Puri: Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a sculpture of Lord Ganesh using 3,425 sand ladoos at the Puri beach in Odisha.
The six-feet-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesh, created by using sand ladoos together with two elephants and some flowers, carries a message “Happy Ganesh Puja”. Pattnaik has placed two elephants in his sculpture praying for environment.
“Every year we create something new on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi using sand. This time, the message presented through our sculpture seeks to emphasise the need to save our environment,” said the sand artist.
The sculpture of Lord Ganesh has been created using 3,425 sand ladoos at the Puri beach this year, the renowned artist said, adding that the sculpture was ready on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi.
A two-time world champion and Padma awardee, Pattnaik always tries to spread awareness about different issues of importance through his sculptures. His sand sculptures, created for public awareness, were appreciated by the UN Environment Programme and the World Health Organisation.
The sand sculptor has participated in more than 60 international sand art festivals and championships around the world and won many awards for the country.
