By Mukti Sharma
Moving around had become a habit, so this time we packed our bags for a
weekend discovery to the city of temples – Puri. But here we went for
another reason, it were not the temples which attracted us – but the
beaches and the sand idols on the
beaches.
Carved out of the sand, these idols and different form of life attracts
people from all over the world. It is the one of the most beautiful thing
around to see. Images of shell conch, lord Shiva, Goddess Durga ever –
beautiful
Taj Mahal,
the church,
Vivekananda
– all find a place in the sands of Puri Beaches. As we stood there,
with the Swami Vivekananda being made; the sands seemed to change their
colors.
This is the most famous place or the beach for Sand Idols where we are
standing. The magnificence of the Konark temple could be seen in the hands
which move swiftly through the sands to make that masterpiece. Sudarshan
Patnaik – a college dropout is the man behind this engrossing art. Just
walking down the sands and making a face of Lord Shiva was the beginning of
the story. The legend which took him to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
But the making of these idols is not a well kept secret – Patnaik has
opened a School in Puri which has more than 50 students working day and
night to take this art home.
Though I have been to a number of beaches in India – Goan Beaches and
the Southern Beaches – the
Kovalam,
Calangute Beach –
but this is something unique. I have heard about a beach in Go w here they
do make Sand idols – but I am still to discover it. But for the rest I
have not seen anything like this before. As I sat on the sand of the Golden
beach - I could see a lot of people swarming about the sands, watching as
the great artist was at work. Asked what inclined him to put all his
energies to this work, - love for the work was the simple reply.
Keeping a estimated distance from the sea, is the primary thing. This work
is not simply a work – its a understanding – of the sea, of the
waves and the winds - in all the various moods of the nature. Its tough as
it requires a lot of patience. Putting all this what comes out is a
beautiful work of art – in the form of various sand sculptures. Just
like the other art forms – like the miniature paintings and the
jewellery, sand idols are also a part of the Indian Culture.
As I was packing my bags to go back, I thought of joining the Golden Sand
Art Institute – just to take some memories from the beaches of Puri.
