Puri: Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a unique sand sculpture of Lord Jagannath at Puri beach in Odisha to welcome the New Year.
Pattnaik used over ten tonnes of sand to create the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
The 8-feet high and 15-feet long sand sculpture has turned out to be a major crowd-puller on the beach as a large number of people who have thronged the seaside pilgrim town on the first day of 2023 are visiting the site to have a glimpse of his creation.
The sculpture has been decorated with flowers, while the renowned artist has carved a message “Jai Jagannath” on it. “We welcome the new year through our sand art and pray to Lord Jagannath for peace and prosperity,” Pattnaik said.
Pattnaik tries to create something new in sand every year starting from Christmas to New Year. He also tries to highlight various important issues such as pollution to create awareness among the people through his sand sculptures.
A recipient of many awards, the globally acclaimed artist has represented India in more than 60 international sand art competitions and festivals across the world.
