Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik sculpts Lord Ganesha on beach ahead of festival

Puri (Odisha) [India]: A day ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated Odiya sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created an exquisite depiction of Lord Ganesha by installing pieces of steel bowls with a message of ‘World Peace’ at the Puri beach on Monday.

Pattnaik’s latest artwork further enhanced the festive air in the country as devotees await the arrival of ‘Gajanana’ at pandals or mandals in Maharashtra and elsewhere.

On his latest piece of sand art, Pattnaik told media, “We created this special sand sculpture for Ganesh puja. The sculpture was shaped using steel and sand.

As much as 100 kgs of steel and about 1,000 different steel items went into the making of this sand art. Every year, for Ganesh puja, we try to come up with something new. This time we have sent out the message of ‘World Peace’ through our art.”

The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which falls in the Bhadrapada month of the Hindu calendar, marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati.

Also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, the festival is characterised by the installation of Ganesha idols at homes and in gilded pandals (make-shift stage).

The 10-day festival ends with the idols taken for Visarjan through elaborate immersion processions.

The idols are immersed on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.