Puri: A day after 22.23 lakh diyas were lit at the same time across 51 ghats in Ayodhya to create a new Guinness World Record, renowned artist Sudarsan Pattnaik sculpted the ‘biggest sand diya’ and a colourful sand sculpture of Lord Ram holding a diya with the message ‘Happy Diwali’ on Puri Beach in Odisha.
People present at the beach were seen taking photographs of the masterpiece.
Popular story about Diwali celebrations relates the festival to Lord Rama’s victorious return to Ayodhya after 14 years of self-imposed banishment to honour his father’s promise to his stepmother.
“On the occasion of Diwali, we created the biggest Diya on the sand with a message of Happy Diwali. We wish the people of the country a happy Diwali. We have also installed Diyas and created the sculpture of Lord Ram here. The Ram temple in Ayodhya is going to be inaugurated after Diwali,” Sudarshan told ANI.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially accepted an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, scheduled for January 22.
