Sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik aims to set world record through sand sculpture on Lord Ram at Ayodhya

AYODHYA: Aiming to set a world record, renowned sand artist Padma Shri Sudarshan Patnaik will organise a sand sculpture art camp along with seven fellow artists on the banks of the Saryu river to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony of Ram temple at Ayodhya on January 22, an official said. The art camp will be organised at Naya Ghat and it will be based on Lord Ram and Ramcharitmanas, the director of the Uttar Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, Dr Shraddha Shukla, said in a statement. The camp is just one of the events being organised at Ayodhya ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. The Yogi Adityanath government is organising a variety of cultural programmes at different locations in the city. The Lalit Kala Academy, which functions under the state Culture Department, has planned the schedule of various events, Shukla said. The events include wall painting on the main walls of Ayodhya Dham, an exhibition showcasing Ram Bal Leela and diverse art works, she said. These programmes started on January 18 and are set to continue after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. The official said approximately 40 artists from various districts across the state are currently engaged in the creation of wall paintings in Ayodhya. These paintings cover nearly 3,000 square feet on the CRPF wall near the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport, about 1,500 square feet on the wall of the Ayodhya Collectorate building and approximately 1,200 square feet on the wall of the Irrigation Department building situated on the Ram Ki Paidi Marg. An exhibition of sculpture and painting based on various episodes such as Lord Ram's Bal Leela, Ram's Gurukul Leela, Lord Hanuman's Leela, Tadaka Vadh, Sita's Swayamvar, Ram-Jatayu Milan and Hanuman-Sita Milan is also being started. This exhibition, showcasing the artistry with paintings, will continue till January 26. Forty paintings and 10 sculptures will be created by 50 artists from different districts of the state. Along with this, home studio workshops based on Lord Shri Ram and his life character will be organised in 10 districts of the state including Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Meerut, Bareilly and Lucknow. This workshop will take place between February 1 and February 29. An exhibition of the artifacts selected in the workshop will be organised in Ayodhya Dham, Shukla said. The department is also organising mehndi and other workshops for women and girls, supported by the Asia Delfic Council, where a thousand artists will participate. As part of the Ramotsav programme, a three-day independent photography competition will be held for photographers from the state and the country. The competition begins on January 20 and concludes on January 23. The selected art works from the competition will be exhibited at Ramkatha Park by the Lalit Kala Academy and winners will be honoured.