Puri, June 27: Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has made a beautiful sand sculpture with 101 idols of Lord Jagannath at Puri Beach to celebrate the annual Rath Yatra.
The sand art shows Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra on their chariots. With this creation, Sudarsan is honouring the centuries-old tradition of the Rath Yatra, which is celebrated with great devotion in India and many parts of the world.
Around 4.5 tonnes of sand were used to make this sculpture. Students from his sand art institute helped him with the work. This year, the artwork carries the message ‘Jai Jagannath – A Journey of Faith and Unity’, showing the deep cultural and spiritual meaning of the festival.
The sculpture has drawn thousands of visitors and devotees to Puri Beach. Sudarsan said he hopes to bring people closer to Lord Jagannath and share the message of devotion, equality, and unity through his sand art.
