Bhubaneswar: Internationally acclaimed sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has once again captured the spirit of Odisha’s cultural heritage with a beautiful sand sculpture dedicated to Nuakhai, the major agrarian festival of western Odisha.
Created on the golden sands of Puri beach, the artwork features a woman in traditional Sambalpuri attire offering prayers, a vibrant red circular depiction of Maa Samaleswari adorned with floral motifs, and a golden sheaf of freshly harvested paddy.
The sculpture is inscribed with ‘Nuakhai Juhar’, set against the backdrop of the Bay of Bengal.
Nuakhai is a festival of gratitude marking the first harvest of the season. Western Odisha people offer the newly harvested rice (nabanna) to the goddess and seek her blessings for prosperity and well-being.
Through his sand art, Pattnaik continues his tradition of celebrating Odisha’s festivals and spreading messages of cultural pride, hope and abundance. The sculpture has drawn appreciation from art lovers and festival celebrants across the state.
