replicas

He makes replicas of some of the world’s oldest heritage structures and fancy cars using paper.

Like any other child, Aditya Mahatme too marvelled at cars, machines and buildings when he was growing up. Soon, he was hooked to recreating the miniature models of things that he found interesting. Today, Aditya has over 200 miniature models as part of his collection and wants to add more in the future.

He says that immense patience, skills and a keen eye for design is what has helped him develop this hobby.

Aditya Mahatme

His handcrafted paper replicas include a Spanish Battleship from 1690, Santa Maria from 1492, St Peters Basilica from the Vatican, Hungarian Parliament building, Buckingham Palace and an 80-cm long model of the Titanic.

He is currently working on 40 cars from the Veteran and Edwardian era (1880 to 1910). “I am constantly looking out for rare collectibles. I was keen to make models of cars from the 1800s to early 1900s; I also love buildings and ships from the Colonial era. Readymade models and kits are hard to find and are expensive. So I decided to make them using paper. My research revealed that people abroad were already into this hobby but what set me apart was my use of paper, whereas they used ready-made kits,” Aditya tells Metrolife.

Aditya prefers to work on complex structures because that satiates his unlimited appetite for a deep understanding of design. “Hobbies like this help you stay connected with art and history. Once you develop patience, you start appreciating details in all other fields too,” he shares.

How much time does it take to finish a model? Aditya says, “It could just anywhere between a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the size and the components required.”

Learning and research are a big part of Aditya’s hobby.

He finds this activity a complete stress buster. “It disconnects me from the routine things. It’s a great way to reboot your mind. I enjoy working on these models now just as much I enjoyed playing with toy cars as a child. I have also made new friends through this interest,” he says.

However, maintaining them is a tough task. “I have to clean them with earbuds to avoid damaging the small accessories installed. More than half of them are kept away in glass enclosures,” he adds.

Aditya’s family has been supportive. “Initially, the models took up a lot of space inside the house. But things got a bit easier after it was designed to be a part of the decor of the house. This hobby has opened my mind to more ideas with paper and taken me deep into printing technology,” he says.

(Aditya can be reached on [e-mail])