Hee maajhi bur!” (This boat is mine!) Rokesh Patil recalls how the Koli children would call out excitedly, pointing at his miniature boats when he started work on a new installation on the shores of Arnala Fort last summer. Now, as the 40ftx40ft miniature cargo port is finally ready — the boats, containers, rigs and all — he hasn’t forgotten his little cheerleaders. The grand cargo ship is named Lavanya, a smaller crew boat Dhwaj, and a cruise liner Dabula, all after the young, curious minds.

Patil works on fixing a container ship with his team