You don’t have to go to India to see the Taj. Come September 23, a beautiful sand sculpture of the famous monument of love will greet the residents of New York City.  Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik and two of his assistants will laboriously create a monument showcasing their sand art skills.

This is a part of the Incredible India at 60 celebrations, slated to be held from Sept 23 to 26.  So far, Sudarshan has created more than 35 Taj Mahals in various parts of the world and has set a goal of 100 Taj Mahals. To commemorate the 350th anniversary of the monument, Sudarshan and his team had sculpted a black sand Taj in Agra.

At the Berlin International sand art festival held in July last, he sculpted the Taj Mahal on sand. Apart from the monument itself, the image of Shah Jahan with Mumtaz in his heart, not only won the hearts of spectators, but also fetched him the "public appreciation award". Sudarshan feels that this image also acted like an advertisement and helped in boosting the chances of the Taj Mahal in finding a place among the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Sudarshan has always tried to present current affairs of the day through his art. Be it the recent bomb blasts in Hyderabad, or the twin tower blasts in US a couple of years ago, all these incidents have been depicted by him. As also various Indian festivals, social awareness programmes and natural disasters like the Asian Tsunami. Visitors to the sea beach at Puri (famous for the Jagannath temple in Orissa, India) have been enthralled by his creations. A self taught artist, Sudarshan has participated in numerous sand art competitions, both in India and abroad. Last year,he received the award for the "most innovative tourism initiative" from the ministry of tourism, Govt of India.

The most unique aspect of this art is that it is very transient. One does not require expensive materials, and it is eco-friendly. However, it is not as easy as it looks and there are certain techniques to be adhered while carving, especially for humid climates. Having participated in several competitions, Sudarshan has learnt a lot by experience, and has also developed his individual style. At the young age of 30, he has visited more than 34 countries and participated in numerous competitions.

He is also the founder of the "Golden sand art school", and his dream of having a sand art park in Puri will soon materialize, as the state government has promised him a piece of land in the temple town. Apart from local students, including a number of girls, many foreigners who come as tourists have also learnt sand carving at his school. "Sand art is not new to Orissa. In fact, it is a lost art of the region having an integral connection with Jagannath culture. I am only trying to revive it" says this humble artist who despite receiving lucrative offers to migrate overseas, has chosen to stay firmly rooted in the land of his birth.

Photos - Award winning Taj at Berlin festival,
Sea-king, and Hyderabad blasts.

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