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Doing his bit for cyclone victims

BHUBANESWAR: Be it the moment of celebration for the nation or calamity striking any part of the globe, internationally acclaimed sand sculptor Sudarsan Patnaik can’t just stay cool.

And that exactly happened on Saturday. As he was back in his home-town of Puri at noon after being presented the prestigious Parab Samman at Koraput, he had no time to share his triumph with family and friends. He rushed to the seashore instead and started sculpting the scene of a storm with the sand. His fans and the scores of tourists could realise an hour later that Sudarsan was appealing to the people of the world through his art to pray for the cyclone victims of Bangladesh. And to care for them in any way they can. Just like him.

The scene sculpted on the sand with eight tonnes of sand was like this.

Against the high tides in the sea, a swept away man is raising his two hands towards the shore seeking help.

“The cyclone spared us for heaven’s sake. All of us who live by the sea were in panic as it reminded us of the 1999 Orissa super cyclone. But we should not relax as it has caused havoc to our neighbours in Bangladesh. We must come to their rescue who are homeless and have lost near and dear ones,” said Sudarsan. “I, however, feel helpless that I cannot do anything directly for the victims than making an appeal to the world community through my art,” he sighed. The onlookers were, however, moved by the artist’s concern for the victims. “This artist is more human. That’s his greatness,” said Catherine Blishen, an American tourist.

Sudarsan’s students at the Golden sand Art Institute joined him in sculpting the scene.

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