Among the many things that have been passed down in our family, a small collection of ivory toys and ornaments is perhaps the most precious. These objects are not important because of the material they are made from, but because they carry the story of my paternal grandfather, Shri Om Prakash Tiwari. As a young man, he spent a considerable part of his life in Calcutta, where he learnt the intricate craft of ivory carving. It became much more than a profession – it became his identity.